The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-08
NO PRIVATE ARMIES.
Mass-Meeting Denounces the
PinkertOn System.
HOMESTEAD RIOT THE TEXT.
Speeches by John r. Kinnear, James II.
Lewis and Characterization
Of Condemnation.

From 800 to 1000 people assembled at a
mass-meeting on Pioneer Place last even
ing to pay their respects to Pinkertonism
and its part in the Homestead riot of last
Wednesday William ]. Larkin presided
and the meeting was addressed by J. R.
Kinnear, James Hamilton Lewis, E. J.
Jeffries and P. II. McKernan.
John K. kinnear was the first speaker.
He condemned the system of Pinkerton.
ism and said he had introduced bills in
both sessions Of the legislature to abolish
it, but the House defeated the first bill and
Laughton vetoed the second, so the state
was still without law against the system.
He argued that no man had q right to
maintain an armed force; that
the civil authorities and state militia were
constituted to protect life and property !:
and that it was to the interest of both
workingmen and capitalists to have law
passed preventing the presence of other
than legally established armed forces. He
felt that every man should have full pro-
lection. but he had never known working
men to ask for anything but justice.
The crowd began shouting for Lewis and
Jeffries. The chairman introduced Mr..
Lewis and, just as he was about to
begin speaking, some one in the
crowd made an uncomplimentary
remark. Captain John T. Ryan, the
deepest diver in the world, who as
usual, was on the platform to avoid
prominence, shouted: 1.-THE man that
said that is cur" Some one answered
back, referring to the captains capacity
for wind. This added to the captains
fury, and, jumping down from the plat
form, he made for speaker No. 2 to demol.
ish him. saying: eyes. and you are a
cur, too" But, as the captain had hoped,
the crowd prevented conflict, and he
went back to the platform the hero of an
sverted battle.
Mr.. Lewis apologized for his presence
by saying that he had felt little embar-
rassed lest he should leave himself open
to the charge of taking advantage of a
calamity for personal ends, but he was
friend of the toiler and felt it
his duty to respond to the invitation
regardless of what might be said. He
quoted from the Declaration of Independ-
ence with reference to the policy of
George III. in maintaining bodies Of
armed troops in the American colonies be-
fore the Revolution, and likened it to the
action of corporations in hiring Pinker-
tons. The government, he said, was Or
eanized on a peace basis. and anything
which excited violence was wrong; that
if disputes between employer and en-
ployed are to be settled by bullets, then
free government is a failure. He con-
sdered the common people the safeguard
of the republic, and without their
confidence no such thing was pos
sible. The common people would pro-
tect themselves from being trodden under
foot and. if the system of Pinkertonism
was allowed to continue. it was bound to
lead to bloodshed. He showed letter he
had received from Representative Oates,
OF Alabama. in response to one he wrote
him with reference to what he considered
the legal aspects OF the right Of congress
TO legislate against the system. At the
conclusion of Mr.. Lewis speech he was
given three cheers by part of the crowd
led by Captain Ryan.
E. J. Jeffries thought 1t no wonder after
the manner in which Pinkertons had shot
down innocent people at st. Louis, Mil
waukee and Chicago, if the people had
taken the law into their own hands and
begun the assault, as reported in the case.
The speaker went out of his way to drag
the peoples land loan scheme into the dis
cussion.
P. II. McKernan thought IL strange that
congress had just been aroused to the ne
cessity for On investivation after the SINH
lar troubles that have occurred during the
past fifteen years.
Rev. Wallace Nutting sent letter stat
ing that he found it impossible to be pres
ent. but that he would speak on the sub
ject at Plymouth church next Sunday
evening.
The following resolutions were read and
adopted:
Resolved, That corporations employing Pink.
erton thugs are anarchists, inasmuch - it IL
directly opposed to the letter and spirit of
American law
Resolred, That the Pittsburg outrages are only
equaled by the murderous attack on our own
miners and defenseless families at Franklin one
year ago. when four people were shot down in
cold blood: also that Pinkertonism 10 as repre-
hensible in Washington rs in Pennsylvania.
Resolred, That we heartily commend the &C.
ton of Governor Psttison in his prompt orders
TO the sheriff to exhaust all his powers to Quell
the disturbance before calling out the militis,
and that we recommend his methods to the
state officials OF Washington ~ worthy their
emulation.
investigate the cause OF the Homestead riot, and
that, If 1t be found that Carnegie, Frick, Love-
Joy and others, members of the corporation. de-
hberstely conspired to import hired assassins to
kill peaceful citizens, they be arrested for muir
der.
Resored, That we demand OF congress the i'm
mediate passage Of Tom Watson's resolution
asking for committee to investigate Pinker-
tonlsm in the United States
Resoieed, That we demand the passage OF a
law that will eifectuslly bar the entrance of
armed bodies into our state by private persons
through the disguise Of protection to private
property.
Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with the
unfortunate families OF the slain workmen, who
are thus so suddenly deprived OF the aid and
protection OF husbands ami fathers by the muir
dsrous hand OF corporate greed.
DASHED TO CERTAIN DEATH.