New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-25
THE TENNESSEE TROUBLE.

The prospect of a temporary agreement to
keen the peace in Tennessee has been clouded
nv the Governors conclusion that he is not
justified in accepting the terms proposed. Tho
miners offered to allow the convicts 10 return
10 work and to guarantee that they should no.
he molested during period of sixty days, IN
the course of which the Legislature shouid DC
convened for the purpose OF repeating the oo-
noxious law. There is no apparent reason 20
doubt the good faith of this proposition, ou1 IL
involved difficulty of which the Governor was
bound to take note. In the first place, he IN
Inmates that it would be at least questionable
proceeding for the Executive OF state TO enter
into a bargain for the observance OF law, out
passing from ethical to practical Considerations,
he objects to the compromise on the grouhu
that he cannot control the action OF the Legs
lature. If the law were not repealed, then al INC
end of sixty days the existing state OF lnsurrec-
ton might be renewed, to the discredlt ana
disadvantage of the community.
The Governors reasoning seems to be sound
and his conclusion unavoidable. III IL Woio
certain that public opinion had been so THOR
oughly aroused against the law as to insure us
repeal at a special session OF the Legislature
the immediate advantage of restoring order
might be hSI to outweigh the arguments
aoains. establishing rather humiliating and
dangerous precedent. AT present, under the
nroSsure of excitement and anxiety, popular
op;nion. 50 far as it has made ITSELF telt, Is
against the law even if it is not in full SYM
pathy with the miners. But it does not follow
that this would become or continue to be the
sentiment of a majority after an interval Oh
ouiet. The convict leases have several years
to rum tls vested interests are strong, and the
State is poor The history of lotteries and OF
fnancia! legislation generally in Southern states
has proved the force of arguments which ap-
peal directly to taxpayers, and 1t is not Dy any
means impossible that influences which the law
makers would he unable to resist might be
brought to bear in behalf of the lesseeS. Gov
ernor buchanan is right in thinking that to ac-
cent the miners terms would be to run serious
risk of aggravating the present trouble.
II is much clearer than it was at the begin
ming of the outbreak that the competition OF
contract convict labor is harsh and oppressive
The testimony to that effect which was lacnng
at first is accommodating rapidly. The sudden
ness of the uprising was peIplexing. Work In
the mines under the conditions now proclaimed
intolerable had gone on 50 long without pro
ducing any disturbance that few on the outside
knew or cared to know the inside facts. But
now it is evident that the sense OF irritation
was strong and pervasive long before the re-
volt came There is no room for doubt that
the miners owed it to themselves 10 protest
| vigorously and by all lawful means against en-
forced conditions which tended directly to de-
grade and impoverish them. But in undertake
! ing to annul the law by violence they have
made the enforcement of the law imperative.
Every one must hope that the destruction which
they have invited will not fall upon them, but
il is for them and not for the State to retreat.