The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-17

VoH'fipution Oh portion OF their earnings
on that day to aid the struggling brothers
at Homestead in their present contest to
defend themselves before the courts"
The issue of this appeal on the part Of
these misguided men shows . singular
incapacity on their part to understand
that the persons, whom they describe as
struggling brothers" Obliged to defend
themselves before the courts, are in plain
English nothing but persons accused Of
riot. of abetting and inspiring others to
commit murder, even If they did not actu-
ally commit murder themselves. The
election is over; there are no demagogues
today to plead the cause of riot and muir
der on the stump: the Democratic party
is soon to assume the reins of authority
which carry with them the burden of
grave responsibility. These misguided
men will soon wake up to the knowledge
that their appeal for aid is not likely to be
answered by q public that has entirely
outgrown any sympathy for lawlessness
and crime.
''The struggling brothers," who are now
obliged to defend themselves in the courts
against the charge of riot and murder, are
no more entitled to financial aid than any
other men, who. by their own folly or
criminal recklessness, have broken the
laws of the land. The story of the Home
stead riot 10 . very simple one, and its
brief recital convicts somebody of riot,
trespass and murder. The strikers seized
the Homestead works, elected the EN-.
ployes, and the mob held possession
OF the works nearly two weeks. The
company called ON the sheriff for aid,
the sheriff was denied admission to the
works and his proclamations ordering the
mob to disperse and vacate the works were
torn down. At the end of nearly two
weeks the company sent an armed body Of
men TO regain possession of the works.
The mob. unlawtuliy IN possession of the
works. fired upon the armed agents of the
company. repuised them, forced them to
surrender and brutality assaulted them
after they were disarmed and helpless.
The mob In unlawful possession of the
works were the assailants. The chief
justice of the state of Pennsylvania in
structed the grand jury that the company
had both a lawful and q moral right to
send this armed body of men to occupy
their works; had right to the possession
OF their property; had right to put into
their property any body of men they saw
fit to guard it. The strikers violated the
law in occupying the property of
the company; violated the law in
resisting the attempt of the COM
pany to regain possession of it. Their
property had been unlawfully taken from
them, and they had right to recover it.
The mob for nearly two weeks held I'm.
lawful possession of the company's prop
erty. defed the sheriff, arrested, searched
and expelled citizens without . shadow
OF lawful authority. Mob law reigned SUI
preme for two weeks, and not until the
state sent 5000 armed militia to Home
stead was this mob suppressed and the
company put in possession Of their prop
erty.
The lawless pranks Of this mob cost the
state of Pennsylvania nearly a million of
dollars and cost the county of Allegheny
very large sum. The accused organizers
and executives of this great outrage have
been indicted for their share of RESPONSE
bility for this instruction against the
laws of Pennsylvania, and they are the
persons described as ''our struggling
brothers." They are entitled to no more
consideration or sympathy from the law
abiding citizens of the United States and
are not likely to receive any more than the
Ceur d'Alene rioters. They will get q tair
trial; if the jury finds them guilty
they will be severely punished as
they deserve to be. If the accused are not
among the persons who instigated and
participated in the Homestead riot, they
are entitled to their freedom, but at present
they are entitled to no more public SYM
pathy or aid than any other persons &C
cused of inspiring riot, instigating and
abetting murder. It is high time for the
is crime to seize property and resist the
efforts of the owner to regain possession
of his own. Gov. Pattison, of Pennsyl-
vania, in his address on the fair grounds
at Cochranton, Pa, had this sound word
of advice to labor:
In the western part of Pennsylvania people
were engaged in rebellion against the govern
ment 1t was not q question of capital and
labor 1t was question OF government There
can be no labor successful, or capital, where
there is no government
There no laws in any land sufficient to
settle ali differences. We do not want more
legislation, but we want more allegiance to ex-
iztip at anti al
or labor is government Restore your govern
ment, enforce the law and then questions of
labor and capital will be readily adjusted and
settled.
HOME KULE FOR IRELAND.
Lord Salisbury has in a recently pub
lshed article served unofficial noticA ON