Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-01-22
AN AaT0NisaED NEWSPAPER.

Meyersdsle Commercial, which we
were enabled to do through the cour-
tesy of friend who received one Of a
number of marked advance copies"
sent into this section. With our regular
copy in hand, however, we shall give
it's comments little mild attention.
The Commercial says:
During the latter part of 1880 the forma-
ton Of military company was agitated
In Frosthurg aud received with great
favor by the young men of that place.
Now there is nothing wrong about this.
The enterprise is laudable one, and in
country like ours, where there is no stand
ing army, the only means to acquire mill
tary drill and knowledge of military
usages is in the establishment of such
companies. They are a source of pride
and qualification to their communities, and
In cases Of National or State emergencies
can become the power that will preserve
law and order. The movement was
checked in Frostburg, and, we learn, thrct-
tied by the Knights of Labor. In its issue
of the 10th of December the FRosTBURG
MINING JOURNAL contained the following
very remarkable production entitled
"Warning to All Workingmen."
Here follow the preamble and
resolutions heretofore published.
Our contemporary has been misin-
formed. The Frostburg company was
never seriously entertained by but
one individual, and he was work
ingman."
The document was protest against
the uses to which military organiza'
lions have been put in suppressinf
legitimate opposition to diminished
wages-nothing more, nothing less
If this be treason, let the Commercial
make the most of it.
But the astounded Commercial mus
speak its own way:
Weare alike estonished at the insolence
impudence and arrogance of these self
constituted masters of the people of tn
region they assume to govern. We ar
equally astonished that the editor, WIFI
should speak for the rights and privilege
of the entire community, permitted til
impudent assumption of these blatan
blatherskites to go unrebuked. How
military company could 'prove detrimen
tai to our the Knights) interests" is on
OF those things mo fellow can fina out,
unless these same valiant Knights inten
some deVltry in the future that powde
and ball might interfere with. We con
cede the Knights of Labor constitute
very large portion of our people, but the,
do not constitute all by large majority
and we see no reason why they, more thai
any other portion of our skilled and intel
ligent workmen, should be coddled an
huioCuj vi pSliuibtCu w lulC US. Ills ii
land of equal rights; and Knight of La
Dor, % long as he obeys the laws, is emit
tied to as much protection as any othe
man; but when he insolently and impu
IDENTIFY presumes-through his "horganiza
ton" or its teachings-to dictate to hi
fellows, equally free and independent
what they should or should not do, then /
is time to curb HIM and let him know
that, like the frog in the fable who emula
ted the OK, he is in danger of proving hi
assinine qualities equal to his impudence
If the workingmen constituted
majority and were opposed to military
companies, could the Commercial stat
how much it would be "astonished a
their insolence, impudence and AFRO
gance ?'-or, are people insolent
ETC., only when they are in minor
ity? But the Comm rcial concede
by implication that a majority ha
the right to rule; what business
then, has the Commercial to find faul
with a majority of our Georges Creel
people who may be opposed to thu
organization of military companies
or why should he speak of 1.-The edito
asdumbwhen the rights and privilege
ofhis constituency (the minority here
are assailed and insolently ques
toned ?" Is the Commercial shrewt
enough to divine that some Meyers
dale conditions are impossible here
shat, from the nature of things
some of ours cannot obtain there
but that blackleggery is ruinous tt
wages in either or both2 And tina
if blackleggery is to be established
by martial decree and perpetuateG
by the rule of the sword, that Their,
is an end to the Importance of the.,
communities, so far as the coal trade
is concerned? Can the Commercial
discern that we are stockholders il
these coal corporations through oul
labor-that it is right and proper fol
us to look for and secure that diyi
dend of the profits that labor earns
Can the Commercial see that it would