Morning journal and courier., 1886-04-08
The Conspiracy in the Southwes


 The strike of the Knights of Labor in the Southwest has now reached the point to which it has been plainly running from the start-an armed conflict with the govern ments of three, perhaps five States. Great satisfaction is proclaimed by the so-callsd ex- ecutive committees that they are again ''uni- ted" and that Mir. Powderly's order to return to work has been rescinded. No right-think- ing person can feel satisfaction while con- templating public tumult and probable bloodshed, but if there is widespread con- spiracy in the United States against law and order no time can be considered too early for confronting it. By conspiracy we mean secret society whose object is to prevent any body but the conspirators from earning living; not that they object to any mans earning living outside of the employments they are engaged in, but because they are unable to eoerce employers if the unem- ployed are allowed to work when they zee fit to strike. The situation in the Southwest has reached this pass, that nobodyis allowed to represent labor except those who refuse to | work or allow anybody else to work. When a man has attained the full dignity of labor | he must be prepared to shoot down any man l more distressed and hungry than himself ! who applies for situation that he has vol l untarily given up. It happens in this par ticular case that the strikers had no reason | for throwing up their situations that they were willing to avow. This, however, was 1 only an incident growing out of the assump- 1 ton that the right of labor belongs exclu- sively to the Knights of Labor, and that all l persons who dispute this pretension must be | shot down.
 This has been the attitude of the strikers, under the lead of Irons, from the beginning 1 Mr. Powdsrly saw that it would end by l bringing the Knights into armed collision with the State authorities, as at last it has in Texas, Kansas and Arkansas, and will soon in Missouri and Illinois. The result Of such 1 a conflict cannot be doubtful. Some blood l may be spilled, some houses may be burned, some dynamite may be exploded, but the end will be the crushing of the rebellion, l and this end cannot be long delayed. The Governors of the several States have been very slow in performing their duty. They have been cowed by the supposed political power of the Knights. They have waited till the sufferings of the community have shifted the balance of political power upon the other side. It is probably true that pub lie opinion in Texas was at first opposed to any harsh measures and in favor ot per suasion and conciliation. While the strik- 
 whole State, the power which belongs to organization and secrecy has created su-
 perstition in mems minds which tor mo-
 ment paralyzed the reasoning powers of the
 committee which never fairly awoke until it was found that a new government under
 the leadership of Irons had usurped the
 functions of the one elected by the people.
 Even then it was necessary that some pro foundly impressive act should be commit
 ted, like the shooting of deputy sheriff,
 to bring people to tEeir senses, and to call
 into activity the forces which society has
 provided for just such emergencies.
 There cannot be two governments ir
 Texas at the same time. One or the other
 must get out of the way. Either Governor
 Ireland or Governor Irons must be invest
 ed with all the insignia of office. Nor is
 there any more room for division of au
 thority in Illinois. Either Governor Ogles by or Governor Somebody, having his ex
 ecutive mansion in East St. Louis, mus
 give the orders which everybody shal obey. Governor Oglesby has been very pa } tient with the mob in his precinct, but h. is an old soldier and a resolute one, ane