The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-02
ORGANIZED LABOR M THE MILITIA

A dispatch from Muncie. published in the
Journal of Saturday, seems to call for
some comment. 1t contained the substance
Of resolutions adopted by the Muncie
Trades Council. or labor union. against mi
! have been melted by the recent formation
of a company in Muncie, including some
members OF the union. They refer to mi
litia companies in general as "scab" or
ganizations. designed to protect the capt.
talist at the expense of labor. and declare
that the tendency is to use militia to en-
croach on the rights of laboring men. and
that any union man joining such a company
lis a traitor to the cause of organized la
bor." Finally, they say:
The Muncie Trades Council will, on and
after the passage of this resolution, take
such steps as 1t may deem advisable to as
certain the name or names of any person
Trades Council that have secretly or may
hereafter join, encourage, ind Srse. or in any
manner whatsoever aid or @het the forma-
ton or organization of a company or COM
panieS of so-called National Guards or
State militia, and any member or members
of the council found upon sufficient proof
to be guilty of so doing shall be expelled
Council, and the local or locals which said
delegate or delegates represent shall be no.
titled of such facts and requested to at once
elect another or others instead to represent
1t or them in the Muncie Trades Council.
and any local or locals refusing or neglect
ing TO comply with this resolution for a
period of three months shall be suspended
from all rights and benefits in the Muncie
Trades Council until 1.-The ime that 1t or
they do comply
1t is sometimes said of a man who throws
away opportunities and Injuries himself
that "he is his own worst enemy" If labor
unions are not careful they will lay them
selves open to the same charge. Every
body whose opinion is worth having. or that
counts for anything. respects labor. wishes
it well, and wants to see it succeed in every
legitimate desire. All intelligent Americans
believe in high wages and i'm labor unions
as a means to that end and advancing the
interests of workingmen in other respects.
They recognize the necessity and usefulness
of organized labor. and sympathize with ii
in every proper way. But intelligent Amer
leans do not believe that organized labor
is the whole thing. They believe the whole
Is greater than a part. and the interests of
all classes more important than those Of
any one class. They believe in the United
States government, i'm the State govern
ments, and in local government. They be-
| lieve in law and order and I'm a well-or-
| ganized militia as a means of defending the
government and enforcing law. when force
is necessary. The resolutions adopted by
the Muncie Trades Council are in direct
antagonism to those convictions and to an
institution which, from the time Of George
Washington to the present, has been re-
| garded by intelligent and patriotic Ameri-
cans as an absolute necessity and defense
Of republican governmental well-organized
| militia. Many of our Presidents and the
| successive Governors of many States have
emphasized in their messages the value and
Importance OF such organizations. and the
| people can bear witness to their usefulness
both i'm war and in peace. Never in the his
tory OF the United States has the militia of
any State been used for an unworthy pur-
pose. nor, be II said TO their credit. have
they ever failed to respond when their serv-
ices were needed. The assertion that they
have ever been used to "encroach on the
rights of the laboring man." or to protect
the capitalist at the expense of the labor
| err If false. They have been used TO en-
force law, but no honest ~workingman will
| say that the laborer has a right TO violate
law. They have been used to suppress riots
and protect property. but no honest work.