Natchitoches populist., 1898-08-12

AhCu WI OAhhOn are OpPOoou w JoIAAhB
the national guard because It has been
claimed that the guards were, or had
been used to protect the capitalists and
down organized labor The truth OF the
matter is trades unioniBts do not want
to destroy property. They want to
reserve It, and the peace, too. The con-
duct OF miners during the last strike
will prove that"
In an interview with Mr.. Dolan 1t
was suggested to him that the new
guard would be subject to orders and
would be required to obey them, re-
gardless of what their own personal
feelings were. In this way it would
not matter whether the guardsmen
we're union men or not, as orders would
have to be obeyed just the same. In
reply to this Mr. Dolan said he had al
ready provided for that, as the soldiers
would elect their own officers. These
would be union men, too. He believed
the organization of the new national
guard on the lines embodied in his sug-
gestion would be benefit to labor and
capital alike.
Mr.. Dolan evidently has the right
idea. To assume, as appears to have
been done, possibly unconsciously, by
the interviewing party in the para
graph preceding, that unionists in the
guard would have to do things not COM
| patible with their duty or inclination as
unionists, is a gross misconceptlon OF
what unionism Is. unionisrn is pre-
eminently lawahiding; 1t is simply u
joint exercise of legal rights In man
ner that experience has shown to bring
about greatest and most nearly pernla-
nent results. Whenever an organiza-
tion goes beyond this 1t Is not a body
animated by unionism, but confeder-
acy to promote the temporary good OF
its members at the expense Of invading
rights Of others. In other words, 1t Is
a wrong thing, and can not endure.
1t is more to the point to assume that
Mr.. Dolan means exactly what he says.
And the merit of his suggestion Is at
once manifest. 1t shows that he recog-
nizes the fact that guard, is necessary
in Pennsylvania; that when necessity
demands the services of that guard, 1t
is highly desirable that the armed
power that compels obedience to law
and stands to prevent destruction Of
property and other invasion Of rights
shall be power among whose units
are to be found men as closely as pos
sible bound in interest and fellowship
with those whom they may perchance
be called to restrain; that such relation
must go far to obliterate the Illusion
that the guard Is a club that the
money power" holds over the heads OF
toilers, and finally, that q guard, SO
constituted, would be less liable to pro-
woke resistance than one whose mem
bers were, rightfulIy or wrongfully, re-
garded as being indifferent to the rights
of those whom they are to restrain
from unlawful acts.
There Is no reason why a unionisi
should not be found in the national
guard of Pennsylvania; there Is ne
reason to suppose that he would moi
) as fully live up to his oath Of loyalty
to the state as any other man; ant
there is much reason that he shoult
be found in line, If for nothing els,
than that his presence there would b
evidence of the best kind that the main
tenance of law and order is the concerl
|, Of organized labor equally with al
other interests of the state.
Any proper action is to be welcome'
| that goes to wipe out the idea that Il
this country there are Glasses" am
3 MASSES" and that the former II
} awake O. nights devising ways and
| means to still further oppress the lat
) ter and shoot them into subsection
!, they murmur. That there are Unequal
, tiles and wrongs, no one can deny; bu
/ they are being redressed by legal an
j peaceful means in the hands of thos
s who suffer, and other citizens. One
a admit that the few have established |
{ this country or this state institution
e whereby they ceerce the many, an
: take from them the power of rightin
q wrongs by lawful means, and you adm,
: that government by the people is a fai
y ure In this country or state
Q But government by the people hs
= not been a failure, either in this couf
/ try or state. And IL enlistment {
unionists In the national guard wi
open the eyes Of some to this fact, VIII
now believe differently, it might be
, good thing to make membership in
I trades union d necessary prereQuislt
i to membership in the national guar
n just for its value as an object lessor
i And for the peace of mind of thos
e who may profess to see grave danger
] In the enlistment Of great number I
i unionists In the national guard, it ma
i be added that such grave danger
II does not exist, even on the preposte
" ous presumption that enlisted uniol
e lists would not obey orders to the lie
!. ter. When there is necessity for go
=