Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1877-08-10
MEDITAT1oNs RESPECTING THE
RIOTS


Is. The more one sees of it the more one ad-
uires it. It's dull and dark sides are nurner-
Gus, yet step by step one gets used to them,
and begins to look at them as at something
quite natural But when it displays any Of
its grand and bright sides it stuns the world.
The civil war was one Of the instances in
which the great features Of American charac-
ter were first strikingly shown. Never vas q
war more sanguinary, Seldom have moral
and material interests of such magnltune been
at stake in an armed conflict. Yet, few
years have scarcely elapsed, when everything
is forgotten, and North and South are parts
OF the same family again.
And now look at Europe. The Spaniard
ani the Basque are ready to cut each others
throat any day. The Mussulman and the
Christian on the Balkan Peninsula go to dis
ela5oweling each other whenever they get the
slial.test chance to do SO. The Poles would
would poison every Russian if they could,
and the Russians would hang every Pole If
they we're not ashamed. The English and
the Irish are only waiting for fit opportu-
nifty to break each others ribs and skulls.
The Neapolitan hates the Piedmontese Just
as much as the Bavarian hates the Prussian.
In all these cases the cause OF the hatred IS
old and worn out, and without any substan-
tial, practical meaning nowadays. Yet IN
some Of these instances it has lasted for two
or three centuries, and does not show any
Sha
the Cause OF the struggle was Of immense vital,
as well as Intellectual magnitude. Yet the
moment the actual conflict was over, every
thing was settled. No determinations are to
be heard; no prosecutions to be seen. The
former conbatants are friends again, and
faithful members OF the same brotherhood.
Take the last elections again. The fight
was as fierce as any political fight ever was,
and the contest as close as could well be I'M
aeined. Fraud was undoubtedly perpetrated
Yet at the appointed day and hour forty mill
ions of people have quietly submitted to what
was represented to be the verdict Of the bal
lot box. Under the same circumstances
thousands of lives and millions OF money
would have been sacrificed in any other coun-
try, and either anarchy or despotlsm would
have come to crown the whole business.
The present strikes and riots are another
instance of these admirable features Of the
American national character. A hundred
thousand closely allied men become at gwen
moment masters Of all the communications on
the continent and have property to the value
of two thousand millions at their mercy.
What would they not have done IN Europe
under similar circumstances With the ia
cilities these men had to arm themselves,
one fifth of their number would have been
enough in any European country to march
on the capital, upset the Government, and
establish general chaos. Here the rising of
hundred thousand men results III dozen or
two killed, a few buildings burned, and
slight impeachment of business for day or
two Why, the beer riot of Frankfort few
wears ago, or an Anglo-Irish riot was never
settled cheeper. And when the thing is over,
there is no court martialing, no shooting,
hanging, or banishing people In few days
there will probably not even be an Ill feeling
between the two opposing camps If this IS
not wonderful, don't know what is,
Facts of this kind makes one naturally
anxious to find their explanation. A volume
could be written, if all the causes of this
peculiar condition Of things were to be
enumerated.
81 e D. l.