Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1880-03-20
BALLOTS VS. BULLETS.

The news of the arrest, imprlson-
nent and conviction of Deunis kearneY
San Francisco, is worthy of NOR,
'uan passing consideration. Stripped
Il the false covering given by parti-
an press it will be found to contain
angerous and alarming suggestions.
Primarily our Government is suppos-
ID to be based upon the will of the peo-
lie. That will, expressed through the
allot box, it..was intended shouldbe che
highest power in the land-the creator
Of Laws and Constitutions-the maker
of Congress and Legislatures-the
stamp of approval that should give every
official in the land, from the President
Down to the constable, power to act.
In word. it was intended to be the
foundation upon which our whole po-
htical structure should rest. In the
political order it was intended to be
what conscience is in the moral order
The supreme law before which every"
thing must bend. This is the doctrine
which every American has peen taught
from his cradle up. And hence it is to
the ballot box that the people of this
country have always looked for redress
of grievances.
But now from California comes the
record of events which show carefully
devised and relentlessly executed
scheme to change all this and to substi-
tute new theory of Government in
raia Of hot xryhia
worked.
For years the California Working
men have suffered from the rule of Rail
road, Mine and Land Menopolies. Last
year they appealed to the ballot box ioi
redress. Their appeal was not in vain
Its decision showed that it was th he Will
of the people of California that Monopo-
Iistic rule should come to an end, and
that will was embodied IN State Con
stitution. According to the American.
theory of Government, there was now
no room for further dispute. The Con-
stitution had been adopted according 10
the forms of law, and its provisions
were binding upon every citizen of Cal
ifornia. The workingmen, through it,
had removed the abuses that they conI-
planned of. But the lawlessness of Capi-
tai nullified the remedy. Monopolists
openly declared that they would not
oqey the Constitution and not only tins
but they vociferously clamored, through
their subsidized organs, that the State
Militia and the United States Army
should support them in their determina-
ton to break the laws of the State. And
to-day the spectacle is presented iu San
Francisco, of troops being concentrated
there for the purpose of protecting men
who openly assert that they viii not
obey the law because it is in conflict
with their interests, and with the avow-
ed intent of repressing the denuncia-
tons of those who Indignantly see the
constitution thus trampled under foot
hy capital.
For Kearney himself we care notlI
Ing. His utterances may have been in
tsanperate-even seditions. But they
We're called forth by the overt acts OF
those who were avowedly law breakers.
And he stands not as an imprisoned in
disidual but ais the representative of re-
pressed free speech. If the Con stitutiol
oi California is unconstitutional ther.
l. proper and legal method by which
UGas fact can be so decided. Force
IL such cases becomes usurpatioD
AID invasion of the God given rights 'oi
tle People. Moreover its exhibition is
dangerous. For behind this military
Preparation, and behind these shouts
o. the mercenary press for the summary
suppression of the workingmen, it is
easy enough to see the real motive tbat
actuates the Capitalists of Californ ia.
The People have defeated them by the
ballot; they want now to regain through
the.ballet the ground they have lost.
Despite all specious reasoning that re-
mains the simple meaning of the, mas
sing of troops in San Francisco and the
ehallen ging of workmen to fight. Az
this display of military has for its SOL
object the provoking the California
they now have oyer the Capitalists il
being the defenders of the organic laws
Of the State. If they thould resort {,
violence they would lose that advan
tsge. The Capitalists and the Capital.
istic press know this, and it is for tina
reason that they are anxious for fight
lug to commence.
If no trouble comes it will be solel,
due to the good sense of the working
men. So long as they remain entrenche,
behind the law, as long as they appea,
as defenders of the Constitution, they
possess moral strength that they LOSE
the moment they assume the role Oh
rinfers