Arizona republican., 1905-06-02
AGAINST THE GUARD
The BiSbee Socialists Hos
 tile to Authority
Several Personal Assaults Upon Members of the Newly Organ zed Militia Company.

Bisbee, June Especial. )-The pronounced hostility of the socialists to the national guard is taking the form of personal assaults upon the en- listed men in Bisbee. company of the Arizona national guard was or ganized and mustered into service at this place few weeks ago, the move ment having been started wholly by citizens interested in the welfare of the guard and by men who wished to be connected with the militia. The people generally approved. because of local pride. Bisbee claims to be the largest city in the territory, and 1t was thought the city should show it's public spirit by having a local compa- ny of the guard.
 But the socialist element was sulIen from the beginning, and now it seems that some of the socialists believe that by making hostile demonstrations they can force the territorial authori- ties to disband the newly organized company Three enlisted men have been separately assaulted within a vee5. but fortunately on each occasion the man assaulted got the best of his assailant. The enmity to the guard is not general among the miners, and the
  ed with the digraceful acts.
 The enemies of the guard were able to make a showing on Decoration day At the request of the old soldiers. the headquarters at Phoenix had shipped forty Springfield rifles to Bisbee to be carried by the old soldiers and by vet erans of the Spanish-American war in the Memorial day parade, and to be used by the firing squad in the Grand Army ritual, the guns to be returned to Phoenix immediately afterward at the expense of c. A R. The people of Bisbee were appreciative of the cour- tesy of the territorial administration in permitting the temporary use of the rifles in the sacred ceremonies. Not so the socialist element. It made so much noise that it apparently bull dozed the Spanish American veterans They refused to march under arms be- cause of the disturbance kicked up by the socialists, but the old soldiers of the civil war were not so thin skinned. They carried their muskets according to the program.
 All of the members of the company are working men, miners, clerks, team sters and so on-a majority of them being miners. A reasonable feeling is being worked up, and threats are nu> merous that if the guard is not dis banded there will be serious trouble in Bisbee. The guardsmen are dis posed to stand pat however. The vio- lent element asserts that the company was organized at the request of the mining companies to "overawe" the working men of Bisbee. The guards men resent this charge and say em- phaucally that the mining companies had nothing whatever to do with the organization of the company; that the mine operators made no suggestion to that end, and indeed knew nothing of the movement until the company was formed.
 There are no labor disturbances in the camp nor any excuse for any, wag- es and hours being satisfactory and entire harmony prevailing between the componies and their men, and the eff feet to bluff the company into dis banding is confined to a relatively small and radical class which is always looking for trouble.