Year: 1877

ered impairment of the value OF prop
erty through legal proceedings he GER
tsinlv should not be left without remedy
against lswless violence which has sctu-
ally destroyed the security for his invest
ment, and has, As at Pittsburgh, convertd
millions of dollars into scrap iron and
ashes. The Avs which gave the Federal
Courts the summary process OF lnlunc-
ton TO restrain so comparatively trihing
a wrong a. al infringement OF patent
right certainly mus. have been intended
or ought - give the United States au-
thority to prevent wrong doing which
not only destroys particular road, but
also paralyzes the entire commerce otthe
country and wastes the nstiOnal wealth.


WHAT CONGRESS SHOULD Do.


1t surely may be hoped that at the sp-
preaching session Of Congress the ear
nest, unprejuGiced and patriotic men Of
both Houses will discuss this grave sub
iect independently OF party lines, and
with tue united resolve 10 secure equity
to all interests and to tske ali necessary
measures to secure protection to lite and
property and the impartial enforcement
OF the laws including the guarantee to
every man Of the right to work tor such
compensation as he may agree upon
with other men, free from interference
or intimidation. The able law
vers ol the Senate and House will
perhaps frame law which will give to
the owners of every highway carrying
interstate commerce whether by land or
water, in which citizens of different
States are interested; or carrying the
United States mails or other government
property verified before the tribunals OF
the United States, in order 10 show that
the movement OF such traffic had been
interfered with by unlawful combinations
by threats or by violet ce, and which
upon such showing will give these
tribunss the right, when necessary, to
call upon the United States in the form
now authorized by law to enforce their
process by arre'ting the rioters and the
suppression of all such unlawful Combi-
nations.


The magnitude OF the evil to be met
and dealt with can hardly be overststed,
The remedy TO be provided should be
equally prompt and effective. 1t must
be discussed and adopted in the interest
of the whole country and not OF any par.
ticusr class for the interests OF all
classes Of our citizens are the same In
the maintenance of domestic and civil
order.


But to no one class in the community
is 81 absolute assurance OF peace go I'M
portant as TO the men who have no cspi-
tsl but their labor. When the scCumuls-
tions OF labor are put in peril by lawIeSs-
ness, capital may always protect itself
by suspendIng the enterprises which give
labor its value and insure it its reward.
Anarchy not only deprlyes the lsborlng
man OF hIs present subsistence, but puts
IN jeopardy all his hopes OF improvement
for his own future and the future OF his
family.


NV own railway experience, extend
ing over period Ot thirty years, leads
me 20 believe that the managers of Amer
lean railways in general may tearIessly
appeal 10 their past relations with the
faithful among their employees to prove
that they at least have always endesvor-
ed to treat the interests of employers and
employed as identical, and have never
failed to take into prompt and respectful
consideration every grievance which mas
been fairly and properly presented to
them. am sure that it has been the
purpose of the company with which | am
connected to st all times pay its em
ployees the best compensation that the
buoiryss of the country would warrant,
and | hsve no doubt that this will be the
policy of the company for all future time,
as it is founded on sound business prin-
cples no less than upon the instincts of
humanity. THOMAS A. SCOTT.