The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-14
The Quebec Riot-A Warning nnd
n Lesson.

Dec ON w edneSuay, III WHICH tuc INV aHu
its officers were defed, the residence of the
Mayor was sacked, the police and militia
were resisted with volleys of stones, the
Jail and the Parliament House beleaguered
by wild and bowling mob, and -four stores
on the wharves were broken open and their
contents seized for distribution among the
rioters, is an event which cannot fail to
make a deep impression, not only in
Canada but in the United States. The
extensive railroad riots Of last July
are too fresh in the public recol-
lection for our people to feel safe against
their recurrence. We are more exposed to
that kind Of danger than the people OF
Canada, for several reasons. In the first
place, there is less reverence for authority
on this side of the frontier than in Canada.
In the next place, our cities are larger
and they comprise larger proportion
of the reckless and dangerous criminal
classes. In the third place, the opportuni-
ties for plumber and the amount Of wealth
exposed to destruction are altogether
greater here than in the British Provinces.
The possible extent of confagration
is to be estimated by the amount
of inhammable material, and in
this respect there is no comparison
between tho Canadian and the American
cities. What occurred in Quebec on Wednes-
day is bagatelle as compared with the
wild and incendiary scenes of burning de-
struction at Pittsburg last midsummer,
when millions of property vanished
in flame and smoke by incendiary
torches. What is to protect us against
the renewal Of such scenes? We do not
wish to play the part of alarmists but
assuredly we do not err in exhorting the
and preparation.
1t is indeed barely possible that we are in
no danger But what prudent man neglects
to insure his house because it is probable
that it will not be burned within the year?
What is certain is that no longer ago than
last July six OF eight States were put
| in extreme peril and terror by mob
! violence, and that the incentives to
such outbreaks were not greater o year
ago than they are ct present The
riot in Quebec is forcible reminder Of our
| danger, and it behooves us to make provi-
! sion against possible contingencies. II
| there should be no exhibition of mob vio-
lence we shall have merely paid insurance
premiums by taking adequate precautions.
But such precautions differ from the pay
ment Of insurance money in a most impor-
tant respect. A mans house or store is not a
whit the less exposed to destruction by fire
in consequence of full insurance, but the
danger Of riots is diminished in exact pro-
portion to the amount Of military force
ready to be exerted for their prompt suppress
sion. Insurance against FIRE has no tendency
to ward off destruction Of property by fire;
it merely provides for compensation in case
Of loss. But insurance against mobs-that
is to say. adequate military prepara-
ton for their prompt uppression-o operates
| as preventive against their occurrence.
The fear which such preparation inspires
curbs and represses the mob spirit
It would be preposterous to argue that
an adequate militia was o waste
Of money because it was not called
to deal with wild and raging mob. The
more overwhelming the force which stands
ready to make short work with q riot the
less likely it is that riot will actually
occur; but it would be preposterous to
argue thence that efficient preparation was
waste of money. The ounce of
preparation which dispenses with q
pound of cure is not waste, but
economy The fact that no mob dares
rear its head under such circumstances, in
stead of showing that precautions were
needless, demonstrates their value and
efficiency. II is understood that we are
ready to make short work with n mob the
chances are that no mob will dare raise its
head, and in that case cavaliers may argue
that the precautions were needless.
To be sure, precautionary movements
would be exposed to ridicule if the danger
were chimerical. But is it chimerical?
The extensive railroad riots of last July
are not O chimera, but fact. Who can give
us any guarantee that they will not be re-
newed? In addition to former sources
of danger there has been introduced
the crazy ideas Of the European
Communists. The reports from Quebec
represent that this new source of disturb
ance was O main incentive to the riot. We
do not doubt that this is q correct represent
tation. The Communistic element is more
widely represented and has taken deeper
root in American than in Canadian cities.
The American cities are soil in which
it is more likely to thrive. In. the striking
address of Cardinal McCloskey delivered in
the Cathedral in response to his welcome
from Europe that prelate sounded sharp
note of alarm against Communistic tenden-
cies His opportunities for feeling the pub
lie pulse give peculiar significance to his
warming.