The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-04-05
GM GtrtatGsmer
waEELlso, W VA, AFHll o lS"0'


twas more by good luck than goon
management that the Southwestern rail-
road complication existed for nearly q
month without such q conflict as that
at Fort Worth, From the begin
ming the conditions have been favor
able to Just what has h%spPsned'-a large
body Of determined men b%locEadiny rail
roads, derailing cara, killing lOcono'
tIyes, and generally interfering with thu
business Of certain railroads and 30 will
the public interests the railroad compa
mics calling on the authorities to protect
them in the prosecution Of their business
and the preservation Of their property, a.
thesame time trying to protectthem'elVesj
local sentiment divided, and thoroughly
aroused. Here there were the esSentla
conditions for such u collision as that al
Fort Worth.
In locating the blame there are some
things to be remembered. We have it o.
the authority OF Mr. powderlyr and OF M
Arthur, OF the Brotherhood OF Locomotive
Ealneers, that the strike ought not 10
have been. The strike having been de
clared, 1t was not the right Of the strikers
to interpose force to prevent other me
from working In the course they pur
sued they deiled all authority, even the
authority and principles OF their own
order, il we correctly understand MIR
Powderly. Certainly they deHed that au
thorlty which society has constituted for
its own protection.
There are time0 when, under a sense Of
wrong, men appeal to violent methods
for the fair play which 1t seems impossible
to obtain in any other way. The appeal
is hazardous, generally disappointing,
costly and q step backward. In mans
primitive condition force was the only
arbiter. Strength and courage marked
the boundaries Of territory, settled the
titles to property and keptthe peace when
war was not moro desired, We have out
grown that stature, and now We live under
governments Of law. We who make the
law must respect 1t, or instead Of being q
great nation we relapse into the condition
OF IN unwieldy mob.
1t Is truO that we lave by no means
reached a state in which exact justice is
done to every man. Perhaps this will
never be- until the millennium dawns But
It must be- admitted that u industrial
system has grown more aadmors to favor
tue acquiring %ofgreat fortunes at the e1'
psnse Of the general welfare.
This is only another way to say that
while the Goulds and the Vanderbtlts are
ptling up their hundreds Of millions, it is
becoming more and more difficult for the
millions Of wage.earners to live comfort
ably, rear a family as au American family
ought to be reared, and lay up something
for a rainy day. Public opinion is becom'
ing aroused on this subject; labor Is or.
ganizlng IS never before for It's improve.
ment,
The signs indicate a better day. But
there will bo little use Of struggling to
achieve something better, II in the Strug.
gle the government OF Law must be over
turned; for what Is gained by force may
be lost by force, II the law cannot pro.
tect the property Of railroad companies,
what guarantee Is there that 1t a protect
the homes Of %wage.earners2 There is no
such thing as sale alienation between
anarchy and order.