People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-08-19
THE FIGHT OF LABOR.

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those who "made the law and rob-
bed accordingly" How true his
definition, and his application thereof,
was never more faithfully illustrated
than in the condition shown by a
glance at several great strikes now
or lately in progress in the different
parts Of the country. BY a most
studious and persistent control of the
law making power, the people of this
republic, the chosen home of labor,
have seen the great corporations
| secure the passage of conspiracy laws
and kindred statutes Ieveled at labor
organizations, until it has now be-
come possible to put the judicial
power of the State or nation, backed
by the militia or standing army, face
to face in antagonlsm with any con-
certed movement in behalf Of the
welfare Of the laborer. Any overt
act, whether by striking laborers or
by designing employers, presents an
opportunity to call in the judicial or
executive powers, which leads to the
execution Of the statutes to protect
robbery on a grand scale, and the
strike is defeated at the leisure Of
the employer.
Twice within the last few months
has the standing army of the republic
been seen hurrying to the relief Of
the corporations. In one instance,
in May last, forced marches were
made to protect an invading force Of
cowboys, hired by the managers of
an association Of cattlemen, who had
raided into the farming communities
of Wyoming, Staying settlers, burn
ing houses and destroying property,
intending to render the section unin-
habitable by home-owners, that larger
ranges might be afforded for CATTLE
Assuming to facilitate the course Of
justice and protect the raiders from
an incensed community, the Federal
court really prevented prosecution in
the State courts, and finally set the
culprits at liberty without trial. The
second instance Of Federal interfer-
ence was in Idaho, where the Miners
Union was crushed by companies Of
regulars.
The subserviency Of the States
have been illustrated more fre-
quently in no less signal a manner.
When Carnegie at Homestead failed,
as did the Wyoming cattle barohs,
in his invasion with private army,
a State stood ready with It's militia to
overawe all opposition and stamp
the approval Of law upon his efforts.
AS in Wyoming and Idaho, the
courts were made the vehicles Of the
States action, the laws having been
brewed long since which put the
great civial power behind the mill
tary. In New York, as this is writ
ten, national guard Of 1900 men
is under arms to enforce statutes en-
acted by capital while labor igno-
rantIy slept or divided against itself
in mock battles for party supremacy.
In Tennessee the blood Of slain men
has not dried on the ground where
it flowed in an effort to dispossess
capital Of legalized power to COM
mand the lives and fortunes Of citi-
zens by control of competing convict
labor, and the militia is found on the
side Of the dollar, and against the
citizen.
The introductions of eoldiery to
settle disputes between capital and
labor, always in the interest Of in
vestment, are so many milestones on
the high road to absolutism. In all
ages what is called ''power" in poll
tics and statecraft has been the
power to so control labor as to di-
vert production into channels other
than to benefit the worker. While
industry has been adding to the vast
wealth of the republic, those in
power have made the laws and di-
rected the courts so as to secure
returns to ''investors," leaving the
laborer protected only by his limited
capacity for organization, which in
the meantime has been minimized
and ABRIDGED by every conceivable