ganization, the single-handed employe
of the great modern employer is comparatively helpless. But if these
organizations are allowed to be controlled by ignorant, unreasonable or
designing men, who will, at trifling provocations, resort to violent and
unlawful measures, they are sure to prove harmful, and a great
detriment, instead of a help, to their members, and the sooner they are
abandoned the better for all.

Great conflicts are sure to arise between organized capital and
organized labor, and they must be settled in a reasonable way, or
anarchy will prevail. They cannot be left for headstrong or
inconsiderate men representing either side to determine, but the line
must be drawn by the public authorities.

Each year affords accumulated evidence of the necessity of extending
legal restrictions over the management of the railway business, and the
law, as laid down by Judge Ricks to the Ann Arbor strikers last March,
in the United States Circuit Court, at Toledo, is undoubtedly correct
and will meet with general approval from the public.

He says:

"You are engaged in a service of a public character, and the
public are interested not only in the way in which you
perform your duties while you continue in that service, but
are quite as much interested in the time and circumstances
under which you quit that employment. You cannot always
choose your own time and place for terminating these
relations. If you are permitted to do so you might quit your
work at a time and place and under circumstances which would
involve irreparable damage to your employers and jeopardize
the lives of the traveling public."

Mr. Powderly, in commenting upon the above decision, does not complain
of it, but says:

"The decision shows, as I have said before, that the
principle of Government ownership of the railroads is being
recognized by the courts. While the decision is apparently
against the men, it emphasizes our position that the
Government has the right to supervise the railroads. Now it
is a poor rule that won't work both ways.

"The Interstate Commerce Law was passed for the purpose of
controlling the railroads, but up to date no railroad has
paid any attention to the law. Anarchy of the worst kind has
prevailed. By that I mean a total disregard of the law, and
that is what the corporations charge agains