The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-03-25

Eabor anA Capltal Wafrlng.
Strikes increase ID numbers and pro-
portions, and occur ia unexpected locaii-
ties 70 which labor organisations have re-
gently extended their operations With
out fixing the responsibility on labor or
on capital, for sometimes one is to blame
and sometimes the other, II may be re-
marked that these are alarming features
OF the times, not merely because they
threaten the prosperity of great indus
tries and genersi interests of communities,
but because they foster u pirit Of defiance
to constituted authority which in the flu
ture may call for stronger govern
ment." The least government, if suffi-
cient to maintain law and order and the
rights of individuals, is the best govern
ment and the most in accord with repnb-
lican institutions. When liberty runs
into license it compels exercise of author
ity which antagonizes the theory of dem
ocratic republicanism, and destroys lib
erty in the act of crushing out license.
The capacity of man for selfgovernment
has not yet been demonstrated in this
large American experiment which is still
young, and the indications are that long
before it is old-as the age of nations is
reckoned-power will have to be cxer-
cised rather against the popular will 1.-THE
will of the populace) than in accord with
it, in order to the maintenance of the
structure Of society and the governmental
authority necessary TO prevent anarchy.
Now, the will of the people is the
creator of the government, but the time
may be when the creature will have to
rule the creator with an iron hand, and
that will be the end Of republican
government save in name-if it
retains even that. 1t is only by
bayonets that communist and socialist
are restrained from the subversion of law
and order,' from riot, massacre and pillage,
in European countries, and the problem is
how to handle the same class, who are
sovereign voters here, without the use of
the same weapons that are used by mo-
narchical governments. If they are used
here a strong, centralized government
must be behind them as there, or instead
of defeating, it will be defeated and an
archy overwhelm the land. The populace
Of the larger cities of the North show the
same impulses that from time to tire agi-
tate the masses in various European com
munities, and concerted disorders of re-
cent occurrence at smaller centres of pop.
ulation both South and North Indicate a
wide spread diffusion of lawless spirit.
AS yet there has been no moveme t too
large to be handled by local authority,
but if the troubles of to-day are but as
the seed to the tree, the future will de-
velope work for central government so
strong that it must be built upon the
ruins of the rights of States. One, or
more of them, may have bad govern
ment or governments placed in authority
by the majority vote of the mob party,
and which wrongs citizens of that and
other States, and the federal government
may have to send its forces to control the
action Of or overthrow the authority of
the offending State government. Then
will be the crisis which shall determin e
whether republic of sovereign States
can continue, or whether centralized
power shall practically obliterate State
lines.