New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-22
THE MINERS INSTRUCTION.

The miners uprising in Tennessee has reached
stage which threatens bloody work. Inc men
who have set out to thwart the operation OF tne
Convict-I.abOr law are said to be in grim and
determined mood, and under strict discipline.
They are well armed, watchful, alert and sober.
Moreover, they are encouraged and inspired by
their easy successes thus far, and by the obvious
embarrassment of the authorities. They prob
ably realize that they could not hold out against
regular force under orders to fight the con-
troversy through to conclusion, but they nave
hitherto been justified in assuming that the
Governor would not undertake that sort OF cam
paign In the meantime they are in control OF
the telegraph wires, and are apparently waiting
quietly for the next attempt to reinstate the
cOnvictS.
Little information is available on which to
base Judgment as to the hardshlps which the
law inficts on free labor. The uprising is sad
to have greatly surprised the authorities OF the
State and citizens generally, inasmuch as the
conyicts have been working beside the other
miners for many months in peace and without
giving rise to open complaint 1t now appears,
however, that the irritation has been deep, that
the law is odious, and that the Governor who
as a member OF the last Legislature, voted for
it and upon whom is devolved the task OF en-
forcing it, is a chief object of execration. 1t Is
certain that the cOnvict-labOr laws OF some
Southern States have been deteStable, but they
have been generally condemned because OF the
misery which they inflicted on the prisoners
rather than because they operated unjustly
against others. 1t can be readily understood,
however, that any respectable labOrer might
strenuousy object to compulsory association at
his work with convicted criminals, especially
if competition of that character were made the
means of forcing down his own wages and II
that is the real cause of their discomfort the
miners might have counted upon public SYM
pathy and support in protesting against the
law. But instruction is another matter. The
law was passed by Legislature which they had
helped to elect, and by violent defiance of it
they have wasted the moral strength of their
position and invited their own destruction.
Good or bad, the law must be enforced. They
have left the civil authorities no choice. The
worst thing that could happen to them would
be to succeed in their present purpose, for that
would signify that their own rights are insecure
whenever a lawless mob chooses to invade them.
The uprising will certainly be quelled sooner
or later but it is to be feared that indecision
and inactivity on the part of the Governor have
made the task harder than it should have been.
There are rumors that he has begun to distrlst
the capacity of the State militia to control the
emergency, and is about to ask the Rational
Government for assistance. Assuming that
such a demand would be reasonable it could
not be easily and promptly met for there is no
considerable body of troops available. There
are no present indications that the petty re-
belion will suddenly collapse. and if it keeps
on gaining strength, as it has done during the
last few days, hard and bloody fight may be
required to end it.