New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-01
POSSIBILITIES RENEWED IN TENNESSEE

The miners controversy in Tennessee has sud
denly reached stage far more serious and men
acing than that which preceded the special SEES
sion of the Legislature but whatever other ele-
ment may enter into the situation 1t suggests
no cause for surprise Indeed, If this renewal
of hostilities had been deliberately planned, the
result could not have been more perfectly in
accord with reasonable expectation. When the
trouble began last July ii was acknowledged on
the one hand that the miners had substantial rea-
son for dissatisfaction and fair ground for stren-
nous protest and on the other that the authorities
were ill-prepared for action. The miners were
seen to be determined. we'll armed and orderly
The State forces soon disclosed the fact that they
were confused and weak. 1t was evident that
decisive action on the part of the Governor would
in all probability lead to a bloody conflict and
the condition of the militia was so uncertain as
to make the immediate result doubtful.
Governor Buchanan under these circumstances
felt justified in entering upon negotiations look
ing toward peaceful settlement The miners
were willing to agree to keep the peace and not
to interfere with the convicts, provided the Gov
ernor would agree to procure from the Legs
lature in special session repeal OF the Convict
Labor law. The Governor at first responded
with reason that he could not contract to obtain
this legislative action and he also had grave
doubts of the propriety of negotiating with law
breakers at all but he was finally persuaded to
take that very course. The miners went back
TO work with the conyicts, and soon afterward
the Legislature was convened. But at an carry
stage in the session it became evident that the
lawmaking body was not disposed to change the
statute materially, and that public sentiment was
not strong enough to control the Legislature
After much improbable discussion the session
ended, leaving the law as it was, but the pros
pect much more threatening. The obvious con-
sequences have followed; thousands OF miners
are in revolt more than three hundred conv1cts
have been released a large amount OF pubic
and private property has been destroyed; the
whole community is in state OF intense excite
ment and the difficulty of the original problem
has been enormously increased. 1t must now be
acknowledged, we think, that Governor Bu-
chanan was badly advised last July. Granting
that the miners had just cause to complain OF
law which forced them to associate with con-
yicted criminals it was unsafe and foolish on the
one hand to enter into bargain with them while
they were in state of armed hostility, and on
the other hand to take such action as virtually
deceived them into supposing that the law would
be repealed. Governor Buchanan did not make
of course any express bargain; but it is not to
be doubted that he aroused unreasonable hopes,
and that the miners generally believed that their
situation would be relieved by the Legislature.
1t is now obvious that the Governor was right
in his original view, that he should have In
sisted upon perfect restoration OF good order at
all hazards as a simple, paramount obligation,
and not as condition precedent to measures
for the relief of hardship 1t is difficult to fore
see any settlement of the trouble which will not
involve and probably precipitate misfortunes far
worse than those which we're threatened last
summer. TIE number of men in revolt against
the law is much larger now than 1t was then,
and they are more desperate, believing that they
have been deceived. And more than this, the
conyics who then remained under restraint are
now at large; they have been provided with
arms and with citizens clothing, and they are
dispensing into other States. Immediate and
aggressive actislf is demanded from the civil
authorities. So much is plain, but the future
remains obscure.