The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-10-14
lVVIss ?AX!:i On TREASON.
HO Declares the Homestead Strikers by
Their Organized Defiance of the Law
Placed
THEMSELVES OUTSIDE OF ITS PALE.
THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE cox
MITTED HIGH TREASON,

M9IIGU l14S.S IhGnoVN,
The unusual spectacle of the
chief justice of the supreme court
Of the state sitting as a judge in
the court of oyer and terminer of a
county in the state, was witnessed by
large crowd in the criminal court
room at Pittsburg last Monday morn
ing when Chief Justice Paxson charg-
ed the grand jury as to what constitu-
ted treason against the state in the
cases against the members of the
Homestead strikers advisory com
mittee.
Upon the bench sat the chief JUS
,ice, Judges Stowe, McClung, Porter
and Kennedy, while in the clerks
portion sat Judge Slagle. The room
was crowded almost to suffoccation.
When court opened Judge Kennedy
turned to the grand jury, and said
that charges of treason having been
made against certain persons, it seem
ed meet for the county court to re
quest the highest judicial officer of the
state to deliver the charge. After de
failing the causes leading up to the
Homestead strike, Justice Paxson
said 4:
THE AUTHORITY OF A SHERIFF.
"The mutual right of the parties to
contract in regard to wages and the
character Of the employment, whether
by the piece or by the day, whether
for ten hours or less, is fixed as any
other right which we enjoy under the
constitution and laws OF this state. 1t
is right which belongs to every citi-
zen, laborer or capitalist, and it is the
plain duty of the state to protect them
in the enjoyment of it."
Coming up to the formation of the
advisory committee and the part
taken by it in the strike, he said:
at is alleged that the advisory com.
mittee did more than to induce others
not to accept employment from the
company that it allowed no person
to enter the mill of the Carnegie steel
company, and even permitted no
strangers to enter the town of Homes
tead without its consent that it ar
ranged an organization of military
character, consisting Of three divisions,
with commanders, captains, &c, the
captains to report to the division COM
manders, and the latter to report to
the advisory committee
He then detailed how the authority
OF the sheriff had been de6ed, the ar
nval of the Pinkertons, the riot fol-
lowing and finally the mobilization of
the state troops, adding:
NO SYMPATHY FOR STRIKERS
I'VE can have some sympathy with
amob driven to desperation by hun
ger, as in the days of the French re-
volution, but we have none for men
receiving exceptionally high wages in
resisting the law and resorting to vio-
lence and Dloodshed in the assertion
OF imaginary rights, and entailing such
aVast expense upon the taxpayers of
the commonwealth. 1t was not cry
ior bread to feed their famishing lips,
resulting in sudden outrage, with
good provocation. it is deliberate at
tempt by men without authority to
control others in the enjoyment OF
their rights"
The men had right to refuse to
work and persuade others to join them,
out the moment they attempted to
control the works and resorted to vio-
ience they placed themselves outside
The pale of the law.
I'll We were to concede the doctrine
mat the employee may dictate to his
employer the terms Of his employment,
and upon the refusal of the latter to
accede to them to take possession of
MS property and drive others away
: wiling to work we would have an
anarchy. No business could be con-
: Quoted on such basis that doctrine
"nen once countenanced would be ex'
'ended to every industry"
ORGANIZED DEFIANCE OF LAW.
-, lhe justice then defined as treason
"e organization of a large number OF
men In common purpose to defy the
iaw' resist its officers and to deprive
any portion Of their fellow citizens OF
,ueir rights under the constitution and
avs 1t is state Of war, said he,
wnen business plant has to lie sur
,ounded by the army of the state to
project 1t from unlawful violence al
INC hands of former employees.
Every member Of such ASSERTED
government, whether it be an advisory
.o,nmlttee or by whatever name it is
Ssheo' ~ who has participated in such
usurpatlOn who hac ioined in , com.