The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-04-16
COUGHS" AS OFFICERS.

On OF the interesting features OF the
labor troubles at Fort Worth, Texas.
was the part taken by Texas Jim. His
real name is James Cartwright. He is
VIGOROUSLY a bad man, one whose
hands have more than once been dyed
red in the blood Of his fellow man. Even
now he is wanted in New Mexico for
murder; and the same charge is made
against him in several other places.
But during the strike at Fort Worth
Jim came out on the side of law and
order; and it is claimed that when the
strikers saw him armed 10 the teeth
and at the head of squad of citizens
the strikers weakened in the presence
of the red handed tough" and al
lowed the train they had stop
ped in the yard to move out.
The fact of this murderer hav-
ing come out on the side of law and
order in this instance, has SO pleased
the Atlanta (Georgial Constitution, that
it becomes weak enough to say:
Jim was in for gore and plenty of it,
and the rioters knew it. When a reg
uIar desperate enrolls himself on the
side Of law, there is trouble ahead if he
is opposed. Statesmen and other
students of our social problems may
learn something from this COPYRIGHT
episode. Every community has its
toughs, hoodiums and plugs. II We
cannot manage them, why not hire
them TO manage us? With sheriffS,
deputies, metropolitan police, and with
the army filed up with men of the
Texas Jim stamp, the country would be
safe. In no other way can we utilize
our dangerous classes to such advan-
tage. 1t is to be hoped that the matter
will receive due consideration.
If that was only meant for quiet
sarcasm, it would be good enough, but
we fear the Constitution Is too much in
earnest; and the recommendation is al |
together unworthy of so able a
leader of popular sentiment in
the South as the Constitution is
esteemed to be. Never on Gods
earth let Us seriously entertain the idea
of giving into the hands of 'toughs,"
"heodlums," and plugs" the eIecu-
ton OF our laws; or, 10 put i. In the
words Of the Constitution, since we
cannot manage them. hire them to
manage us.m II we would make the
law honorable we must have respect
able agents TO execute it, such as viii
command the respect of the people, and
whom the people can heartily sustain
and assist without q blush Of shame
should the emergency arise for such
assistance
Utah of late has had an experience in
having acknowledgements acting as
United States. deputy marshals, and
their conduct in Office has been burn
ing, dAmnable disgrace to those wno
appointed and retained them in their
places. Had these "plugs" acted to-
wards ladies in Georgia as they did
towards ladies in Utah In the discharge
of their alleged duties, We know that
the citizens Of Georgia would have
hung hem higher than Hsman. No.
mol let Us have no plugs" "roughs" or
"black-legs, acting as sheriffs. depu ties,
or police. 1t is a mistake to think that
with such officers or with such an army
the country would be safer. Muscular
bullies who delight in street fights and
drunkenness do not possess the highest
order of physical courage so desirable
in officers whose duty is to arrest
and imprison desperate characters, and
our experience in Utah is that such
characters when in Office invariably
abuse the power they imagine they
possess.