The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1877-07-31
POWER 70 CONTROL.

FUWIH " bVNlnVI'
The lat0 occurrences IN tho United
States, NJ regarding the rights OF ems
ploycrs aud employees, has in 4 very
way Illustrated u great funda
mental weakness IN our plan Of gov
ernment The power of organized moba,
whore any considerable body of men
act together, Is altogether stronger lhon
any force the government can at the
moment bring TO bear on il, During
the interval between popular out,
break aud the time the government can
concentrate force sufficient for IFS con-
troll, untold injury to both life md
property may be done The deed may
be avenged, but the injury can never be
made good in other respects, After
long delay, great expense, and mn age
Of litigation, the community or munich
pnlily where the outrage is committed
may bo made TO restore the property
destroyed. What wo need is some
power sufficiently strong, and Mt the
same time sufficiently dillused to meet
lnwlessncss on its own chosen field
wherever that may be, and protect both
life and property from the suddenly
aroused passions of the mob.
1t has been the policy of the republi
can party in the past to place such
power in the hands of the general gov
eminent. This, in the opinion of our
wisest and deepest thinkers, would be
n dangerous concentration. SO il would
prove, has indeed, for without doubt
General Grant used the military under
his control to influence state govern,
ments as well MS to influence and di-
rect elections. This sort ofpower is but
little safer than mob rule, and far more
selfish
We recognize the pressing necessity
for the establishment of some power
sufficiently strong to deal with out,
breaks similar to that which occurred
ut Pittsburg, Chicago, and other places
/ men will not they must be forced to
respect the law, 1t would be better in
all respects if they did that of THEN
own volition, but at all events and AT
all hazards the law must be maintained
How is the only question to be decided
Clearly tho state and local au.
thorities must do it, They must
have their own local military or
CARNATIONS. Not regular standing
army, but the organized, disciplined
armed and trained militia; the gov.
cnor being the commander,n>ch
having his divisions, brigades, regiments
and companies so distributed as TO pro
vide n force ut any moment adequate to
the task OF maintaining order, protect
life aud property, and to enforce re-
spect for legal authority, Every man
of certain age should be made to do
duty, and volunteer companies repre-,
senting the different arms of military
power-cavalry, artillery and infantry
should be formed at every county seat
These should be armed and equipped
at the expense OF the state, and should
be paid literally for time spent in active
service Such an organization in al
the states, and another outbreak SINH
lar to that at Pittsburg would be M
impossibility. Added to this we would
have these misguided men pursuing the
only reasonable and proper course iol
the redressing of real or imaginary
wrongs-petition, memorial and other
modes of representation.
Thus is it most clearly seen, that for
all the purpo SEES of liberal, and at the
same time effective government, demo-
cratic theories are best States rights
as well as state authority and power
can only correct the weakness out OF
which the recent labor revolution and
its attendant evils sprang. Doubtless,
these considerations will engage tho att
tention of congress, at its next session.
While the rights of the laborer are ms
dear to him rs the proudeSt i'll the land,
and while the power Of the government
must be as freely used in their defense
as for the richest, yet be the mob rich
or poor it must be taught that the law
must he obeyed, authority respected,
as well as the rights of persons and
property of Others. If other means
fail, then the strong arm of military
power must be invoked no matter how
much the mob may deserve the sym.
pathy of the public in the original
grievance.
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