The New York herald., 1877-08-31

nucleus around which the idle, VICIOUS and criminal
element coula gather Reinforced by these dark and
disrcputubc allies they destroyed properly, stopped
nincrcc, deranged the mails burned great public
buildings, broke up tracks and thus parayzed tho
natural Circulation OF tue wealth" IL is in
the The general interests o society involved
in these disturbances that the rca gravity OF tho
situation With which this country Is now called TO
deal cxlsis sPhe railroad system is to-day supreme
necessity maintain life. furnish ready markets. and
bring about the enormous interchange of products
which makes the country one stop H. ana ia leu
many parts OF the country would near the sarva
hamlet the vast territory drained by these channels
but would iee to the core of It's business the effects oi
the stoppage OF this regular aud usual circulation"
The enormous mechanical changes and progress oil
the past century have brought about complete revo
luton, gradual that perhaps has not been gen
orally in the very condition of things 10
the United States Tho water lines which, al The dato
OF the framing OF the constitution were our important
channels OF internal commerce. have been almost su
pcrsedcd by the new iron highways. Upon these Is
borne traffic essentially national, 80 closely inter-
woven with the interests not only Of our own but other
countries, that IT demands the most eitcient and
speedy protection against all unlawful interference
GraH and other agricultural products OF Iowa, hinhc-
sofa and Illinois sae WOOL VINE .na o"oI .. nraa wa,
ucs Of Texas, LOUISIANA, Mississippi and Tennessee
are largely carried over the railways 10 New York,
Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and other At
lantic cities, much OF IL Tor trausshipment 70
Europe, while In return tho manufactures Of New
England and the Mdde States with our importati0ns
from The various countries OF the world the basis Of
national customs revenue, reach by the samo rail,
ways NIL parts Of the great West and the south Ger.
tainy this great inland commerce. both Ia tonnage and
value Is OF such vast proportions. and requires Tor It's
successful management such absolute aud unlnter
rupted iroedom Of movement that tho public 10
which the traffic belongs is entitled to instant
and effective protection against all violent IN.
authorities and State itself, and IN addition thereto,
when their lorce Is found inadequate. as u mas oeen
ouud III so many cases during the recent troubles,
from tho government Of the United States
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MUST PROTECT INTERSTATE
COMMERCE.
II ~ well known that the government uses tho rail-
Wav the country both postal ana military
highways IN sucn form ss IT'S interests may re-
quire The constitution oi the United States imposes
upon the government the duty Of thoroughly pro-
tecting Interstate commerce. When II Is considered
that stock and bond holders OF the various railway
companies, whenever The interests o' the government
required IT, paid taxes upon their coupons, their div
dends and their gross receipts, that they promptly
met every call made by the federal authorities, AND
that tho entire equipment ol the various lines was
placed the disposal OF the government ior the
prompt movement oil the national orces aud ne'r sup
plies 70 exclusion often Of ether and more profit
able traffic. would seem but matter oI equity that
should insure such protection 10 these
railways would preserve their usefulness ana keep
them always IN condition 10 render similar services
they may DO required But over ana beyond such
considerations as these the absolute dependence
system OF railways Tor almost us very exist
ence n civilized body would seem 10 impose
upon tho federal government in The sst resort the
supreme duty OF preventing any lawless and violent
with the regular and certain operation Of
every railway in the United states.
This nsurrcction which extended through fourteen
States, many cases successfully dehed Inc local
authorizes presents state ot iacts almost as serious
as that wEich prevailed ut the outbreak Of the civil
war Unless own experience IS 10 dlner entirely
from other counriesand It is not easy TO see why II
should with the increasing population OF our large
cities and business centres and tho inevitable assem-
blage ut points Of the vicious and evil disposed
the late troubles may be but the prelude to other
manifestations OF mob violence. with this added
peril that now, Tor the ilrst time IN
American history has an organized moo learned
its power TO the law alb ding ctizons OF great
With recent experience before US,
IL is believed that no thoughtful man can argue IN
favor of delay by the proper authorities In dealing
with Iawless and riotous assemblages. Delay simply
leads destruction OF property and may lead IN the
end 10 the destruction oi lie The force used TO re-
press such asssmblagcs should be as prompt in It's
anifestation as the evil which it deals The
concerned are too grave to admit OF delay Tho
raising OF black flag aud the stoppage OF all vessels
on the great akos ana on tho Mississippi and Ohio
rivers would not produce Que uthe OF the dam
age to the whole country that has resulted from tho
recent stoppage OF the great trunk lines. The burning
OF the vessels aud thor cargocs on these waters would
raise storm Of 1y-alh which no mob would dare 10
iace and would be visited by the United States gov
ernmcny under existiag laws, with most exemplary
punishment. But what distinction can be established
between such Crine and the hide0us destruc-
ton at Pittsburg 0f over eighteen hundred cars
laden with the products OF the various states, TO-
gether with the engines ready to move thcn to their
destination and the station buildings ana machine
shops that were absolutely essential to their proper
care and movement and which with other like
do,ngs resulted the stoppage OF all commerce and
business relations between tho States, not only
highway, bat many important lines, through tho
concerted action of the mob aud its leadersf In tho
city OF Piltsbura much human lie and many
private dwellings and other property were sacrificed
the result Of mob violence; indeed it is almost
marvel that large portion OF that city was not de-
stroyed by iirc Only the prevailing direction OF tho
wind averted greater more general disaster.
The nu,nor,ty Of the United states. now potent to
protect commerce moving upon the waters should be
equally potent when the sano commerce is exposed to
greater peril upon iand THIS brings us, then to tho
practical question, In what. shape can this protec.
ton put so to be extended most efficiently and
with the least deay9 The present regulations all
f,v tvta
the first place the Mayor OF city must
exhaust his power, the sheriff Of the county must
essay his strength; then, while precious time IS
expendlng-tor "A mob constantly attracts dangerous
clements and grows with ,npunity and success
this Governor OF tho State must be called upon by
the Sheriff OF county, II the State happens TO have
effective military organization, which at the present
time is the in perhaps not more than hve out OF
the thIrty-seven States of the Union, the Governor
can call out The military orces and suppress tho riot.
Ii the State such organization, or II the mill.
tary forces oil the State prove inadequate to the
emergency, the Governor is paralyzod and must
call upon the United States Tor assistance.
Ii the authorities of any State should, for
any cause iaii or refuse TO call upon tue
United States government, what possible remedy
or protection is lett TO ie and property within the
limits of that Commonwealth II can readily be seen
nat frghtul possibilities OF mischief afforded by
the necessarily long interval which must elapse IN the
state OF our laws before the FEDERAL authority
can intervene in whore its intervention
10 most imperative. In fact, as our recent expe
renco has shown, the only roads whca could procure
prompt protection aud Immunity from interference
were those whose insfortunes had MADE them bank
rupt placed them in the direct custody Of receivers
by United States courts. To the aid OF
roads the United States Marshal could call United
states troops and rioer dared 10 resist the power
represented by the small but admirably disciplined
dcIacnments quartcred near the scenes oi tnc re-
cent troubles. II wh hardly be contended that
tho railway companies must become bankrupt
IN order make secure the uninterrupted movement
lralc their lIncs 10 cntitlc Them 10 the
efficient protection Of the United States government
II bondholder or other creditor Is entitled to the
protection ol the federal courts to prevent tho
threatened impairment OF the value oi property
through legal proceedings he certainly should not
be left without remedy against law!css violence
which has actually destroyed tho security Tor his
investment and has, at IIttsburg, converted mil
hons of dollars into scrap iron and ashes. The laws
which give federal courts the summary process
OF injunction to RESTRAIN comparatively trifing
wrong as infringement OF patent right certainly
M ust have ntcric1 ought TO give the United
States authority to prevent n wrong doing which not
only DESTROYS particular road but also paralyzes the
Ell tire commerce OF the country and wastes the ma
tioual wealth.
WHAT CONGRESS shOULp no
II surely may be hoped that a; :ho approaching
session OF Congress tho earnest, unprejudccd and
,atr,otic Doth Houses will discuss this grave
uDIect independently oi party Ines aud with Tho
united rssoiye 20 sucurc equity 10 all interests ami