The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-07-26
jaw Gould ana the Strike.


The man who has done so much 10 Gre
ate the deplorable condition Of which the
great strike is the natural result has ex
pressed his views upon the insurrection with
singular candor.
Mr.. Jay Gould is of opinion that this gov
eminent is about to be burst Mr.. Jay
Gould fears that we have reached the end
of republican institutions. Mr.. Jay Gould
predicts that we will shortly find ourselves
living under monarchy. And, finally, Mr.,
Jay Gould wonld give a million dollars, he
afirms, to have U. s, Grant back in the
white house, perhaps that his prediction
of the overthrow of republican institutions
and the establishment of monarchy might
be fulfilled.
Mr.. Jay Gould means to say that the
great strike has its origin in hatred against
democratic institutions; that the purpose
of the great strike is the overthrow OF
democratic institutions; and that it will end
in the establishment of monarchy.
In all his propositions Jay Gould is
wrong. The great strike is not a rebellion
against Democratic institutions; it is re-
beilion against the cut-throats called stock
jobbers, of whom Jay Gould is one of the
worst. The aim Of the great strike is not
the overthrow of democratic institutions,
but the overthrow of inter assassination
among railroad companies by which freights
are carried for less than the cost OF trans
portation, and the deficit is made up by
reducing the wages of employees below liv
ing rates. The great strike will not result
in the establishment Of a monarchy: but it
may possibly result in placing the railroad
business Of the country upon a healthier
and honester basis.
Mr.. Gould's wish that Gen. Grant were 10
the white house, and Mr.. Goulds amazing
generosity in being willing to give millien
OF dollars to have Gen. Grant in the white
house, are not liable to be misunderstood.
He means that if Gen. Grant were in the
white house, he would assume the prero.
Ratives of monarchy in the interest Of Jay
Gould, and enforce with the assistance of
the United States army and navy, the in
ter assassination system Of railroad man.
agement which Jay Gonld has so long
maintained, and whose continuance is es-
sential to the qualification Of Jay Gould
ambition, the preservation Of BIS fortune,
and the perpetuation of his dividends.
Again is Jay Gould wrong. If Gen.
Grant were 10 the white house, he
could not comply with the wishes
of Jay Gould, even If the latter gave
him a million dollars for doing So The
army aud navy Of the United States could
not be used by Gen. Grant, cannot be
used by any man, for such unlawful pur-
poses as Jay Gould would use them for.
The president, whether his name be Grant
OF Hayes, must use the strength and force
of the nation to maintain the peace of the
nation. The national resources cannot be
turned into the private service OF Jay
Gould, aud the army aud navy of the
United States cannot receive orders from
his Office President Hayes is exactly
right when he says that the troops must
be employed solely to preserve the peace
not to run railroads.
Jay Gould need not exhaust his vita
force 10 dismal prophecies of the destruc
ton Of democratic institutions because less
than a hundred thousand men employ un
lawful and riOtous means Of declaring they
will not work for starvation rates while Jay
Gould distributes dividends out of their
starvation. The moral sense Of the entire
country condemns the causes and abhOr
the railroad stockholders who are direct,
responsible for the instruction in precise
ly the same measure that it condemns tn
instruction aud abhors and will punish
the rioIers. The moral sense o
the country is neither. at a los
for CONVICTION upon the whole subject
nor is it in the slightest degree panic-struc
or demoralized. 1t would not give cent t
have Grant back in the white house.
he we're there, and undertook 10 carry GU
the wishes Of Jay Gould in opposition
the letter and spirit Of the coustitu
ton of the Uuited Stntes, tn
moral sense of the American peopl
would not have the least hesitation in Ell
forcing the constitution against Jay Goul
aud Gen. Grant. Since democratic inst
tutions have been able so long to withstan
the inter-assassiuation system of railroa
management which Jay Gould has mail
tanned, it can stand many shocks muc
greater than that which it has suffere
during the past few days Th
constitution of the United States make
ample provision for the suppression of il
surrectiOn; and it is a great pity that
makes no provision for the suppression
stock .jobbiug. The lawless persons r
sponsible for the deplorable events still
progress are amenable to the law, and VI
be punished for their crimes. 1t is to
regretted that the chief accessory befol
the act, jaw Gould, cannot be reached
the Law. - Chicago Times