The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-09-08
1AE sNuR 10 THE MILITIA

THE sNUB TO THE MILITIA
The Canton Evening Rep. becomes
somewhat violent because the invita-
ton to Company L, to participate in
the parade Labor Day was withdrawn.
The Rep claims this is an insult to the
state and attempts to create prejudice
against organized labor because of this
incident.
1t is certainly very unwise and un.
patriotic in newspaper to attempt to
create bitterness between the various
labor unions and the local militia. There
is no occasion for any feeling on either
side when the matter is fully under
stood.
The letter of the Secretary of the
committee of arrangements is presented
that the public may see the real cause
of the withdrawal of the invitation.
Those who read this letter without
prejudice, will see that it is couched in
respectful language
r. f. Houghton,
Sec'y Committee of Arrangements,
Labor Day, Sept. 5, 1892,
Mr. Harry Frease, Captain Command
ing Company l, Eighth Infantry, o.
N. g.:
My Dear Sir-Owing to the fact that
the recent labor troubles throughout
the country have emoittered some of
the most radical Of the working class
against all forms of military services
aud militamen generally, and consider
ing the objections received by me from
Salem, Eoungstown and Canton trades
unions to the military companies
marching in the parade on Labor Day,
we therefore resolved at last meeting
of committee TO kindly ask that you
withdraw your letter of acceptance and
so notify your company. Hoping you
will not misconstrue the sense of this
request, am, rs ever,
Yours truly,
II, Z. HoUGHToN.
Canton, o Sep. l.
AS we understand it, the Labor
Unions wanted the celebration to be
a purely civic affair and did not care to
have mixed parade. The mistake
was in inviting the militia to partici-
pate originally. AS the matter now
stands the militia feel aggrieved
over what seems like suub.
Labor Day was enacted for laboring
men, and its celebration belongs to la
boring men. Hence, If the celebration
had gone forward in the correct line of
its founders, no offense would have
been given the militia in failing to in
vite them.
The reason given in Mr.. Houghton's
letter, that the invitation was with
drawn because of the prejudice against
the militia, is not we'll taken, although
it is human nature in the average labor
ing man to feel just that way. Because
the militia have been used to aid in
suppressing riots, destroying the force
of strikes, this prejudice is born. But.
stop long enough to reason a moment.
The militia are the forceful instruments
of law, and can only be used by the
highest executive authority of the
state Citizens do not enter the militia
to suppress labor or oppress labor. On
the other hand the militia is largely
made up of young men who labor. The
state militia should not be classed with
the Pinkertons, an unlawful organiza-
tion that should not be tolerated any
where.
That the terrible affair at Homestead
has created deep prejudice among
M NJ nj
tons and the militia is doubtless true,
and it is to be regretted that this preju- |
dice should have been exercised against
as fine body of young men as our Co. !
l. But nothing is to be gained by
using this unfortunate
incident to work prejudice among our
good citizens against organized abOr.
Men who labor for their daily bread
have at best a hard lot in this great
bounteous land of ours, aud this lot !
has been made harder, OF late years. by |
the eucrOachment of unjust laws that |
have thrown the whole burden of the
government enormously increased by
extravaganza upon the sholl-
ders of labor.
Labor is just now waking up to a |
realizing sense of this cruel robbery, !
aud a vicious element has been deyel- |
oped in the ranks of labor that was un.
known before the days of Doodle states
men and robOer tariffs.
These labor organizations are not
highly skilled in the finesse of military
They meant no insult, no
suub.
Let us take them at their word.