Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-10-21
consignees ask nothing more than this.
EDITORIAL COMMENTS.

From tnt ILmea-l
There is a universal demand that the
Mayor Of this city shall find his post OF
duty on the levee during the present dis
orders. His presence, with an adequate
police, is necessary TO protect the lives
Of persons and property Of citizens, and
secure to the lab0rers protection while
engaged in their duties. Had His Honor
repaired to the levee at the first appear
ance Of the disoFderly gangs, who are
now overawing peaceful people and in
terupting our commerce, and promptly
arrested the ringleaders, order would
have been restored ere this. We have
the most expensive city government
and police in the world, and the taXpay-
ers certainly have the right TO demand
the protection Of life, property and in
dustry, in return for their enormous
contributions 70 its maintenance and
support.
From the Picayune.l
The lOngshOremen have a right to all
they can get for their labor in loading or
diseharging vessels. They have a right
to claim more than they can get. There
is no law fOrbidding them. They may
demand four dollars a day, or four dol
lars an hour and they win have at least
the silent sanction Of the law. On the
other hand, captains and agents in the
shipping business may offer as much or
as little as they please for the labor of
lOngshoremen. Whether the price be
preposterously great or preposterously
small, their right to set it and to adhere
to it cannot be legally contested. With
them, as with the l0ngshoremen, prices
on the ascending or descending scale
have their limits of possibility. The
laborer is worthy of his hire, and it is
necessary in the long run to give him
that, or lose the benefit of his labor.
Similarly, the employers, if they have
anything useful to be done, are worthy
of a fair return Of labor for the price
which their business can afford to pay.
The Just equatiOn is realized in cOmbin-
ing the two equivalents or living price
and moneys worth.
But when the labOrers of the Long
shOremen's Protective Union, mostly
eOlored men, not content with demand
ing the preposterOus price of four dollars
a day, resort to organized intimidation
and violence to the extent of the fOulest
murder, to force others to desist from
labOring at less price, and to compel
unconditional compliance with their de-
mand, they are guilty of cumuiation
of crime and folly which no commercial
community, no civilized society should
patiently endure or fail to resent. Such
men are conspiratOrs against the free
dom Of labor, and enemies Of trade, of
useful industry, and of organization
itself. Their only idea Of organization
is akin to the gregariOus instinct of
wolves ravenOus for prey. They unite
and exchange oaths of loyalty to a hor-
rid compact for organized intolerance,
oppression, and, as the slaugh-
ter Of Captain Barnes attests, for organ
lied murder
IL is well to speak plainly. 1t is who'll
ly incompatible with the peace, the
safety, and the credit of this city for
these men to be permitted to rule the
levee and impose mob law upon the
business, as for two days they
have been doing. It is the duty of the
both State and city, at once
to take measures to lepress and punish |
them. If the police are inadequate to /.
the purpose, the armed militia in the |
city, if need be, should be called out TO 1
put an end TO the conquest of the levee I
by the brutal combination Of lOngshOre- 4
men.
Away with the plea that these /
captOrs of the levee have 1
votes and must be dealt with by the 1
authorities in a gingerly manner on /
account of their political Importance, |
Now is the best Of times TO teach them I
a memorable lesson, and TO set for all Of |
their class, whiR OF black, a signal /
example.
Demagogues of all parties ought to |
be made TO understand that they will 1
not be allowed to conciliate or multiply I
votes by paIfdering to the passions Of 4
such men as have been rioting upon the /
evee. The sooner this is impressed 4
upon them, the sooner it is known on /
ali hands that this city viii not suffer /
ler trade to be thr0ttled in Difference TO /
any partisan scheme-the better.