New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-21
An INDEPENDENT NAN.

Mr.. Coke. printer, Of No. 1925 Sansom-st.
Philadelphia. is an Independent man, and we
are glad to learn of his existence. He is one
of the few men in this country who do not
need TO be cared for by government. The
average person regards the government as q
sort of mich cow. and when in any trouble real
imaginary, is as ready to seek its aid as
Esop's carter was to call on Jove to pull his
wagon out Of the mire. Not so Mr. Coke, Of
Sansom-st He sets an example of standing on
his own feet and absolving the government
from all claims to protection II can rise or
fall, be good or bad; he will 90 on printing
His printing shop, in fact, will be a little bit
of foreign territory set into Pennsylvania like
San Marine into Italy.
In this shop formerly worked Edward P.
Hunt of the Pennsylvania National Guard
When Governor Stone called out the troops TO
keep order in the coal regions Hunt, as in duty
bound, went with his regiment When he re-
turned, five weeks later Mr.. Coke informed him
that his place had been filled, perhaps on the
theory that he had forfeited his citizenship in
CoxedOm by entering the service of foreign
State Mr.. Coke said, according to the Phila-
delphia papers, that he had no fault to find
with Hunt, but that as he had printing to do he
had taken another man on permanently; and
then he added: Il have no use for the National
Guard
NO use for the National Guard That dec
laration of independence is worthy of remem-
brance along with that other declaration put
forth a few blocks further down Sansom-st
CoXe's printing office and the Old State House
should both rank as historic spots. Philadel-
phia is a peaceful city of Quaker ancestry.
Sui, the germ Of the lynching fever which is
endemic little further south may spread If
fbror
circumstances, is falsely accused of crime, and
a collection Of prejudiced and lawIess persons
gather to wreak summary vengeance upon him
he will have no objection. When the Sheriff
finding the force at his command unequal to
protecting Mr. Coke, turns to the Governor for
the aid of the National Guard Mr. Coke will
protest, saying; Let them lynch me- | have
no use for the National Guard"
Doubtless Mr.. Coke gets on admirably with
the labor unions whose view of the National
Guard he shares But labor unions in these
days have a way Of boycOtting each other
Some day printers union may see tit to order
a strike in Mr.. CoXe's shop not because he has
employed members of rival union, but because
a seventh son of a seventh son among the walk
ing delegates has dreamed that Mr. Coxes
grandson and heir will do so twenty years later
The present strike on Mr.. YanderbiIts house
- '4S 'its SboNs tHal SUCH Il SITUATION Is not
only possible, but probable. When it does come.
however, Mr.. Coke will not care. When a mob
marches through Sansom-st TO wreck his
presses he will say TO the militia officer who is
ABOUT To put down the riot: NO. No. Let
tnem smash my property. | have no use for
the National Guard"
lhirtE-nine years ago there poured over the
maryland border into Pennsylvania n vast army
oent on striking Philadelphia and laying waste
me country roundabout. 1t was STONED at
gettysburg not many miles west of the Quaker