The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-10-15

Last Thursday morning the last OF the
PENNSYLVANIA troops were removed from
Homestead. The military protection OF the
C.AESEuiE works mud worknien has ceased
sitcr having been maintained for moro
than three months. AS L. Sas costly
to tlis State it wos kept up. ~ course.
only so long as 1t seemed necessary.
This cost FOR tll" troops alunc Is cstt-
mattel u. liait n million dollars. Adj to
tina, su:i ti.e loss NJ wages by the strikers.
the loss To tho company By the disturbance
Uf its business. The loss to the tradcsmen
Of Homestead. and Nil the other pecuniary
Iariasc douo by sl,e rioterh directly ard
Indirectly. end tha total loss reaches to
millions Of dolinrs.
What benefit j. to bs put on the credit
side OF the account?
Non.union worltE,cn have been protected
In their right to obtain employment in the
mills ami earn their living there. For that
purpose alone was the presence OF the
military fore. necessary. Tho striking
rioters we're willing that tho mills should
70 OH. provided that they themselves
had a monopoly OF the labor employed
in them. aud wero allowed to die
tate tho wages paid. Ii they could have
nav tIlelE WY NllllOuU OVpO5ALlOlls liz
troops would hu ve been requisite. Instead
Of beicg q military camp. Homestead would
have continued to be the most pros
porous and The best-paid community
Of workingmcn 10 tho world: and
NO one would have boon admitted to share
in their rare fortune except those they al
lowed to come In. That is. they wanted to
hx the scale Of wages themselves, and also
to say who should get them and who should
to debar-ed from tho privilege OF working
In the mills.
That attempt to establish an odious mo-
nopoly Of labor at Homestead Inns failed.
but it was only defeated by the assistance
Of the military power OF Pennsylvania e1-
erted for more than three months, and Mt a
great pecuniary cost to the State. 1t was
au insurrcction. and it had to BE- put down
audi kept down as such. whatever the cost.
for the maintenance Of civilization.
II the expense had been ten times as muoh.
tho victory would have been we'll worth tho
outlay. 1t Is q victory for labor and not for
capital. The State has shown Its determine
ton and demonstrated Its power to protect
Its citizens in their right to labor. whether
they belong to q trade union or not.
If workmen do not like their Job. OF do not
like their pay. they can throw 1t up. II
other workmen want the job. and are ready
to take the pay offered. nobody will be suf-
fercd to prevent them by violence from en-
gaging In tho work. That Is the lesson Of
Homestead.
That is the victory achieved BY the troops
now withdrawn. after having held the
workmen in tho mills under their pro-
trction for more than three months. An
attempt at an arrogant monopoly has been
beaten. and tho liberty Of the citizen has
been vindicatcd.
Considering the supreme Importance Of
the end attained. the cost therefore has
been Insignificant. A great principle has
besu sustained. Tho freedom Of labor has
been defended successfully against its enc
mics. Tho forces Of law and order and
civilization have gained the mastery over
the forces Of anarchy and barbarism. The
right to labor In security against violence
End intimidation has been vindlcated.
The Pennsylvania soldiers have returned
to their homes after having rendered a
services OF inestlmable value to American
liberty and civilization. Troops were never
before called out for tho defence OF o prln-
ciplo more precious.