Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-06-09
A NOTABLE MONUMENT.

A NOTABLE MONUMENT.
On the 30th day of May there was un-
veiled in the city of Chicago a monument
than which there is not one in all the
land more significant 1t was that of the
bronze figure of a policeman standing upon
an elevated pedestal of finished marble,
resting upon granite base and paneled
podium, and fanked by buttresses of like
material. The right arm of the officer is
elevated, the palm of the hand turned out
ward and the fingers extended-the ges-
ture Of warning-and the figure is supposed
to suggest the words of the heroic officer
who in May, 1886, in that spot in the Hay
market exclaimed to the band of murder
GUS Anarchists who cast the bombs that sent
little group Of devoted officers to their
graves, "ln the name of the people of the
State of Illinois | command the peace" 1t
was noble thought that suggested the
monument; it was patriotic service that
erected it. Such monuments are testimo-
mails to the strength of our institutions,
against which the assaults of anarchism
and the schemes of the foes of free govern
ment cannot prevail. The shaft of marble
in the Chicago thoroughfare that upbears
the silent figure in bronze with lifted hand
is warning alike to traitors and enemies
of all classes that the laws of the republic
are equal to meet the onslaughts of all
manner of influences directed to the sub
version of the American system and the
substitution for it of the license of unholv
desires. 1t breaches to all the world the
supremacy of the law and the terror of
its penalties. 1t points to the gibbet, on
which the infamous wretches who struck
down the representatives of the law in the
Haymarket on that eventful day in Nav,
1886, expiated their crime, and the heroic
figure in bronze, personifying the majesty
OF the law, at the same time stands as the
witness of its unrelenting rigor toward
those who would destroy the fabric of the
republic. The Mayor of the city, in un-
yelling the monument and referring to the
day being Decoration Day, said to the
people, and they applauded to the echo:
It is therefore most appropriate time to uu-
veil this monument to the memory of the brave
officers OF our local police force who Sacrificed
tnelrllye near this spot in the discharge of their
sworn DUTY OF upholding the law and protect
ing all citizens of this great city. 1t is saw an
appropriate day for this. for it stands on par
aiIel with great events but none of greater sig
nifcance. This beautiful shaft conceived and
erected by our law abiding citizens to Comment
crate that event, stands before you in this con-
splcuous place as silent monitor to all who
aare 70 come to this free land to disobey the
laws that we have force, and body OF citi-
zens to back up that force that will see that the
law must be obeyed. May it stand here nm
5lemlshed so long as this metropolis shall en-
dure, 10 say TO the millions who come upon it. |
This is free and lawful country with plenty
OF room Tor the people of all the earth who
choose to come here to breathe the free air and |
10 obey the laws. but not one inch of room or an
hour TO dwell here for those who come for any
other purpose"
1t was homely, but direct and truth |
fully unmistakable expression, and must |
have made the Anarchists who, scowling, |
hung upon the outskirts of the assemblage, |
realize that the people applauding were
sincere, since they gave unquestioned evil
dence that their Mayor but echoed the !
sentiments Of their hearts and for which |
they were ready, if need be, to stand to
arms. Mr.. Head, in the Grafton that fol-
lowed, well said that the highest achieve
ment of civilization is to secure to every |
man the fruits of his labor, and the free
dom to sell his labor or ability in what
ever way he deems most to his advantage,
consistent with the restraints of the |
law that are found essential to the protec-
ton of human rights, and the conserva-
ton of the order of communities. No por-
tion of the world will relapse into an
archy; some form of government will be |
maintained, and if experience should |
prove that government by the people is
not strong enough to preserve public
order, protect human life and assure to |
men the safe protection of their own. a |
strong government will supplant it; never |
weaker and less cohesive one. But if |
ever the time comes when it will be neces- |
sary to make such a change, let the An |
archist be assured that there will be no |
resort to his wild schemes, no appeal to |
the infamous dynamite bomb, no slaughter
of innocents, no trampling down of human
rights. Appeals to reason will prevail, |
and if it be revolution, it will be orderly
progression of the right, and the irresist-
ible march of conviction, not the cruel and
merciless tramp of anarchism, which rises
upon the wreck of the ruin it works.