People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1895 — SHOT TO KILL. [ARTICLE]

SHOT TO KILL.

Tlie Iso of Militia an Outrage Against Government. “Shot to Kill!” is the headline in large black letters of the report in the Courier-Journal of Brooklyn strike. “Shot to Kill!” Think of it,brother, think of it, American! Think of it lover of freedom! “Shot to Kill!" Who “shot?” The rfite militia of New York, called to protect a millionaire corporation in his dcspoilaUon of labor. “Shot to Kill” whom? Why, the rough laboring men of Brooklyn who rebelled against pauper wages; who dared demand the rights of men—a fair return for their labor. “Shot to Kill!” The germs of plutocracy against the poor. Riots are deplorable; strikes are bad; but there exists the inalienable right of self-protection which even the presence of bayonets cannot crush. The newspaper report says: The strikers have made a proposal to arbitrate, which, however, was rejected. Like Pullman, the Brooklyn magnates “have nothing to arbitrate.” They will shoot it out! Backed by the military they will crush the spirit of the strikers. Backeu by that more devilish enemy of men than even the bayonet, hunger, they will starve their victory into submis sion. They will “Shoot to Kill!” in more ways than one. In the meantime the great American Eagle flops her wings and shrieks “Liberty” over a country where one class of people may legally murder another: Every petty tyrant who wishes to rob his employes by coercing them into accepting lower wages falls back upon the militia as his instrument of oppression. This use of the militia is an outrage and mockery of our republican institu tions. “Whenever free men unsheathe the sword it should be to strike for liberty and not for despotism or to uphold priv ileged monopolies in the oppression o; the pocr.” "V et the militia at the command o monopoly "shoot to kill!” It is in New York to-day; some where else to-morow. Perhaps, raade: it may be some day be you at whon the militia will ’shoot to kill!”—Ky Populist.