The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-15
DETECTIVES IN STRIKES.
IS IT PERMISSIBLE TO EMPLOY
THEM TO PROTECT PROPERTY


Interviews on the Subject with Pink
erton, Byrnes and Gompers-Opin-
ions Pro and Con.
NEW York, Sept. I4-Few more serious
questions have come up lately for public
consideration than those which are pre-
sented by the spectacle Of Pinkerton detec-
tives firing on crowds of citizens, wounding
and manning those within range Of their
firearms 1t has happened in the preseip
great railroad strike, as it has happened in
various preceding strikes, that by-standers,
who are alleged to have nothing to do with
the quarrel between employers and en-
pIoyed. have been wounded seriously.
Sometimes they have been killed.
1t seems to be worth while to find out If
/ this is proper. Duly instructed, / called on
1 several prominent persons TO learn what
they thought. Naturally l went first to
| Pinkerton, who is the head of the largest
| private detective force" He Is in Albany
in command Of his men, and | talked with
one of his Oldest and most trusted employees
"As to the Legality of it." said this man,
there can be no doubt whatever. The
sheriff Of county has all possible author
| ity to keep the peace and protect the lives
aud property of the people of the county.
| SupposinR an emergency arises in which he
is unable to do this without the aid of other
men. The law gives him full authority to
| swear In deputies. He may select anybody.
It may be Russian, or a Chinaman, or a
citizen of Bangor in Maine, or Oshkosh or
| San Francisco. The sheriff is not limited
in his choice. Whoever promises to assist
him in keeping the peace is eligible.
"As to the necessity of it there seems to
be no doubt" continued this man. cit may
l NOS C ~
are supposed to enjoy, but 1t is a fact that
there arise contingencies in which the local
constabulary are unequal to the perform
ance of the duties that fall upon them
Police work means politics in all the smaller
towns of the country. 1t doesn't mean
that in Now York, perhaps. But it does
mean politics in any smaller place. You
don't suppose that a man is going to stand
up and knock the duff out of his neighbor
and friend when that neighbor supposes
himself to be doing right, merely because
somebody else is sufferingl 1t isn't human
nature.
''As TO the advisability of il, that is
| question for somebody else You ask me
whether it seems right for a man on our
force to fire at crowd and perhaps kill
somebody. | don't care to answer that
question without consulting counsel. 1 do
know that when a strike occurred
IN village near New York year
or SO ago, the men that went
out because they could not get
pay enough tried to stop other men from
taking their places They would have
stopped them, too, if our men had not been
employed TO protect the place. As il was,
the new men got the work. If they could
/ get along on the reduced wages, WHY
couldn't the old hands OF course, it meant
keeping mans nose on the grindstone, but
that Is what capital always does, doesn't
itP
| In direct contradiction to this view is the
conviction of Chief Inspector Byrnes, who
is to-day acting superintendent of the po.
lice of New York city. The Chief Inspec-
tor it should be said. is a good lawyer. as it
| behooves high police official to be, and has
studied the question carefully. He has not,
In times past, hesitated to speak on the sub
ject, but To- day, when asked him about it,
| he said: II cannot speak. It would not be
| proper for me, while this trouble is pending,
to criticise in any way the action Of those
| who are in authority"
"The hiring OF Pinkerton detectives for
| the preservation of the peace aud of private
property" said Samuel Gompers, the presi-
dent OF the American fe Iteration of labor,
means simply the maintenance of pri-
| vate army. That sort of thing was well
enough in the old baronial times, but it
does not comport with an age in which we
are supposed to enjoy constitutional lib
erty. ! consider it entirely opposed to
the genius Of the American law, and it
seems to me the proposition can be readily
proven. The government of the United
States, itself, has no right to Interfere in
any trouble inside state unless it is called
on by the governor, or by the legislature of
ohe state, If 1t be in session. Surely what
the governments of the y nited States cannot
do no private arnay ought to be allowed to
to do. Swearing them in by sheriff is a
mean subserfuge.
Look at itl The situation is a simple
one. We wilt assume that there is a street
brawl, or that a train is stopped, or a depot
attacked. do not justify such things, but
they happen. If the local authorities are
not able TO quell the disturbance they call
on the governor. and he can summon the
militia by telegraph. IL he is not able to
handle the matter he can call on the general
government. and can have the aid of the
entire United States army. Isn't that
enough to settle any dispute or difference
that may arisein
But suppoSing sudden emergency ]
asked.
The law has MAXIM" replied Mr..
Gompers that it is better that ninety-nine
guilty men should escape than that one in
nocent man should be punished Surprising
we try the reverse of that l say it is better
that some mischief should be done. for
which there is an adequate remedy in a sui,
against t3e commonwealth, than that the
liberties of the people should be infringed. y
DAVID A. CURTIS.
|