The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-11-21

cedentS haVe been eStaDllSned uHuei
the Sherman law which threaten to
render it a weapon for their serious
injury, unless new legislation comes
to their aid. They are not IN the
business of production-buying n
selling materials, managing corpora
TONS. issuing stock, and getting char
ters from the Government. In no re-
spect can they promote trade or re-
strain trade IN the sense
applicable to trusts. An accurate DIS
elimination in the employment of the
term combination" with its many
phased meanings, has prompted the
British government to exempt ex-
plicitly the labor unions Of the United
Kingdom from the provisions OF its
law against combinations, al exam
pie followed by Canada in it's act to
control and regulate those Of that
country. But a bill before our Con-
gress to the same effect halts. Mean
time, the power Of our our is in
voked to hamper the trade unions.
The United States Supreme Court has
decided that q refusal by organized
wOrkmen to buy a particular firms
goods is q restraint Of trade, as con-
templated by the Sherman lava
crime for which individual workmen
or associations of wOrkmen may be
fined and imprisoned-and the union
hatmakerS are wrestling in the maZeS
Of the law, trying to avoid a fine i'm
posed on them of $222,000, with fees
and costs. A step further was taken
by the courts in New Orleans When
rs wOrlSmen were indicted for with
holding their labor in support Of
men on strike against a reduction
Of wages. A step still further has
been attempted in New York through
a suit brought by an employer against
women of wealth for their humani-
tartan assistance to girls of the sweat
~l-~-- III - all WI h nov
step be to order the dissolution OF
offending unions?
Really, the punishment the Sherman
law is bringing upon the trusts a
be quite fully described by telling
what it is doing to the trade union,
as the only trust which cannot wrig-
gle away from the act by hiring law
yers to rewrite it's articles Of incor
poration. Only trade unionists have
been hurtfully penaliZed under the
act. Notwithstanding the obvious fact
that the trade union has none of the
characteristics essential to a trust-if
the word is to bear a specific mean
ing. The trade union has not ever
papers of Incorporation. 1t holds no
franchise or charter, issued by a leg
islature. 1t possesses no legal priVi-
1ege. 1t is protected by no tariff. 1t
cannot raise or lower prices of COM
modities, sell stocks in Wall street,
advertise goods or bleed consumers.
Its monopoly of labor is true only
as it Is true that an individual has a
monopoly of his own body. and of his
own labor. when he is free. The trade
unions mission is protective-of the
poor, of the weaker ones in h eco
nomic struggle, of the men who have
little more than their W labor and
find the poSSeSSOrS of the wealth OF
1.-The world in SO many respect their
masters, of the women tortured and
often stricken through long hours and
heavy burdens in the factory or bus
mess mart while their first place is
in the home, Of the children stunted
in physical, moral and mental growth
through racking labor in their tender
years. The trade union! Centre OF
nope for millions, theatre of count
less and endless acts of generosity;
incubator of the basic social virtues
OF courage, brotherhood. and self
sacriIlce; school,, assimilator, inspireI
or the penniless Immigrant, that com
mon object Of plumber; medium 70,
genuine charity, Eplifter to poverty
a positive help to humanity. The
Ianor unlon-the one black. foul
! criminal trust whose members deserve