Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-05-29
MILITIA ALL RIGHT.
PLUTOCRfCY CAN DEPEND UPON 1T
TO SHOOT STRIKERS.


1t is customary for the plutocratic
press to brand every man who advises
workingmen to keep out of the militia as
"a wild eyed enemy of law and ORDER"
one who would manufacture an un-
founded belief that the authorities stand
ready to employ the national guard in
the suppression of labor at the behest of
capital. To say nothing at this time
Of the mass of evidence showing that
such has been the course in the past, it is
enough to quote the recent utterances of
the head of New York's militia to show
that hereafter the prime purpose of main
tanning the national guard of that state
will be to have body of armed and
trained men who can be counted upon
not only to obey orders, but to take nat
urally to the business of shooting strikers.
There is q feeling pretty generallypre
alent that at some time during the COM
ing summer there will be n lRg strike of
the workingmen of the country. No one
has clearly defined views upon the sub
ject, but the majority appear to believe
that the trouble is to begin with the
railroad men. A New York newspaper
t1db lllCl say tlltib bi4C IL
ports from the western section of the
state indicate that considerable uneasi-
ness is felt by the authorities and by mil
itary men over the prospect of a labor
uprising" Tho military men" are es-
pecially concerned, it is said, because of
the reported claims of certain labor lead
ers that in case of trouble the state mill
tia cannot be depended upon to put down
the uprising, for the reason that "the
main strength of the militia lies in the
laboring class, and that they will never
obey laws made to benefit the rich"
If any labor leader has made such
claim and really believes it, he had as
well disabuse his mind now, for no less
an authority than Adjutant General Por
ter, high muck-a-muck of the militia of
New York, has come to the front in an
interview with statements of such clear
ness that they should settle the matter.
A Mail and Express reporter asked Gen
eral Porter what he thought of the re-
ports Of impending labor troubles. He
said that it was true that both the civil
and military authorities in the western
part of the state felt that there would be
trouble after the Worlds fair opened in
Chicago. He said that he had no means
of verifying the reports of an uprising
by the labor men, but that he had the
fullest confidence in the men composing
the national guard. Upon this point the
general said:
There may be one man hero and there who is
in sympathy with the labor agitators, but the
captains of the various companies know theiI
men so well that one who is not to be thor.
oughly trusted would soon be weeded out. This
Is done, however all the time A who
will not obey orders, or whom tie captains
cannot trust is quickly got rid of. AT the
present time Iwould have no hestancy in call
ing out any regiment or company in the guard
to go to Buffalo or any other place where their
presence was required.
The men composing the guard are n repre-
sentative class of men whose very enlistment
means that they are in favor of the mainte-
nance of order. By great majority they rep
resent the property holders of the state. Many
of them are business men, and others are SO
closely allied with the property interests that
they may be implicitly relied upon to do their
full duty.
There have been comments made because GER
tain regiments in this city have not been called
upon to act in labor strikes, but I'll warrant
that those same regiments would muster in as
great strength as any other at the first call to
arms.
In the western part of the state the compa-
nies are composed of men of sterling quality, and
to my knowledge there have been no desertions.
We have at headquarters in Albany an accu-
rate account of the men, who they are and
where they came from, and in addition the cap
tains of companies know their men so well that
any one who is likely to prove disloyal would
be quickly disposed Of
General Porter said that these reports
were not for publication, but were kept
for the benefit of the officers of the de-
partment He also said that he had been
informed by an officer who had COM
vlanded company that was sent to Buf-
falo last year that he had detected signs
of discomfort among his men and had
taken prompt measures to get rid Of
those who were undesirable. Could any
thing be clearer than the language of
General Porter? He boldly declares that
the policy of the New York military au-
thorities is to allow no one to remain in
the militia who cannot be "thoroughly
trusted" to do what? To support the
property interests" of the state. 1t is
not question of right and wrong, MOI
of justice and injustice, nor of law and
lawlessness, but simply, On which side is
"property2' 1--WE shoot from that side
The whole scheme of the national
guard today is plutocratic-is for the up
holding of a money aristocracy. The
regular army is really nearer the people
it is more in accord with our supposed
democracy. And 1 want to say to the
worlsingmen of the country that if they
are looking for friends among the sol
diers they must turn their eyes toward
the regulars know whereof l speak.
The conditions here are very similar to
those Of Belgium, and you will remem-
Der that during the recent uprising in
that country the aristocracy placed reli-
ance in the militia, while it was gener-
ally conceded that the regular army was
in sympathy with the working people
and would fight on their side when it be
came necessary. The militia of Belgium
is made up largely from the sons of well
to do families and officered by aristo
Gratis. Practically the same is true OF
this country.
We have the word of General Porter
4I.,A I4l g :.