Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-19

with a display % good sense BY no means
extraordinary. bat nevertheless. unlocked for
BY that gra-ping species Of capital which for
ever comlAt- the desires Of organized employees,
the American Federation Of Labor decided TO
sit heavily down upon those members Of the
central body who we're the authors and sup
yorters Of resolutions that planned the disInte-
grafton 81 the National Guard. To the thought
fal citizen who can view the situation di-pas-
siona,eIy no other course was visible: any other
action would have indicated a close relationship
With anarchy and consequent contempt for
law and order. And vet many labor
leaders have no affection for the I'm
eft army % citizen soldiers military
history has any record Of. Why does this fric-
tional feeling eNist2 There Is no reason Tor II.
n l. tru. that state troops have again and again
been called into the field when differences be-
tween capital and its human machinery have
resulted IN murderOus efforts on the part Of
those sho either honestly believed themselves
20 be oppressed or were compelled to that be-
lief bv designing men who cared nothing for
the true interests Of those who trusted them
implicitly. Up TO this time there is no charge
that the National Guard which Is bat re-
serve police force-has ever moved hand OF
foot except IN strict accordance with the
statutes. the fact that IL cannot be
called out save by the civil authorities
/. % itself q refutation of the foolish and IN
truthful assertion that the bows in blue 1.-THE
creatures Of capital" At Homestead. at Buff
falo and In tn. Ccrur 'Alenes they simply pre-
served the peace and made plain the rights Of
man a. guaranteed BY the Constitution. None
4 Al.
and vet thousands Of men who would physi-
cslly resent an imputation involving their char
acter a good citizens have seen fit to denounce
and abuse them. This same spirit. some v hat
disguised. present in a resolution adopted
BY the Knights Of Labor Assembly in s.. Louis
last month which declared that we favor the
dis. mination Of patriotic military sentiment
and a return to the popular form of maintain
ing the militia In vogue prior To- 1850. namely.
allowing the state militia to elect its own
officers and the rank and file TO hold their
own arms And We discOuntenauce the CEN
trAIiziug % the military power in every way. -
How might this proposition be expected to-
work? But few weeks ago the London news
papers said that "a number OF the unemployed
workmen Who meet at Tower Hill boast Of the
possession Of firearms and declare that they are
trained IN their IL was ascertained that
mauv % the men belong TO the volunteer force,
and have failed % return their arms when
through drilling. In accordance with the regu-
lati0ns. Orders given for the restoration Of
the arms have been ignored" What a
farce II would be to keep up military
establishment on such plan that
proposed. The National Guard was organized
BY the nation for IT. own protection. has within
n representatives Of society's solid elements,
and will continue TO exist successfully until
this country comes 10 the conclusion that first
principles are best and that every man must be
u law unto himself.