The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1892-10-15
TREASON TO THE STATE.
Charge OF the Chief Justice in the
Honestea al Riot .,ase.

Charge of the Chief Justice in tho
Homesteai Riot Ease.
fITTsBURG, Pa, 80. IO.-The unusual
spectacle OF the chief justice of the su-
preme court of the state sitting as
Judge IN the court Of oyer and terminer
OF county in the state was wit
messed by a large crowd in the Grim
inal court this morning, when Chief
Justice Parsons charged the grand
jury rs to what constitutes treason
against the state i'll the cases against the
members of the Homestead strikers
advisory committee. Upon the bench
sat tine chief justice and judges Stowe,
McClung, Priter and Kennedy. while
in the clerks portion sa: Judge Slagis.
The room was crowded almost TO sutto-
cation.
When the court opened, Judge Ken
nedy turned 10 the grand Jury and said
that charges of treason having been
made against certain persons, 1t seemed
meet for the county court 10 request
the highest judicial officer OF the state
to deliver the charge. After detailing
the causes leading MP to the Homestead
strike. Justice Paxton said:
The mutual right OF the parties 10 CON
tract in regard 10 Hagcs and the character
OF the employment, whether by The piece
or by the day. whether tor ten hours or
less. Is as hNru aS any other right which
We enjoy under In" constitution and laws
of this state. II u right which belongs
10 every citizen. laborcr or capitalist, and
il is the PLAN duty OF The :taie TO protect
them III the enjoyment OF =.
OF the advisory committee, and the
part taken Ivy it in the strike, he
said:
1t is alleged that the advisory COMMITTEES
aid more than 10 InCuce others not TO ac-
Cept cmploE Ement from the company: that
il allowed 40 persons 10 enter the mills OF
the Carnegie steel Company, andcven per
mitt"d no strangers To enter the town OF
Homestead without its consent; that II ar
ranged an organization of y military char
attcr, consisting OF three DIVISIONS, with
commanders. captains, etc, the captains
tC report 10 the division commanders and
the latter to report To the advisory com
mIttec.
He then detailed how this authority
detied the arrival of the PinkeItons,
the riot following, and finally the mob
ilization of the troops, adding:
We can have some sympathy with mob
driven TO desperation by hunger, as IN the
days of the French revolution, but we can
have none Tor men receiving eXceptlOnaly
high wages IN resisting the law and re-
sorting 10 violence III the assertion OF In
aginary rights and cntailing such a
vast expense upon tn" taxpayers Of the
commonwealth Il was not cry Tor
bread to feed their famiE hing hpS, result
ing i'll a sudden outrage, with good provo
cation: it was deHbtrate attempt by men
without authority to control others IN tha
enjoyment Of their I!g!I>. The men had
q right to refuse 10 Wojk and persuade 9th
crs to join them, but Iii" moment they at
TEMPTED To control the WORKS and
TCSCrtcd to violence, they placed them
selves outside the pale OF the law. II We
were to c0nccde the doctrine that the en-
pIuyc may dictate to his cinplGycrthe terms
Ci his employment, and, upon the refusal
Of the latter 10 accede to them, to take
possession 81 his property and drive others
away NhO are Wiling 10 work, we would
nave anarchy. No business could be con-
dugt;d upon SuGi Il basis; that doctrine
when. once CUEHtCn&nC"u, would Ee ca
tended 10 every industry.
The Justice then defined as treason
the organization of a large number of
men in a common purpose, 10 defy
the law, resist lis officers and to deprive
auv portion OF their fellow citizens of
their rights under tho constitution and
laws 1t ls d state of war; said he,
when business plant has TO be sur
rounded 10y the army of the state to
| protect it from unlawful violence at the
hand Of former employees. The justice
continued:
Every meThcr Of such asserted govern
mCnt. whether it lac an advisory com4lttce
| or hy whatever name ii IS called. who has
participated Ill such usurpatlon. who has
| io!ued in committee tor the purpose of
| resistance to the law and denlal
| of the rights 20 other citizens,
| has committed treason agast the state.