, 1880-08-11

HIIlEH ~ MNS 6ueEHl3tluIEs
00MMUNlsr1o METHODS.
Tlle Communists, while they profess to
bnttle for principle, seem to be governed en-
tircly by passlon. They proceed upon the
theory TINT all changes, which they call
refornls,' must be worked out by forcc,-
not organized forco under tho law, not the
force OF public opinion properly expressed,
not tho forco Of the majority marsllatetl Mt
tho ballot-box, but tho force Of menace, ir-
tlmidation, aud, II necessary. violence. Tho
Commnnistlo demonstration againat tho COM
mon Council went to the cxtont Of inttnllda-
tion; any f3rebrand would probably havo
sut1lcctl to produce MI explosion which might
haye led 10 disaster. Tho Communists 0ro
enthusiastically, and almost universally,
reckless as to such d result, They aro never
restrained by my Of the ,naterlnl interests Of
Inv and order, because they either deny prl-
vAto rights In property, or at best eyinco a
thorough contempt for such rights. Conse-
qlently everything III tho nature Of n pup
rlar demonstration under Communist
fc auspices Is mora or less narul-
In body, tho Communists Of tho Fourteenth
Ward, probably reinforced by Communists
from other parts Of tho city, counted upon
this apprehension, II the rain lind not come
III sltch torrents as 10 disperse the crowd
something might have happened to show in
this case, rs has been shown IN other cases,
that this apprehension Is well founded.
There Is 10 excuse for organized intEmitla-
tion Of tho lawful authorities ut my time,
but III this case not even Il provocatlon. The
Communists nllege tint frauds WERE commit
ted III the Follrtcent, Ward elcetion, and
that Stauhcr received a majority over Me-
Gratl. Even II It be admitted thnt NIL this Is
true Though 1t lsas BY no lMca1s been leMou-
stratcd), tho proper Lawful means has already
been Instituted to secure Staubcr's rights.
In tho meantime tho Council Inns proceeded
III tho manner directed by lnw, md
is thus entitled to absolute protection
from threats and show Of violence.
The case came before them I'll tho
shape OF duly authenticated returns, which
showed tl.at A[cGrath and not Stauber Ind
received majority Of tho votes polIed. Tho
Councils duty, under tho circumstances, WIS
to seat McGrath rs prtma Jlcle entitled to
the. place anl rs basis- for q fur ard intol-
l1gent consideration Of tllo merits OF tho casc.
HID they proceeded sumnarIly TO set asido
tho returns, without evidence md simply be-
cause they could TO 50, 1t would haye been
m assumption OF power TINT might be- cx-
cessiyely dangerous nt my time. 1twas nut
within tic scope Of tho Councils authority
to keep tho scat vacant until the contest
could be decided, for tho law provides that
an Alderman shall hold over till llissuccessor
shall hare qualified. On tho fnce of the re-
turns AIcCrat9i WIS entitled 10 tho seat, and
It would llaye been manlfestly unjust to
ignore tho election altogether, and permit
Stauber to retain tho place IN de-
ilanco Of tho returns, Just because
ho had been elected two years before
When tho Issue Of tic late election was not
LII anybody's mind. The Council, being thus
compelled to choose between tae two coil-
testants, pending an investigation Of the
mcrtts OF tho contest. was compelled, In MI
fairness, to seat AlcGratll, whom tho returns
show to have beet elected, In preference to
Stauber, whom the returns shaW not to l,nye
been elected. This temporary disposal Of
tho case affords Stauber tic opportunity Of
exposing tho frauds, II there wcre frauds,
and milking good his claim; Indeed, he Inns
alreauy instituted measures to That end. All
that has been done so far hns been in strict
accordance With tho law and with tito caul-
tlus OF tic casc, and there has been nothing
to provoke intimidation.
!, The purpose to bully tho Council was SO
apparent that 1t will be useless to deny 1t.
II there waro no such PURPOSE, why was not
the written protest presented by tho Com-
1nltteo appointed for tint purpose, Instead Of
bowling mob of zoo or GOO men? Why did
tholr. spokesman 10y SO mitch stress upon
bowiu-kM.ves ana pistols as possIblo agents
in local electlonsp Why were tra,,sparcn-
cics used to light up lncend!ary not,oes?
"To the gallows with the treaso,,ablo villains
who dcfrauflod tho ballot-box," WINS the sen
tilnent Ut ono Of thesn trausparcnclcs.
tl,ougl, tho galIows is not tho law.
ful 'punishment for hu1lot.box frn,,ds.