St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-10
BEFOGS THE QUESTION.
The Pioneer Press and the Home
stead Strikers.

The Pioneer Press and the Home
stead Strikers.
To the Editor of the Globe.
Again. as on the 18th inst. the Pioneer Press
essayed yesterday to serve its favorite plutoc-
racy by an unfair and entirely uniustifiable
and false presentation of the case against the
workingmen at Homestead. This, by the
way, has before been the practice of that
organ. whose sympathies seem wholly alb
sorbed by monopolistic tendencies. 80
Iii this attempt-for the p. p to defend
the wrong it befogs the question at the out
set by declaring that the Homestead strikers
whole aim is and has been to prevent non
union men from taking their places. 1t
claims as a fixed principle among
them shat they have the right to keep
MIR. Carnegie from operating his own works
unless he chooses to employ them at his own
price, This is a false assumption. The
men never asked for that. nor for anything
bearing the least resemblance to it. What
they did ask. after the tremendous and
sweeping reduction Of from 23 TO 90 per cent
in the scale of wages was announced. WIS a
conference with the managerial the end that
the matter might be eQuitably and fairly ad-
justed. Such conference was arrogantly re-
fused them. The works were palisaded and
loopholed TOR weapons OF war, and other
means employed 10 anger and influence
the minds of men already irritated by wrongs
and contumelious treatment. This, it NAV
be observed in passing, has been the ioenti-
cal course pursued by other monopolies be-
1ore, the object being to anger the men.
who. yielding to the first impulse OF I'M
governed natures would. by violence, speed
lily place themselves in the wrong. 1t was
the cunning policy of men Ayho, knowing
their arbitrary methods would not bear in
ves;igation before the country. sought to
make the natural revolt from injustice by
their workmen sufficiently ungoyernable and
prolonged to. be felt by business men, and
thus to enlist the sympathies Of the general
public on their side, binding people to their
own first transgression Of the laws of justice
and right.
AS said before. the contest was begun by
the Carnegie company refusing 10 recog
niZe the Amalgamated association and. Incl
dentally, by violating its own written pledge
and closing the works before the time set i'll
the agreement they had made with the men.
The editor of the Pioneer Press processes him
self anxious to know what"rights" these men
are defending. The category which follows
is simple, and its significance ought to make
its way into the brain of any man with ordi-
nary comprehension, providing the gray
matter of that brain is not already overflow
enumerate some of the rights these men
are entitled to under the constitution of the
the United States:
First-The right to the same just dealing
in money matters and other affairs of life as
any other citizen.
Second-The right to fair compensation
for their labor
Third-The right to demand OF other par
ties the exact fulfillment of all contracts.
Fourth-The right TO live by their labor
regardless of the desire of any employer to
increase his own gains By keeping them on
semi-starvaton wages.
Fifth-The right to organize unions fol
mutual protection and 10 belong to such
unions and not to lose caste with employers
on account Of it,.
This right many employers deny; but
Whitelaw Reid and Mr.. Wheelock to the con
trary, it it is legal right III many states OF
this Union there are; laws which forbid boy
cotting, and what but boycotting is it TO re
| fuse men work because they belong to q
| labor organizationy 1t the building trade.
men refuse to handle Carnegie steel, what &
howl from the plutocrats including White
| law Reid and Joseph Wheelock, will ther
| shake the armament and rattle the starr
| about!
| This right of forming unions is as old a.
| the first government formed by man il
| primitive times. What are all government
but colossal unions? Governments substi
tute the weight of a mass, its power and col
| lective wisdom. for the puny scattered forces
OF individuals, to the end that general bene
| fit and protection from other powers may re
| suit. Such are industrial unions, and Sucl
| their designs.
The Pioneer Press is much exercised to
know by what right the Homestead lronwork
| ers object that nou-unIon men take thei
| places. 1t SAYS: Upon what principle o.
demagogy the men can justify this to them
selves we cannot imagine Let me sugges
| to the author of that expression
that III discussion Imagination is {
| poor substitute for a sound reasonins
faculty. When in extremity natures frs
| lay asserts itself III man. Now, these Home
| stead people have no other trade, no othel
means OF supporting themselves and fam
lies than the avocation they follow in The
| Carnegie works. 1t is not needful to enlarge
| upon what it means to them to be turned ou
to seek a precarious livelihood by highway
| and byWay. Perhaps Mr.. Wheelock can i'm
agine'' it. And there is another view, and il
concerns the public safety. Turn these mel
| out into the world friendless, embittered
starving. desperate, and what crimes may
they not commit: AS for the men who arr
| eager to take their places nothing can be
said in their favor. If. knowing the circum
| stances. they are so poor-spirited as to crow(
| in, forcing out legitimate bread winners, anC
| for mere pitlance, their rights are no
| entitled to consideration. Sos