Now, both sides in the conflict
claimed to be following closely the spirit of this fundamental doctrine.
The workingmen declared that they had a perfect right to organize and to
induce all their number to join the unions. They said the individual
relation between them and the employers had had its day and that
experience was proving to them that every concession and privilege they
hoped to get must come through their associations, working through the
medium of an agent or committee. As independent citizens they could not
obey laws and regulations in the making of which they had no voice, and
their love of personal liberty would not allow them to accept the wages
and hours of service which their employers might, without asking their
consent, choose to prescribe. In case of disagreement they asserted their
right to stop the whole business, at whatever loss to the employers or
inconvenience to the public, and to prevent, if possible, new men from
taking their places.
"On the other hand, the employers, while not denying to the workmen the
right to form associations for legitimate purposes, insisted that this
right was being abused.
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