Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-07-24

of their eyes," and the faithfulness with
which it was observed, is one that strikes
the reader with some force, and there is
no doubt that the order and its fulfill
ment was the only effective way the
colonists could have coped with the
trained, sharp, powerful, well-drilled
and accoutred enemy.
In this there is an important lesson
one can read as trade unionist. Here
is an army made up of green men, re-
cruits, in no way disciplined to the same
degree of perfection exhibited in the
well-trained regulars. They felt the fire
of patriotism glow in their bosoms, and
by the determined struggles they made,
and the thousand sacrifices rendered,
have proven the intensity of their love
of liberty. Doubtless each man felt
himself imbued with the spirit of free
dom and hate of despotism as another.
of their country, and though untutored
in the arts of war, comparatively, they
seemed to have learned obedience to
the orders of the officers who were
fire of their adversaries they kept quiet.
| Victim after victim fell from the ranks,
but they flinched not. Some may have
felt as though the whole body was
to be inundated on the altar of what
they deemed a foolish order. But it
was critical time, and much hung upon
the use they would make of the force
they had, and they bore the pres
'fire"-and what havoc was there.
Had the zeal of that noble band impelled
them to fire-one wing here, one there
and another yonder-when the opposing
forces were still out of reach, against the
imperative order already given, the re-
suit need not be told. Disorder and
death to the many must have been the
penalty, and the end they sought to ac-
complish driven back for years.
Suppose such a thing to have taken
place, and the gallant little army scat
tered like chaff before the winds, how
would their act have been interpreted by
their fellow patriots elsewhere2 How
would it have been with the brave Gen
eral in command? Would the defeat
be attributed to his cowardice, his want
of military tactics, and to bad General
ship? And, last of all, would those
same brave, but impatient hearts have
found a justification in their disobedience
in charge of this kind against the head
of the army, who perfectly understood
the situation and the only way to take
advantage of it. We think not. How
ever well they might have fought; how
ever much they might have pleaded their
desires to redress their wrongs, and the
nature of the wrongs themselves, this
could not have excused them. Every
man in the whole line felt the oppression
as they did, was familiar with it as they
were and as Jealous aud patriotic, but
the methods adopted by the whole must
be steadily pursued, and disobedience
punished, else no victory could be ac-
complished and no liberty gained.
We are engaged in moral warfare,
and it is right that our people should be
taught the methods we are to apply that
we may win. The order should go along
the line, "keep low" or "reserve your
fire to a given time" 1t is cowardice
that prompts our people to be voting at
all times for those who are opposed to
their interests, or will they keep on
shooting off their ammunition in small
doses here and there, disregarding the
rules laid down for them in the instru-
ment that binds them together, when, if
by united act on their part by uniting
together, they can be victorious, and
many wrongs that they now labor under
can be righted.
The duty of the workingmen, not only
of this State, but all over the union,
should be to organize and mass their
strength into little paper bullets, and
then with a weight and force that will
send them home, shower them on the
heads of the enemy and make their
mark
The election this fall is one that ap-
peals to every workingman to be up and
doing. Representatives are to be chosen,
and upon their election the fate of bal
lot reform will depend. Vote for no
man for Representative, let him be
Republican or Democrat, who does not
publicly pledge himself to vote for bal
lot reform in its purest and most i'm
proved form.
The workingmen of this State have
now an opportunity to show to the public
whether they will be free from the lash
of the tyrant spoilsmen, or be his abject
slave by voting at the dictates of the
bosses. The time is at hand for every
workingman, miners especially, to unite,
and as one man demand from the Legis-
lature liability act with no waving
clauses pinned to it. If united action is
had, and determination shown to vote
for none but those who are in favor of
such measures, victory will crown their
efforts.