Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-06-13


the face Of the earth with our big navy
and our grand army?
The Militia and the workman.
Tho reported action VI the labor
unions Of Albany in directing those OF
their members who belong to the State
National Guard to resign from that
organization opens question that con.
Germs the whole community. Not be-
cause it might have q far reaching
effect in diminishing the strength and
efficiency of the State militia, as 1t Is
not likely the bulk of the workman
element IN and about Albany will be
influenced by it to any great extent, but
the manifestation of a spirit Of this
kind has a dsmoralizing tendency and
leads the friends and well-wishers of
the laboring man to think that he is
actuated by his own selfish interests
rather than the good of the community.
The workingmen have made the
claim that they were not responsible
for the lawlessness that has occurred
during strikes, that they deprecated it
and would have prevented it if they
had been able to do so Communities
that have had to endure the dangers
and Inconvenience Of disorderly labor
disturbances have in the main, not
withstanding many instances OF ex-
treme proyocation to think otherwise,
accepted this claim In good faith.
They recognized that the percentage Of
the lawless and Irresponsible element
In all cites is large and that this non
descript portion Of the population is
ready at any time to seize favorable
opportunity to engage in reckless Jaw
breaking, involving destruction of
property and not infrequently loss OF
life. We decline to believe that any
representative American workman is
in sympathy with movement that If
carried to its logical end would mean q
serious interference with the proper
enforcement OF the Law under oiroum-
stances where the local police, owing
to lack OF numbers, are puwerless, and
where this lawless element threatens to
become paramount to peace and order.
10 do SO would mean the acceptance of
the inevitable conclusion that the labor
unions of the country are willing to
attempt the coercion OF their employers
by the most barboruus and unciyilized
methods known to history, and that
they, in SO doing, acknowledge that
the present organization of labor in
this country has been an ignominious
failure IN obtaining redress from the
wrongs that have arisen under our
system of industrial development.
The hot headed member Of union
who thinks that ha can advance ths
cause of labor by undermining the
military strength of his country places
himself in very foolish and un-
enyiahle position. 1t means that be
is quite willing TO deprive, not only
the State in which no lives, hut the
national government that guarantees to
him bis freedom, the means of internal
protection, merely to compel bis en-.
ployer to grant an increase in his wage
rate or lessen the hours of work. II
he would give his feelings chance to
cool and go off somewhere where he
could think Quietly and sensibly he
would realize what might to him
appear the astounding fact that upop
the ability OF the government-clty,
State and nationalist maintain con
tinuous state of Law and order is
directly dependent the existence of the
nufactory or corporation for which
he works. Take away the means to
this end and the whole fabric Of COM
mercial existence falls TO the ground.
1t would thun become not question
of an increase Of wages or shortening
Of hours, but struggle for life. .4
The workman ought to see that from
bis point of view militia is an ideal
form of military supervision. Ii is
largely composed Of men whose interests
are identified with his ana he is there
by insured against military abuse
while. at the same time, it constitutes
a bond of union between himself and
the governmental authority above him,
Surely he IS not SO short. aighted as Ia
be unable to appreciate the Significance
of this comprehensive fact. II be
destroys this bond and cripples the
National Guard to the extent Of render.
lug 1T useless, then only one thing will
happen. The government will be force
to adopt the European method Of
quelling internal disturbances, ana ali
labor riots, as we'll as other lawless
tamults, will be promptly taken in
baud by the regular army. All good
citizens, irrespective Of occupation and
station in life, would deprecate such
an outcome, and it is to lie hoped thai
workinenen will realize that the
militia is their own safeguard as well
as that of the community.
| -s
| The untimely death of Dr. W., Fl.
DAILY of Pittsburg recalls the famous
"embalmed'' beef Investigation. which
aroused such bitter antagonism to Gen
eral Miles on the part OF the Mckinley.
| Alger- Corbin -Egan Comic Opera Com.
pany, and which had been Just previ
ously doing war act In Cuba and In.
cidentally helping out beef contractors
in the United States. DR.. DAILY was
ohief surgeon on General Miles' stat,
and submitted to him the now historic
rafnort ahosy ma N oflft,. -, -, q,