The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-02
Tho Militia and LABOR.

According to resolutions introduced into
the Central Labor Union last Sunday. the
militia are lat the absolute disposal OF the
monopolists," and are maintained for 1.-The
sole purpose Of overawing the workingman
whenever he threatens to shake OF the
yoke he has borne SO long"
The real cause Of the enmity OF tho
trainers Of these resolutions against the
militia is that the Pennsylvania militia
were not ut the disposal OF the labor union
monopolists at Homestead. and that they
prevented them from overawing working
men not under the labor union yoke.
The occasion for ordering the militia to
Homestead was the banding Of the union
workmen into mob to prevent anybody
else from working in the mills. In the
execution OF that purpose the rioters fired
upon. killed. wounded. or captured and
brutally treated the PINKERToN guards
who came for the protection Of new work.
ingmen. That was the sole explanation
OF their hostility to them. For the
same reason these resolutions attack the
militia. Tho union strikers having set out
to prevent By force the introduction OF
other workmen into the mills. they and
their sympathzers are full OF wrath against
the militia because they have prevented
them from carrying out their unlawful.
violent. and anarchistic Intentions.
Instead OF being lat the absolute dis
posal OF the monopolists." tho militia at
Homestead have defeated an attempt at
monopoly. Instead OF "overawing the
workingman." they have protected him in
his right to labor against the attempt OF
rioters to deprive him Of it. That
is why this hatred OF the militia has
ariscn. That is why strikers who have
tortured and murdered non-union work
men in the most brutal way. and who
would continue in their savage prac-
military force. profess to have had their
sentiments of humanity shocked by the
military punishment OF IAMs. a traitor in
the camp OF law and order.
No horror is excited in labor union ranks
by the cowardly and dastardly murder Of
STEPHEN WHITE. poor non-union work
ingman. at the hands Of union striker, but
the punishment of IAMs wrngs their hearts.
1t Is too much for their tender sus-
capabilities. For poor STEPHEN WHITE
they utter no word Of sympathy. For his
murderer they have no word Of denuncia-
ton; but for soldier punished for mutt
nous and seditious language in clarifying an
attempt at murder. their soft hearts bleed.
and for his military superiors they have
only obiurgations.
The Pennsylvania militia went to Home
stead for tho prime purpose Of projecting
workngmen against riotous combination
to maintain monopoly In labor which defled
the power OF the Sheriff in It's armed resist
ance to the laws OF the State. This mob
was making war on labor rather than cap
tal. 1t was organized to terrorize. drive
away. and II necessary kill workngmen,
who came to Homestead to make their liy-
ing. Hence the State was obliged to come
| to tho defence OF labor with its military
power. 1t was compelled to defend the
| workingmen against whom the mob war
was waged.
The militia. therefore. overawed the emo
mics Of the workingman. and not the work.
ingman. 1t protected peaceable and peace
full labor against the brutal assaults and
murderous plots OF riotous strikers.