The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-03-18
TO THOSE WHO LABOR
The CO-EmplOye and PinkertOn Thug
Iniquity Shown Up--.LOCOmOtiVe
Firemen in Line.
No AntagOniSm Between the Railroad
Employees and the Farmer---Is Leg.
islatiOn Needed?

The interrogatory which forms the
caption of this Article, is addressed
particularly TO railroad employees.
In broad sense, the law makers of
the country, whether found in legisla-
lures, or in congress. are partisans.
The terms, as used in this connection,
is not intended to be in any sense Of
fensive.
Where there is free speech and II
free press, there will be parties. 1t is
inevitable. and of this result, we in.
dulge in no complaints.
lin old colony times when we lived
under king" there were parties.
During the revolution the wing and
Tory parties existed, next the republi-
can and federalsts. after these came
the democratic and wing parties. then
the democratic, wing and abolition
parties; later the democrat and repub-
lican parties, with here and there II
prohibition party. At this writing
there are three parties in the field; the
democratic the republican and the peo-
pies party, the latter sometimes being
referred to as "the farmers alliance, "
aid which at the same time claims to
be u labor party, or the workingmen'
party.
If we were to be guided in our esti-
mate of parties, predicted upon pro-
fessions expressed Immediately prior
to an election, we should be compelled
to aver that all political parties are
deeply concerned about the welfare OF
lab0r-that their solicitude for the
happiness and prosperity of working
men absorbs large per cent of tbeil
thoughts, and that they are ceaselessly
wrestling with the subjects, how best
to promote the interests of men whose
labor pays all interest, taxes and rev.
enues, and keeps the world from stag.
nation and decay.
This system of profession. chicane
duplicity and hypocricy, has been prac'
ticed for years.
Here and there, now and then, the
claims of workingmen have been rec
ognized and laws have been placed on
the statute books which modified some
outrage that had fastened itself upon
our christian-savage jurisprudence, ;
relic of barbarsm and " legacy from
the dead past, those dark and damned
ages. when in judicial parlance, it was
ALWAYS "master and servant, o.
"master and slave" but never "mal
anil man." when no workingmen
either in court or out of court, sough
to have any right restored, or re
spected, which had been cloven dow
by his "master."
The world of workers took hope whel
the Declaration Of Independence de
clared that "all men are created
equal" and the day on which it wa
first read, is u national holiday where
ever floats the stars and stripes, ant
he shouts
"FOreyer float that standard sheetl
Where breaches the foe, but fails before us
With freedoms soil beneath our feet,
And freedoms banner waving DER u.s."
But the question arises, over whom
does the starry banner float now-a,days
Over nation of freemenp NOminall
it does-but in fact it does not.
Workingmen declare that they ar
not freemen, if their employers may
with or without law, hire Pinkerto
thugs, arm them with rifles, and orde
them to shoot down workingmen lik
dogs, without prOvOcation. These in
felnal cut-thrOats, these vagabond
from the slumns, these hired Outcasts
constitute Il military force unknown t,
the state, and yet workingmen hav
been unable, except in Il few instances
to strike down the murderous policy O
some railroad incorporation which EN-
plpys the thugs.
We confess that, in all our reading
of savage and barbarism methods. W
3 have found nothing more essential
devilish. more Internal in all regard.
" than the employment of Pinkerton out
i. laws to murder workingmen at tn
G behest Of a corporation.
We talk glibly of lands cursed b
. autocrats and aristoerats, and exclain
read the Declaration of independence,
Behold our flag! Remember Bunkt
Hill and Yorktown! Contemplate tb