Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-06
THE LAwIEssNEss IN SAN FRANCISCO

1t is matter of no little curious inter-
est how long the people of San Fran
cisco propose to submit to some of their
chief industrial business houses being kept
under a state of siege. The whole system
Of picket lines as adopted by the striking
molders is in violation of the law. 1t
constitutes conspiracy to do an unlawful
act, and the tragic occurrences of the last
few days make this clear. The pop of the
pistol in the streets of the metropolis has
become so frequent that we begin to think
the people of the chief city of the State
are terrorized, and absolutely need the
guardianship of the militia of the interior
counties. The police appear to be para
lyzed and unable to do more than now and
then pursue an offender and make an ar
rest for an offense committed upon the
highway. AS preventive agencies the
forces of patrolmen and detectives appear
to be worthless.
The cause of labor rightly promoted in
the direction of the betterment of the
moral and physical condition of wage
earners has the countenance Of all think
ing men. When it is diverted and made
means of terrorizing the people, controlling
private business debating how man
shall conduct his private affairs, whom he
may and whom he shall not employ, it
becomes despotism and all physical action
under it is riotous and antagonistic to the
best interests of the community. The
striking molders in San Francisco have
gone to the extent that makes their cause
an offense and their action crime. They
must be given to understand that these as
saults and shootings will no longer be
tolerated. If the city of San Francisco
cannot protect her people against the
danger Of these street brawlS the power of
the State of California must be exercised
to afford the city that peace to which its
people are entitled
We are told by local journals of the
metropolis that at the Indignation gather
ings of the strikers and their sympathizers,
there slittle regret expressed for the tragic
events of Saturday evening, but that the
chief complaint is that the men assailed by
strikers use weapons to defend themselves
when they are assaulted by the fists of the
strikers. This is in itself the confession of
condemnation. 1t amounts to claim
that the strikers have right to beat their
opponents to a jelly, and that the victims
are expected to offer no resistance with
arms. The molders do not appear to pause
long enough to think of the assaults in
the first instance as offenses, nor that one
assailed has no guaranty that his assailant
is not armed. True, the presumption of
the law is that no man goes armed unlaw-
fully, because the law forbids the carrying
of concealed weapons without permission
of the police authorities. But as a matter
of fact we all know that the law is ignored
and that sarms are as thick in concealed
pockets on the highways Of the metropolis
as the crossing fagstones are numerous.
Mr.. Valentine, the head Of the striking
molders, declares that these brawls, kill
ings and pistol practice pursuits in the
streets of San Francisco are the result of
the manufacturers refusal to settle the
strike. This expression is to be interpreted
in but one way; that is, the rioting and
the state of siege, the knockdowns and
the pistol practice are due to the fact that
the manufacturers exercise their undeniable
right to refuse to employ certain men on the
terms the latter dictate. Or, in other
words, that rioting and bloodshed result
because the strikers do not succeed in CO.
ercing men to their way Of thinking If
this is abStractly true, it affords the strik-
ers no sort of excuse, but rather aggravates
their offending. They are fostering pro-
ceediug that results in death, beatings and
state of siege, and their reply to
demand that these things cease is, "Then
make the other fellows yield That is
the every day logic of the argument, and
there is no escaping it.