Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-08-01
The RepubHrar.
AUGUST l, 1877.
The Great Strike.

aess once more opened. A hundred
lives, probably, have been lost, and
ten or fifteen millions of dollars worth
Of property wiped out by fire. Other
millions have been lost in the depre-
citation of values, the stoppage OF busl-
ness, the expenses of putting down
the rioters and in other ways which
need net be mentioned. One fails to
see wherein the strikers themselves
have been benefited In the least.
That many Of them may have had
grievances is undoubtedly true, but
the method by which they sought to
redress their wrongs was altogether
unjustifable. 1t was their privilege
to decline to work for the prices they
were being paid if they considered
them inadequate, but they had no
right to prevent ether men from taking
their places. When they did this,
and, In consequence of their action, it
was impossible to longer run trains
upon the railroads. they struck blow
at the commercial interests of the
country and forfeited all claims to sym
pathy and support. But when, not
content with this, they went to work
to destroy the property of the railroad
companies by fire, and organized
themselves into mob, and forced
other men to join them in their lawless
proceedings. they called down upon
their heads the vengeance Of the law
and courted its severest penalties. The
auth critics of Pittsburgh were at fault
for not sooner taking measures to quiet
the rioters there If they had been as
active and vieilant as they should the
disturbance would have probably been
nipped in the bud at that point, and
and would not have extended to other
sections-at least it would not have
assumed such importance. But by
parleying with the mob and acting as
If in sympathy with it, OR as if afraid
to hurt any one, the rioters grew holder
and stronger, not onl y at Pittsburgh,
but elsewhere, and it looked at one
time as if that were bvt the commend
ment of the difficulty. Fortunately how
ever. the state and national authorities
came to the rescue in time to quell the
disturbance there, but not until the
-contagion had reached Chicago and
threatened more serious consequences
thar resulted at Pittsburgh. Mayor
Heath, Of the former city, was too
denient with the mob, and did not seem
to have his senses until twenty four
hours too late to quell tie disturbance
without bloodshed. He was so un-
mindful of his duty in the premises
that the mob seemed to take it for
granted that they would meet no re-
sistance, and their fury increased until
finally the U. S. troops were called
into action and brought the rioters 20
aheir senses. There should be no
dilly-dallying with MODS; and the
course finally adopted in Chicago was
the only one that should be thought of
In such emergencies. Grape and can
lister should be freely used upon such
occasions, and the sooner they are
called into requisition the healthier
their effect. It should be understood
that the insurgents must and will be
subdued at all hazards, and ii the job
ls once effectively done there will be
no repetition of the affair to render a
second dose necessary.
THE Democrat seems to glory in its
shame, and is proud of being denounced
as a sympathizer with copperheads
during the war. What We spoke of as
"eopperhead rant in former issue
of that paper, it contends are "noble.
patriotic sentiments 1t was for the
expression of such ideas that in the
time Of the rebellion Vallandigham
and such as he were sent into the rebel
lines, and sympathizing newspapers
were suppressed. What the fate Of
the WATERFOWL Democrat would have
been in those trying times if it had
advocated the views it now maintains,
cannot be told. But, happily, it was
thnn conducted BIZ one who had no