The morning call., 1894-07-08

civil war. People who lived in the ante
bellum days will remember how many at
tics, private studies, rooms in barns. etc,
were the scenes of midnight conclaves
and candle-burnings. In those places
were gathered small groups of men who
took the oath of patriotism and swore to
defend the Government against all re-
bellion, even at the cost of their own lives.
The men who so acted formed the nucleus
of the great body of volunteers who re-
spon ded to Lincoln's famous call in 1861
In this manner only, with the conditions
reversed, the Labor Council of the Pacific
Coast proposed TO organize in defense OF
its cause 1t conceives not that the seces-
sionlsts are rebels against government,
but that the Government is now in the
hands of a pirate oligarchy which arro-
gates power to itself and invades the
rights and property of the common people.
The plutocrats of the country, in its esti-
nation, have established system Of vas
salage which has extended its influence
into the administration in Washington.
Pullman is, according 10 it, q type par ex-
cellence. In the system which he has
established at his works in Illinois he car
ries out to the extreme the am mDition of the
rich men of the country. 1t is to own
and control and receive practical or busi
ness homage from men who serve and make
his wealth for him.
The present strike is held. therefore. to
be an uprising of the vassals against
tyrannical masters. The issue at stake is
larger than the mere question of paying
certain $500 men in Pullman's shops in
Illinois more or less wages. 1t is held to
be a question of labor in general-Of the
mass of vassals of the present industrial
system rising up in protest and declaring
that limit shall be placed upon the tyran
8 nical acts of their masters. 1t is. there
fore thought to justify unusual actions in
rebellion Rebellion in this instance be-
comes rebellion against bad Government
for the sake of good one; or, rather. it
becomes an effort to wrest the Government
from those who have usurped it.
In this tone last night the members of
the labor union talked who were at the Sc
cret session last Thursday evening. They
proposed that in accordance with these
sentiments the council should appoint an
emergency committee This committee
was to withhold It's names from the public
and to proceed in all respects secretly and
beneath cover.
It's duty vas to be to seek out from the
mem Dership of the council those men who
could be most replied upon, and to enlist
them in roll bound by oath to the unwav-
ering support of the cause at stake. Then,
with the aid of these men. the emergency
committee was TO make it its business to
solicit sympathy among all classes of men.
1t was 30 ask for subscriptions. 1t was to
accumulate at given headquarters NUM-
tiOns of war. 1t was even TO collect arms
and explosives for use in final resort
For" said one of the leaders of the
committee in explanation of the plans, I'VE
believe that We have a right TO prepare
ourselves in any way that may be neces-
sary, for self-defense or for the advance of
our cause. We are not otcOnspirat0rs against
the Government, but against usurpers who
have taken the Government from those to
whom it rightfully belongs"
The same persons represented that the
emergency committee was composed of
the temperate and thoughtful members of
the Labor Council. They were merely
resolute men who had determined that
now is come the one time for the struggle
of democracy against the power OF the few.
They believe that the struggle is not one
which concerns labor alone, but which
concerns all classes of reople as well who
are victims of the one man or corporation
powers. 1t is their purpose to force the
issue to an end. They expect to assimil-
ate great strength of numbers, for it is
their conviction that sympathy with the
cause is widespread.
1t is not their calculation TO operate by
tie-ups. but by protesting actively and by
arms if necessary against any attempt on
the part of the Government to divert the
use If Federal troops to the pushing
through OF Pullman cars or the shooting
down of men who try to impede them.
Defeat does not enter into their antic-
patton. Beginning to form now merely
secret organizations, and acting under
cover for the sake of expediency. they ex-
pect when finally they do swing out into
public observation TO be a vast horde of
determined men bent on revolution.
= "a
time" said one of the committee. land 1
have reason to believe that similar action
to that which the Labor Council of this
city is taking is being taken in many cities
throughout the United States"
NEWS OF TROOPS.