The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-08
DON'T CRIPPLE THE LAW.

DON'T CRIPPLE THE LAW.
Already there is a disposition shown 70
discover the mildest way to deal with the In
human scoundrels who precipitated the
slaughter of the Chicago police. There seems
to be disposition to find the least punish
ment that will have to be melted out to them.
This is worse than weakness; it is encourage
ment to as villainous set of unhung rascals
the attempt should meet with no fayer.
If anything, there should be every
effort made to have the severest punishment
put upon these fellows, so that their imita-
tors, if there be any, will be deferred from
carrying their fendish plans into practice.
There has been too much of this thing of
turning and twisting the law for the benefit of
the voluntary and determined violators of the
law, and the result has been that they have
been embodied to go to greater lengths. Had
not these precious assassins been coddled
in the propagation of their infamous
doctrines the country would have been spared
the shame of having the officers Of the law
murdered like so many dogs. Public senti-
ment that has not unqualfedly denounced
the hateful teachings of these thugs and the
officers of the law wLo have failed to appre-
bend and properly punish such scoundrels,
are responsible for the fact that the entire
country has been disgraced in the eyes of the
world by the brutal slaughter at Chicago.
And now that some Of them have been ar
rested in the very commission of the act it
would be worth impeachment for any judge or
court official to allow these monsters to es-
cape. Instead Of stretching a point in law
for their benefit the law should be interpreted
with the good Of the people in view, so that
results may be reached such as will inure to
the welfare of the law-abiding. As we under
stand it, that is what the law is for-the pro-
lection of society and of life and property. In
this country it can not be argued that any
class of people unjustly suffers by reason of
unfair laws, for the laws are in the hands of
the people, and one man has exactly as much
to say what the law shall be as has another.
The millionaire and the miner are on an
equality when it comes to the question of what
the laws shall be. If the working people feel
that the laws are unjust in their bearing upon
them, they are numerically strong enough to
make the laws what they please, and the
wealth of the Nation cannot help it. There
is absolutely no reason why violence should be
resorted to. But this question is not part of
that involving the punishment to be awarded
the desperadoes who did the numbering at
Chicago. No honest workingman can or does
have any sympathy with them and their
methods. They should be treated as so many
cut-throats, which they are, and nothing else.
Let there be no nonsense in the manner in
which the law is to be enforced against them,
and the effect will be that they will not be en-
sacring the officers of the law and all who may
dare to oppose them. If they be permitted to
kill the police sent out to preserve the peace
of the public, the next thing is for them to
turn their bloodthirsty attention to the peo-
pie. Let the severest penalty of the law be
brought to bear upon them; let there be no
straining of points to save their necks from the
gallows whittier they should be sent as
quickly as the working of the law will permit.