Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-08

from headquarters Of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor comes n circular which has for
IL object the raising 81 fund which may be
used in defending before the courts of Penn
sylvania those Homestead rioters who in July
last disrupted order and defed law. II il a
remarkable document. full Of fambOyant mis-
representation and overk,Irdened with senti-
ment inconsistent with good citizenship. No
one Objects-nO one can object-to the issuing
Of an appeal for financial aid. but every true
man must resent the distorted statements and
specious argument with which the circular is
filed. The strikers who attacked the COM
pany's watchmen- who fired upon them as they
were proceeding to the eompanys works; who
endeavOred with flaming oil to burn and with
dynamite to destroy the barges and their cargo
of 800 human beings. and who. when the
watchmen surrendered. beat them so brutally
that the civilized world shuddered-are eulo-
gized even TO the extent of comparison with
the illustrious sons Of America who shed their
blood and laid down their lives that national
Independence might be achieved. Then comes
abuse Of the courts. Judges sycophantic.
law misconstrued. and all ''for the purpose of
reaching the men because they dared defend
them~elyes.' Defend themselves from what?
In every overt act were not the strikers them
selves the aggressors2 Had the Carnegie Com
pany attempted to land its force of watchmen
in the town Of Homestead then the case would
have entirely different appearance, but the
company never proposed - do any such thing.
and the strikers knew it. Yet as
the barges came in sight just before dawn of
that July day bullets showered on them by
hundreds and continued TO shower for more
than an hour before attempt was made to
disemhark those men who bad every legal right
20 Land. To prevent this landing the strikers
committed trespass. They tore down a portion
Of the fence which enclosed the companys
property and from their illegally occupied
point % vantage defed the company to enter
iuto possession Of its own They were law
breakers and amount Of misaDplied Ian
giIage can upset that fact. The only liberties at
stake are those which were sacrificed
by the unlawful conduct of several thou
sand strikers on that awful day Of strife
Tuesday. the 18th instant. has been designated
as Homestead Day" and each workingman is
called upon 20 set aside portion of his earn
ings ON that day As a contribution to the de-
fense fund. The appeal would have in it much
more Of reason did it invoke financial aid for
children whose hapless condition is due largely
g. the unsound advice so freely given six
months ago by lawless leaders That some of
the troubles had their origin in President
Irick's haughty disregard Of his employees
y hts i evident; that he was arbitrary has
been manifest that he cared more for
h own interests than for those of
h W0rkmen il undo niable; but force
Could not alter his conclusions nor change his
nethods nor could murder do otherwise than
destroy the national sympathy for the cause of
those Who felt themselves oppressed. The
prisoners are entitled TO fair trial: they will
have II. II any one wants to help pay the legal
expenses let him DO IT. bat let 1T not be done
with tn idea that the dollar is needed for the
resusci,ation and rehabilitation of liberty. The
Federation was unfortunate in its selection of a
name for this contribution DAY. Homestead"
once one q the plelsantest words in the Ian
glace. now recalls only scenes of brutality and
bloodshed such a. Americans are heartily
ashamed Of and would willingly forget.