The morning call., 1891-05-03
THE EUROPEAN RIOTS.

The riots which took place on May day at
Lyons, Marseilles, Paris, Florence and
Rome are not discouraging signs TO friends
of order. People had apprehended con-
certed proletarian movement against estab-
lished institutions, with view to a redistri-
button of property and the overthrow Of
the social machine, but nothing Of the kind
was manifested. In Germany, where the
working class have the most cogent reasons
for discomfort, everything passed off quietly;
in Italy, the distu rbances did not amount to
anything more than street rows; the only
serious conflict between the mob and the
police took place at Lyons, which is popu-
l0us manufacturing center, famous from
time immemorial for the turbulence and bel
ligerent instincts of its people. The net
upshot of the occurrences of the day is sat-
isfaet0ry.
1t will probably take another generation
TO convince all French workingmen that the
way to accomplish the reforms to which
they consider they are entitled is not to set
up barbados, but to choose the right rep
TesentatiVes to the Chamber. In times gone
by they and the Government were two, and
force was often the only weapon left them.
Now they are the Government, and to strike
at it is to assault themselves. 1t will also
take time for them 10 get rid of the doctrines
of paternaliSm, which in the old days led
them to regard the Government as omnipo-
tent and capable of curing all the ills to
which humanity is heir. Now that uni
versal suffrage has made every Frenchman
a sharer in the sovereignty Of the nation,
they are finding out that Government is not
as powerful as they supposed, and that it is
helpless to resist the operation of natural
laws. But education on these heads is pro-
crossing as fast as could be expected.
While ths people are learning the Gov
eminent is likewise acquiring knowledge.
In the DAYS of Louis Philippe it was a crime
of the deepest dye to order troops to fire
upon ''the people" Parisans never for
gave Cavaignac for having restored order
in Paris with cannon and bayonet 1t is
now being realized that a Government
which cannot maintain order is no Govern
ment at all and that mubs which fire reyoly-
ers ana throw bombs and set fire to build
ings with petroleum are not 1.-THE people" "
but rabble, whom it is humanity TO honest
folks to crush out with the strong hand.
In every community two classes are to be
found. There is a class Of young men and
older men Of the tramp order with loose
principles and fierce appetiteS who rejoice
at the prospect OF a row; first, because they
enjoy a fight, aud next because disorder Of
fers chances for plumber; and there is an
other class which includes all orderly men
who work for their living, and to whom dis
order means destruction of property and
cessation of work. The latter class out
numbers the former by twenty to one. But
icfu oir,Ix Of nt eiff br
averSe to appearing in public, who attend
more carefully to their own business than
TO public affairs, whose voice is seldom
hea I'd. In the strifes Of past times in
France it has been the aim of Governments
to try to stand neuter between these two
classes and to avoid the use OF force in
quelling disturbances of the peace. Public
men have quaked with terror at coming into
collision with ''the people" and more than
once Governments have been overturned be
cause they had not the pluck to defend
themselves.
That era appears to be drawing to a close.
When NJ FlOquet announced that if a dis
turbance occurred it would be put down in
short order and with heroic methods he
struck a responsive chord in every honest
Partisan heart, and citizens congratulated
each other that they had at last Govern
ment that was not afraid. NJ. Carnot was
equally thorough on Friday. He stole
march on the dangerous class by imprison-
ing 800 anarchist leaders before the day
came, and when the Lyons mob began to
fire reyolvers he scattered them with dra-
goOns ana made the leaders taste the point
of the saber. That is the way to preserve
peace ana order in a free country There is
no city in the world where personal liberty
is more cherished than it is in New York
But when a riot took place and a number Of
policemen we're stabbed or shot Inspector
Byrnes armed his men and babe them use
their weapons. and started them out with
the words: Mind, men, want no wound
ed nnlieeman hrnnght hack to metz