Show THE BUTTE PttLNTKES The action of the printers on the Butte Miner is a matter worthy of some consider ation A prominent and influential news paper has been compelled to temporarily suspend publication because of such action and when results involving so much to proprietors if not to a certain section of he publicarc precipitated it is time to ask the why and wherefore of the difficulty No one who recognizes the worth and stability of skilled and intelligent labor will attempt to disparage it or place any obstacles in the way of organization for selfprotection and systematic effort Under Un-der such circumstances it can better make its influence felt as a factor for good and it can more agreeably arrive at satisfactory conclusions with the employer class This lS all as it should be and tho objectors if any are not entitled to consideration Butt But-t always be understood that there are limits beyond which no form of con < EUtutca authority should seek to go and where it will not to be permitted togo if it should seek There may bo no specially drawn and regularly adopted bill of rights or formal constitution but there is always the understanding which exists to a greater or less extent between man and man and to which we are wont to appeal for substantial justice when encroachments encroach-ments wearing the form of regularity appear ap-pear Printers as a rule are men of intelligence intelli-gence and education not merely the learning learn-ing gleaned from books but that more substantial form which comes of abrasion with bright minds of association with the best thoughts of the times and of continuous con-tinuous communion with the great and growing problems of the age They are by such means favored to a degree largely above and beyond that which laborers in other departments of life occupy and they deserve the respect which they generally receive because of it It is such prestige and such solid ground for it to stand upon that should cause them to steer clear of anything any-thing savoring of autocracy or despotism not for that reason only but for the concomitant con-comitant and paramount reason that this is not a land wherein despotism in any form can mto deep root and thrive Public opinion in the main is the greatest and I most unerring judge of human affairs no combination amounting to merely an organized or-ganized form of abor nor in fact any considerable con-siderable division of society itself can long stand out against the decrees coining from such a source and our statement that public pub-lic opinion wherever the frfcts are known is sternly against the Butte typographical union has a much moro solid basis than mere guess work It might not be so bad if the printers had confined themselves to thcir own sphere of action They did not do this but wcitt t further and entered the business department depart-ment of the paper demanding removals there as though the proprietors of the paper were only sp many stool pigeons whose special function it was to resent any private grievance which any printer might happen to have The proprietors properly resented the demand as an encroachment on their rights as businessmen business-men and the printers loft in a body Of course abstractly considered they had aright a-right to leave if they wanted to do so but was it honorable or just j 3 And if the Miner shall hereafter refuso to recognize the union altogether and shall build up an independent in-dependent and antagonistic organization whose natural effect will ba the weakening weaken-ing of the society which forced it into such a position to what and vvljoin will the printer appeal for mpathy and support in such an emergency I I |