New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-11-29

| triumphant election Of leading rloter as
| Sheriff of Luzerne County, and now the trial
of the principal citizens of Scranton 1or con
duct which mericd the thanks of the whole
country, might well imagine that the State
was given over 60 turbulence and disorder, ana
that the laborng class in particular comprised
only the enemies of law and property Ger
tanly Pennsylvania just now seems TO De SUD-
iect TO the most dangerous OF influences
though fortunately, one disgrace has been
blotted ont by the prompt acqult;ai, yesterday
of the citizens of Scranton.
In point of fact, however, as everybody
familiar with the population of the coal ana
iron districts knows, these alarming maniiesta-
tions occur in the midst OF honest orderly
haIdw0rI1ng aud sensible communities Whlch
are strongly opposed to lawlessness ana Vlo-
lence in any form. The instigators OF the
Wilkesbarre prosecutions do not more grossly
misrcpresent the majority Of Pennsylyanlans'
than the secret organizations among the coal
operatives belle the character OF the great
majority OF miners. The Welshmen III the
anthracite district are almost invariably SOBER
industrious and aw-abiding men. Most OF the
Irish miners are equally good citizens Many
OF them are property owners, who have houglt
land and built cottages, and have money In
bank As a class, in short, the labOrlng men OF
the coal region compare very fayorably with
the hands in other employmcnts, and fully
realize that their interests are inseparably
bound up with the peace and prosperity OF
the cities and villages in which they i've
If they are charged with the crimes com
mtted by a few score ruilians, tramps, thieves,
aud Molly Mcguire ncendiares, who steal the
livery of labor to serve their selfish passions
in. n il because 80 many Of them have allowed
themselves to be inundated by the tyranny
of trades-unons and secret societies, and have
consented to do the bidding OF men
whom they despise and detest. mo spe-
cial correspondence OF The TRIBUNE from Luz
zerne County, last August and September,
showed that, in spite OF suffering which almost
Amounted to starvation, the miners as b0dy
had been orderly and honest; yet when IA
handful of insane criminals commanded them
to strike work. put out the furnace-iires and
food the mines, they Obeyed, and allowed the
property upon which they depended for liy-
inr to be destroyed, and the cities in which
they had their homes to be scourged by mon.
Now we see demagogues who are always on
the watch for their opportunity putting them
selves at tho head of these destructive FAC
tons, and assuming to represent the Whole
body OF honest wOrkingmeD. 1t 10 ID the
name of the labOring class that they prosecute
the defenders of society, camor for the repu-
diation OF debts, denounce thrift as a crime,
abuse every man who has spare dollar IN
his pocket as a ShylOck, and call for " a
"spongen to wipe out the obligations OF honor.
II is in the name of labor that they
propose to abolish the property 10y which labor
gets its pay. and to undermine the whole fabric
OF industrial enterprise. And since the work
ingmen neglect to rid themselves of these
false and miscellaneous friends, il follows natu-
rally enough that great many politicians who
axe not exactly demagogueS, but only time
servers and calculatOrs upon popularity, fall
into line with the dsorganzers, and shout for
communism, under the deluson that they are
winning the favor Of the labOuDg men. It
is the multitude OF these cOnscienceiess and
invcrtebrate adventures in Pennsylvania!
which makes such demonstrations rs the perse-
cution Of good citizens formidable and aTakens
all over the country a feeling of alarm.
And we see no way oi improving
the situation until the woIkingmen them
selves perceive how they are swinded
and abused By rogues, fools, and luna
tics, and take pains to separate themselves
from such bad company. Labor and capital
have tho same interests, and when they are III
conflict both suffer alike. The worIlingmen
may safely make it their inyariable rule 10
keep aloof from all the so-calied Labor Re
" form parties; :" they are nothing but schemes
for raising the wind.