Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-10
THE HOMESTEAD AFFAIR,
Farmers, Strikers and Anarchist.


From Farm and Home.
The American farmer will never submit to
the dictation Of a labor union. The farmer
recognizes only the right to employ any man
who wishes to work for him on terms that are
mutually satisfactory. The farm hand should
recognize only his right to work for whom he
pleases at such wages as he chooses to accept.
Suppose farm help should organize a union
and say: Mr.. Farmer, you can't get your
work done except by our union men at our
price, for we won't let any non-union man
work for you" This is precisely what has
come about in the iron trade, and to some
extent in other industries Such tyranny
of the labor union is as wicked, as uncon-
stitutional and as cruel as the tyranny of CAPT.
tai In its worst form. Labor has the same right
to combine and organize for self-protection
that capital has, but neither has the right to
transgress the law. That is just exactly where
we draw the line in the Pennsylvania labor war.
whatever may be the merits of the case at Home
stead or the errors and excuses of either side.
Non-union men have the same right to a living
as is enjoyed by those who belong to the union:
the employer has the right to hire whoever
wishes to work for him. 1t is a good time to
make this simple truth emphatic now that so
much rot has been INDUCED in over the affair at
the Carnegie steel works. This freedom of en-
ployer and employed is one Of the corner stones
Of our constitutional liberty. When either party
interferes with such freedom the logical result
Is anarchy, unless society steps in and protects
the legitimate interests of all at the point of the
bayonet.
Our American farmers have no sympathy with
anarchy. When Jerry Simpson denounced An
drew Carnegie as a devil in human form who
ought to be strung up by mob, Of which he
expressed desire to be leader the Kansas
Congressman took position that was q libel
on the alliance and on the farmers Of the United
States. II men are to be killed who build up
great industries, affording employment to thou
sands at wages ranging from 81. 40 to SIS day
Cover 1000 men at Homestead averaged more
than $3 day., or if farmers are to be killed
who achieve conspicuous success, let us all know
1t, so that none OF us may be candidates for the
executioner. The plain truth is, these Home
stead and Idaho strikers. with wages Of e. 80 to
$3.50 day, were making more money than
most Of the farmers in this country,
and were in o position to save a great deal
more money. Yet farmers are not demanding
that the wealth Of either Of these employers or
employees be taken from them and distributed
among the poor farmers. The sensational news
papers and agitators who have been preaching
such anarchy in various forms have done so to
make few paltry dollars for themselves. They
are enemies, not friends, Of labor: parasites who
thrive by sucking labor's life blood. Let it
be understood that the farmers have no SYM
pathy with these enemies of society. The own
ers OF American farms and homes have genuine
sympathy for the working masses, Of which
they constitute SO large q part, but will toler-
ate no encroachment upon law and order from
labor any more than from capital. The true
working man and the average capitalist stand
squarely with the farmer ON this platform.