Norwich bulletin., 1919-11-07
OUR LIGHTS AND OUR REsPoNslBlLTlEs

ss Icrops he shall grow on his side, nor how he shall cultivate them. My rights" as landowner end at that fence and John. Smiths rights be- gin at it. With our admitted and ac- cepted mutual rights" goes the equal l ly mutual duty for each of us Of keep i ing on his own side the line.
 l Nor is that the extent of our neu- tral duties toward each other. My land is mine, to be sure, but have no right l to use it in such a way as to cause 1 John Smith harm or loss. l may not | divert to my own use the brook which runs across my fields and so on through his. He has the right to that streams natural flow and my | right to the use of it in my own land does not include any right to di- vert it wholly, to his damage. At the same time he has no right to establish l on his own land any industry the na- tural effect of which is to poison me or my. family. or destroy my crops In both cases our .undeniable rights are strictly limited by our equally un- deniable duty, to respect each others rights. The very existence of peace ful, orderly,-~ safe civilization depends upon the universal acceptance of this truism.. Without. such acceptance. the world reverts from orderliness to an archy; from civilization to savagery; from peace to war.
 This is just as true in any other form of industry as on the farms. Un- til recently it has been accepted un- questioningly by practically all classes iof people. When some bully like Vanderbilt, overweening in the power | associated with great wealth, under took to f1out it, he was speedily brought to terms by the tempest of almost universal indignation which broke on his he; >I "The public be pleased" is now the slogan of railroaG managers who best know their busi- ness.
 Of course, the New York paper is correct in saying that farmers have just as much right to organize and strike as other workmen. The ques- tion is not limited to matter of rights, however. It involves a regard for duties and responsibilities, as, well. Have farmers any right deliberately to take such action as will cause suffer ing and death among non-farmers solely for the purpose of their own advantage? I put the question up to you, be you farmer or factory hand. Admitting their theoretical right" to strike and stop raising beef. pork | wheat, potatoes etc.. except for their own use, how far is that theoretical right" limited by their duties and their responsibilities to the country of which they are an integral part? Does their right" to strike for their own gain involve and carry with it the right to starve your wife and baby un- til you knuckle under to all their de- mands?
 Does any mans admitted fright" to :! act for his own interests carry with it permission to. ignore or deny the rights" of others? Be he employing capitalist or employed workman?
 That's really the fundamental ques- l. t'rr Th'"h t'.s got ito be answered first of all. Matters of wages or hours or collective bargaining are merely
 incidental. They are all fair subjects tor discussion and agreement or dis agreement, as may happen.
 i But has either party in such dis cuss on, when it seems to be going against his contention, the right to turn his blunderbuss upon the wholly unofrending public in the hope that it's wounds may bring the other fellow to terms?
 I Heaven forbid that the farmers of the country should ever agree to or condone any such nonstrous proposi- tion! It matters not that they have the technical right" to do so. We. all have rights" enough. in all con- science. You have the right" to leave your clean and well cooked dinner on the table. if you want to. and go out and get your swill with the hogs from I the hog-trough. But do you want to? And do you claim the right to drag me with you and plunge my mouth and nose into the same swill?
 The true man. be he farmer or something else; the real American, be | he the descendant of seven New Eng land generations or the son of 1901 immigrant, regards shis duties just as solicitously as his rights. He may be never so keen for the latter. if his eye is just as sharp in recognizing the former. ast-
 Until the perfect balance between the two is universally recognized we | shall never know. absolute industrial 1 peace. The moment it is so recog- nized, we shall know nothing else but | industrial peace.
 in the meantime, the sound, con- servative common-sen of the coun- try, as represented very largely in its | farmers, is our only reliance. If they, too, forget the admonitions of experi- ence and deny the canons of reason | the outlook for the future of America 1 is black. indeed!
 l THE FARMER.