The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-05-27
The SKIRMISH Line
Of the Great Battle to Be
Fought
Against the Trusts in 100 P!


skirmish line, and the weaker gives
way before the stronger. The skirmish |
line is often thrown out TO guard |
against surprises. 1t is always thrown
out to prevent q surprise Of the main |
army, and to develop the position Of
the enemy. Freqently it brings on q
conflict where none WAS desired or ex
pected.
Last week there was q small skirmish
in New York City, that may prove the
first skirmishing of the great conflict
that portends between the trusts and
the people, conflict on the one hand
for right and liberty and on the other
for greed and power. This question is
one of tremendous import, and must
soon be settled by wise political action
or later by revolution. We have hope
that the determined purpose of Presi
dent Roosevelt's administration TO en-
cripple their power and arouse the peo
pie to full sense of the great danger
that threatens our country and its lib
critics, and that the government of the
people may show itself strong enough
to deal with trusts and all other enemies
of the public welfare. We have an
abiding faith in the people, and the
government of the people by the peo-
pie; believe it the strongest govern
ment on the earth; and we believe that
having wide intelligence and unbound
ed patriotism and love of liberty, we
can and will settle all questions,
the power Of the ballot, through
the channels of legislation.
But, however 1t may come, the settle
of the trust question, is sure 70 come,
though it may come only through revo-
luton.
| The battle was opened last week In
New York, by four or five hundred
women. Hungry mouths will not await
the delays of courts. The beef trust
has brought the question home to hun.
dreds of thousands of families in the
land, and it is only the strong law
abiding sense Of the American people,
and their faith In their government
that has prevented riots or violence al
many points. In New York City, the
rise in the price Of meats, forced by
trusts, has brought the pangs of hunger
to many of the poor, and last week some
i've hundred Hebrew women made q
raid on the kosher" markets, and
made things lively for the Kosher mon
gers.
Forming In front Of these Jewish
meat shops, as customers would 60 in
they would try and induce them TO MOI
buy, and II they came out with meat
would take It from their baskets. anG
throw 1t into the street. II the wOmeI
resisted, force would be met will
force and many meat purchaser
went home without meat and will
badly dishevelei hair and garments
Men who interfered were beaten
knocked down and driven In terrO
from the field. Policeman that inter
fered were roughly handled and driver
OFF. Not till platoons of police cam
were the women driven from their pc
sition. A few of the leaders among tn
women were arrested and fined and tn
balance dispersed to their homes. Blu
they were not conquered, they held
: great meeting, elected leaders and
, few days later they appeared In create
, numbers and renewed their fight. Mos
of the dealers had shut up shop, bu
one fellow, thinking himself brav
, enough to Withstand the women, hs'
opened up, on promise of protection b.
the police. More than 500 women az
peared on the scene, scattered ashe
over his meat and shop, broke the win
dows, attacked the brave (?) dealer
and when the police arrived, the
found the street full of excited women
/ men who had intermeddled flying TO
their lives, his shop wrecked, an,
and the brave shop keeper, hiddel
away il an clubhouse trembling TO
his life, lest the women should find hin
before the blue coats arrived.
There was the same program-a fe,
arrests made, the women dispersed
and order restored, but the meat bust
ness in those shops was effectusll
closed, as thousands Of others have beel
thro ughout the land, by the boycottinl
of the public.
: Who can tell that this may not b.
! the first skirmish In q conflict that ma,
: finally sweep trusts from the land? Tn,
Boston tea party was orderly, bu
: equally lawless with this New Yorl
boycott. A negro vt Boston is said t,
have been the first to shed his blood fo
liberty In ths American Revolution
Who can tell but these Hebrew womeI
have been the first In the great confiic
} against organized greed, wealth AMI
power, which is threatening our vel
fare and liberties? Such events rap
idly arouse public attention to gres
} wrongs, and precipitate conflicts wheI
none is expected as result.
IL
| A BILL, called the Roger bill, which
passed the last Legislature, defining
the limits of jurisdiction of the Su