Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-11
THE CRISIS COMING.
Awaiting the Arrival of the Troops
at Homestead.
WHAT WILL CHAIRMAN FRICK DO?
The Question That is Now Upper
most.
The Question That is Now Upper
MILITIA GETTIN READY
THEY WILL WELCOME THE TROOPS

tne emo mas come On wednesday last A. ,OOO
armed and infuriated men who had been em-
ployes in the Homestead mill, a part Of the
Carnegie Steel Company's plant, prevented an
effort Of 500 Pinkerton police to land upon the
Carnegie property. There was mutual slaugh-
ter and much brutality. Since that day the
town of Homestead, inhabited by more than
10000 people, has been the most anomalous
center Of population on the American CONT
nent. 1t is located within the county Of Ale
gheny, and yet the county of Allegheny has not
for five days had hand or voice in the govern
ment OF the borough. 1t is a portion of the
great sovereign state Of Pennsylvania but the
state laws were set a. defiance. 1t belongs to
the United States yet within its narrow limits
citizens Of the greatest republic history knows
anything of have been subjected to indignities
which had they been perpetrated on Americans
in foreign land would have been regarded as
insults that nothing but blood could wipe out.
Tomorrow the state troops will march into
Homestead. In the midst of each regimen,
will be borne the undimmed stars and the
never-fading stripes. Around and beneath the
colors will be thousands Of men who recognize
the power of that ancient and honorable docu-
ment. the Constitution of the United States,
which has been trodden under foot in this place
for five days and nights.
THE LAw-ABIpING REJOICE
The 81, ,0O0,OO0 of people who call the great
republic home, but who live away from this
place, can have no idea Of the feeling of relief
which came to every law-abiding citizen in
Homestead when Just before midnight thev
heard that Gov. Pattison had at last ordered the
greater portion Of the National Guard of Penn
sylvania to proceed hither in order that the
power OF the state to govern every community
within Its borders be clearly established. 1t
was tardy action, but the delay, with its attend
ant discomforts, was forgotten by those who
prefer law to the form of anarchy which has
prevailed here since last Wednesday morning
Gov. Pattisons action surprised and shocked
the strikers. At the consultation with their
representatives on Friday night he had prom
ised not to order out the troops until some
grave emergencies presented itself. This con-
clusion was perfectly satisfactory to the mill
workers because it left the government of the
town in their hands. but when the tidings came
from Harrisburg there was dismay in the
strikers camp.
NEARLY COST LIFE.
The telegram conveying the news came very
near costing good man his life ]. 7. McEn-
mis- OF the Associated Press was the first man in
Homestead to hear the news, il having been
wired him from Harrisburg. He went at once
to the Amalgamation headquarters in search of
some Of the leaders and as the men he sought
were not there he confded the Sc
cret to one of the lieutenants and
then proceeded to look elsewhere for the
commander-in-chef and his staff. Meantime
Sther correspondents had also been notified
from Harrisburg and the news was consider
ably disseminated. Mr.. McEnnis was in the
Western Union Office, writing away as hard as
he could, when a committee of strikers came in
and escorted him out and accused him Of spread
ing abroad the news. The committee was in
highly excited frame of mind, and in order
that the prisoner might feel perfectly at ease
assured him that if the accusation against him
was substantiated he would be hardly dealt
with
MIR. McEnnis was not frightened. He denied
the charge and then asserted his independence
with refreshing vigor. The controversy waxed
hot but the plucky scribe kept up his end in spite
of threats and the ugliest aggregation of visages
ever seen outside Of tintype gallery. An un-
official order to leave town was disregarded and
the score or SO Of strikers retired to headduar-
tiers to report. The eviction idea was dis
couraged by the stronger minds, SO McEnnis is
still with Us. For a while it looked as though
the mob would assault him. One man who was
little less excited than his brethren was
all that stood between the reporter and a horri-
BILE DEATH
Bludgeons and boot heels are not merciful
H..1 1.ka
of the few newspaper men in the vicinity would
have taken a band, and although victory must
ultimately have been with the strikers at least
two or three of the most incendiary savages
could not have escaped without injury.
THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
few unsophisticated people really believed
that the advisory committee of the strikers
went out Of existence a week ago. As a matter
Of fact the committee did nothing more than
declare itself dissolved. Before and after the
battle it met as usual and the meetings have
been held as occasion required ever since. It
now claims to have reorganized on Saturday
evening and in that way it expects to escape the
responsibility for the awful occurrences which
took place during the interregnum.
When it became known at Amalpamatiou
headquarters that the militia were coming in
Hugh O'Donnell, who is the most reasonable and
fair-minded man connected with the anti Car
negie movement, made official announcement of
the fact that the strikers would continue to pro-
tect the works until the troops arrive.
UNCONSCIOUS HUMoRIsrs.
This statement has concealed within Il an
excellent sample Of humor. The only people
who are likely to damage the works are the
strikers or their sympathizers. Surely they
need no protection against themselves. If there
are among them people who desire to damage
the machinery and buildings the present system
Of guards is no protection; any evil-minded
striker can get into the works at night. But
this alleged cooperation with the troops is one
Of the oldest Of propositions.
The militia is not coming here simply for the
purpose Of residing within the mill fence. Mr.
Frick will undoubtedly import two or three
thousand non-union workers, some of them, /
understand, negroes from Virginia, and these
will have to be protected. Perhaps, though,
they may not como in, for, as / have already
written, there are men here who have sworn to
blow the mill into the Mononsahela rather than
sse the works opsrsssd by others than them
selves, and II the threat amounts to anything
there viii be no demand for labor Of any Kind.
New mills would bs located elsewhere.