The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-22
sExrrLE. WEDNESDAY. JULY ss.
4 BID FOR GENERALIZATION.

There Is deal of Democratic denunciation
against the Republican party on the plea
that its drift is in favor of Capitalization
in government; in favor of the Hamlito-
MAN theory of strong federal government
with q large enough army to keep the
peace in all the states when the authori-
ties of state are either unable or unwiil-
ing to enforce peace and order under law.
The utter inefficiency of the sheriffs and
the state militia in various sections of the
country to protect the administration OF
the law from assault and outrage by the
mob is becoming so conspicuous as to IN
spire the conviction among thoughtful
men that strong government is needed
to keep the mob from becoming the death
of our free experiment The New Orleans
massacre was one startling object lesson;
the Iynchings in Oregon and Washington
another, and the capture OF an armed
body of Tennessee militia without firing q
shot by strikers, is third. OF course l07
armed men, representing state authority.
do not surrender without resistance to the
mob unless they are in sympathy with it,
or incapable of understanding that the
soldiers Of state are not enlisted and
armed and equipped by the state simply
Is the nucleus of military picnic. The
state soldiers were clearly in sympathy
with the strikers, as were the Pennsylvania
militia with the mob that burned the
property of railroads at Pittsburg in 1877.
The detection of the state militia in 1877
compelled the governor to ask the Federal
government for aid, and detachment Of
regulars was sent to the scene of riot.
These are not the only instances of this
sort that could be cited.
duty or tip the mob the wink of invitation
to violence; and when the militia are so
worthless and senseless that they fraternize
with rioters, the state is certainly left
without power to keep the peace under
law and must appeal to the Federal govern
ment for assistance. A state that is re-
duced to this necessity is ina bad way.
and 1t does not get into such q condition
except where the authorities are cuipably
unfit to govern. or the people of the state
hare become 80 demoralizcd by the fire.
quent example Of successful mob law that
they are unfit for free government. Lynch
law, and irreyerence for the judgments of
courts grows fat on every crime it CON-
mits. In New Orleans, the sheriff, the
mayor and the governor tacitly consented
to the massacre; massacre decreed by
secret tribunal of $50 men, self
constituted judges, and selfconstituted
executioners, who, after procuring "a
town meeting run mad" ratification
ecuted it as the will of "the people,"
that is. 1900 to 400o men reused to mad
ness by intlammatory appeals assumed to
decide that they are ''the people" in city
Of $4,000 inhabitants; that they are the
state of Louisiana, whose constitution
provides that an accused person shall not
be tried twice for the same offense, while
the Federal constitution and the state con-
stitutions generally prescribe that no per-
son shall be subjec. for the same offense
twice to be put in jeopardy of life or limb.
This means that the acquittal of a
person charged with crime shall be conclus-
ivein his favor. Yet a mob of infuriate men
trampled upon the constitution of the
state and by the law of irresponsible, un-
authorized might. murdered persons who
had been legally acquitted in a commun-
lily in which every one concerned in the
administration of the law derived his
authority from the people The Judges
are elected, the prosecuting officers are
elected, and the jurors are chosen from the
entire body of qualified citizens in the
state. Under these circumstances if
the men murdered by the mob were really
guilty and conviction failed because of
bFibed or intimidated jury. the
blame rests upon the community itself
that either does not want a better govern.
ment, or Is utterly indifferent TO the ex-
ercise OF their political rights to secure il.
III judges are not upright and competent.
II Jurors are hribed, if prosecuting officers
are corrupt, then reform the administra-
tion OF the criminal law by a promnt re-.
sort to the methods by which you en-.
acted that law and created the agents ~
its machinery, under which alone the
perpetuation of civilized free govern.
ment is possible. To abolish law and
substitute lawless hloodshed when the
machinery you have created fails to do
Justice through your own fault. your in.
difference, neglect and evil example. is "a
stupid and childish as ii would be 70 throw
your hammer into the we'll because van
hit your own finger in trying TO hit the
nail on the head. The secret tribunal Of
$50 that decreed the death of the acquitted
Italians adopted in free government the
methods of the Malta and by so
doing confessed that in New Orleans
free government is a failure, since
the ordinary machinery of free govern.
ment is there dominated and controlled
hy mob Law. The fundamental principle
ofour political institution, on which all our
governments are based, is that the people
limit their powers and modes of action by
written constitutions. The people are
sovereign in their collective capacity as
body polite and corporate, bat no indi-
vidual is sovereign and no number OF in
dividuals are sovereign" is the accurate
statement of George Tieknor Curtis, and