National Republican., 1877-07-24
THE OUTLOOK.

danger which threatens to overthrow all
law and social order, and, if not checked,
70 even destroy our civilization itself, and
plunge the country into barbarism. This
state Of affairs has practically abolished the
old political parties, for even before the
present emergency arose they were no
longer separated by any practical issues.
They were living upon memories rather
than realities. The country having given
indications Of an almost unanimous de-
Termination to support President HAYES in
his policy of civil service reform and con-
citation, what old issue is there left to
Quarrel aboutp
1t is very fortunate thing that such is
the political condition of the country. In
This hour Of common danger all patriotic
citizens should forget oil past differences
cpd stand shoulder to shoulder in defense
Of law and order The Issue now before us
Is as to whether law or anarchy shall pre-
vail, and, therefore, no good citizen can hesi-
tate moment as to his duty in the prem
tses. But merely entertaining correct views
will not serve the purpose. There should
be such concert of action as will make the
sound public sentiment of law-abiding
citizens felt and their will obeyed. An
overwhelming majority of the people being
undoubtedly on the side of law and order,
It is highly important that their political
action should not be divided, in order that
all the legislative and physical force of the
Government may be brought to bear upon
this great evil for its suppression.
! The progress of events seems TO render it
quite evident that the real workingmen of
The country as class have at heart but
little sympathy with the riotous proceedings
which have been carried on in their name
30 far as this class of men have taken any
part in these proceedings they have been
induced to do so by cunning demagogues
who have melted them to the commission
Of crimes by base appeals to their passions.
When time cools the ar1or Of such men they
will deeply regret the course they have pur-
sued, especially when they discover that by
destroying the property of the railroads
they have destroyed their own bread and
butter. How can railroads give employ
nent to railroad hands when the machinery,
shops and cars needed for that purpose have
been swept out of existence? Great as the
losses suffered by the railroads are, those in
hicted upon the workingmen will be still
greater. 1t should be always remembered
that no wrong can be committed which will
not sooner or later be followed by dire
punishment
The most encourasin circumstance con-
nected with these riots is the fact that the
leaders have very generally been idle and
vicious characters, such as great public dis
orders universally bring to the surface. 1t
h this class of men who are continually
busy in exciting i'll feeling between laborers
and capitalists and in propagating those
communistic ideas which have corrupted
the minds of so many men. The experience
Of last week will, however, likely produce a
reaction upon their minds against the leaders
aad needless troubles. American laborers
are generally pretty intelligent, and their
recent experience should be sufficient to
teach them that the price oflabor must for
ever be regulated by the law Of demand ana
supply, and that that law is rs fixed and
unalterable as that Of gravitation itself.
tr-If this great truth were recognized by Ia
borers the futility of their efforts to control
wages by force would be seen. 1t would be
,tdificult 70 incite them to acts Of violence il
shey could be made to understand that the
consequences Of all such violence would in
jure them in the end more than anything else
That it does so will be the lesson taught by
the terrible experience Of the past week.
}, Three millions of dollars worth of prop
.srty was destroyed in Pittsburg in one day
That deed will paralySe business fo
months in that important manufacturing
centre. Commerce will suffer equally a.
much. Men who have accumulated capita
will feel these losses only indirectly, but tn
workingmen will have to endure terribl
suferings, for many of them will necessa
;sily be out of employment for long period
THE laboring men which that three million
of destroyed capital fed must now suffer 70
che deeds committed by the insane fury o
. mob So every act which tends to render
lcapital insecure contracts the resources o
haboring men and renders their lot harder
'Laboring men, above all others, have al
interest in the supremacy of law; for it pre-
tects them against the strong If anarch
should succeed the reign of law which ha
conferred SO many blessings on the labor
ing classes in this country, they would In