The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-15
BUSINESS AND THE NATIONAL
GUARD.
A Slilitisnan Describes the Merchants
lntiHerence 70 the state Troops.

indinerence 70 the state Troops.
To rHE CpIroN ~ THy SrS-!Si An excellent
niece Of legislation was enacted nj Albany the other
DAY khen the Hughes bill for bidding In general.
discrimination Of any kind AZ aims, National Guards
men A such was paSsed. hut while II may be ef-
fectye In the letter there are grave doubts as the
kp,rit of the bill being generally observed because
this question Is one that cannot be wholly governed
by legislation, In this connection, kindly grant
me little spscc 10 set forth the obseTv alton ard
xpfrience OF one who mas served for several years
In the National Guard
The part,cuiaJ feature I desire 10 speak about Is
the attitude Of the averase business man toward
having any OF his enploy ecs I'm the Guard For the
action recently taken by some labor ore AMI zaons.
prohibiting members thereof 10 serve In tue Guard.
the re would seem 10 be NO CONNIE necessary other
than that II appears Incredible that any sensible
ne rson he he union man or otherwise can for q
moment seriously defend the course OF these unions
IL IL 90 lacking in publlc spint and common sense
tina, the rules adop,rd are bou nd TO fail OF them.
scive, aside from any question of lIles Atty But
the business man ia dlfieren, pro position and the
stand taken nv a sreat many OF this class Is so
mcnac,ns TO the welfare of the state that I feel
am mot necdlessy rushing into print In presenting
some View,
In The mrs, p,ac, an employcr knows that IL Is
a nlsdrm eanor 10 dlsrhatre . man because Of his
connection with the N,tions, Guard or 10 dscriml.
nate az aIas, him In any way therefor ON the sur
face. therefore, II would appear tina, the Guards
man is pro, ected In the discharge his duties And
he Is 20 far as the law ca go; but What Is 10 prevent
the cnployrr fror, allowing him to- let US say per-
form his duty In strike or other occasion recurring
nj. n r,sepc< ana then A brief time thereafter ex-
plain To him that he nuds he has no further use Tor
his services, The man may be morally sure that
he has been discharged because he Is a Guardsman
bu, how is he to prove ,t when the employer does
not give that A, A reason, Aud when the man finds
that this affection to National Guard service exists
the
majority Of business houses Is II any wonder II he
becomes dIscourag ed and either sewers his connec
ton with the Guard or else feels that In sticking
Il he Is worting against his msterial interests!
Mr. Brown. who EMPLOYS large number OF men,
exprcsses his approyal OF the National Guard, and
Agrees that II is an absolute necessity TO have such
a protection, but at the same time regrets that he
really cannot have any OF his en- ployecs In II be-
cause IL would seriously interfere with business
they would be so liable 10 be called out and perhaps
Just In his busiest That Is exactly the spirit
of the greater number, think. OF employers per
fec,ly willing 10 have the EN- poyecs Of their neigh
bors serve In the Guard. but not their own. Just
think for a moment OF what II would mean II every
employer was OF the same mind. And. really. one
has lust as much night TO be Of that mind as an
other. There is as little sound sense and as much
short al ghtedne.s 70 support any OF them In the
contention, And, unfortunately many persons
nrofess to see nothing reprehens bic In this line Of
ronduc, because they viii tell YOU that no man can
he ,nect.d u run the risk OF losing money through
any such cause
Let me Illustrate a uttlc further know per
.onsIly Of q large corporation in the borough Of
u.nha,,,n prohab,v one Of the richest compsn es
In the world empIoyins In their main ONCE about
Eve hundred men whose subordinate ofncers dis =
,ino,ly dlscou rage National Guard Affiliations among
the clerks True. they do not say an will be dis
cn,r,ea hccnuse Of the fact hut they very plainly
IT.. s,n 80 unaers, and ,h., Inc conn,nv would
give nun 70 ,a ,u S.,an un cas. q, ro,
this company would stand to lose In property In
New YORK city alone many millions Of dollars: some
OF the best known h'laneies IN ,ne county are J,
among Its directors. and. yet, while they would
puoso DC nn ons IN, , ., ascs..,,v thew feel
wees ., ,ne .ns,u , ~ VIM. ., non ,ns,,
and Tn,, ss ass ses
to be told he i. ,ponger, and yet, tina, is exactly
waa, these employers make themselves, Ma
than because OF us moral e1ecs on ,ne n mS,s
ons is member. mus, BE- and feel tina, they are free
AGENTS Naturally every man cannot. and IL is not
desirable tina, every man should be embe Of the
Guard. but when the merchant claims protection ior
~. s. % .p ou at to
Tvs aiso s,s s% =, sr,niov.. Who is Willing
TO nght for the state There is nothing u,oplan
In this view Let the spirit that now pervades 10 q
giea' o.'e 1 ~ 81, ~ 80, ,s,. -,
National ouafa VIII go 'n,o .n'n ar,
There IN nothing tangible 70 the claim that man
cannot propery attend TO his business II he be q
cn.,a.n.n as.ns,,,r NJ fac, tbere ls rare, q an
ousrus"en' ~ .1 - 49,, - 800 -
Instance where ne Is caieo upon iof Ac've service
aside from the one weeks tour OF camp duty svery
,.,ond 90, and ths fev-yery few-paradcs in
aonu ss,.s :. n.,,,.,n.t. p.,,,n. . a.
which ne seApec'oo :" peiu.'pee uay
every spring for target practice at the stat range.
what else Is there 10 take him away from business.
unless not duty pc inquired upon and now on zen does
that occur, When riots do occur " strikes me
that preventing men from serving with the Guard
Is q pretty poor way 70 insure the Carrying on o.
business. Some OF the wtsoacres who talk lot OF
twaddle about nerlect OF business are very apt
In time OF trouble TO have no business " their IDEAS
arc allowed 70 prevail, for believe the mob u YET
to be found that Ia any respecter OF persons until
they 20 up against cold steel anc hot lead Nethei
do we hear Of man 10 the Guard being credited
with exemption from all JUN duty by the obj ectors
although they KNOW ven wei Una, Ioey Az saie