New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-19
UPHOLD THE LAWS.

"What is the end to be ?' some persons Assn
ais not the situation unprecedented ana nave
wa not 70 fsce a collision on large scale be-
tween labor organizations and the cohsutneu
o,,tbor;t;csp,, Have they forgotten 1887?
The situation is not so bad as II was 'he" "n."
the riot in Pittsburg cost many lives ana u'e
burning of the Union Depot, and whch 'he r'o'
at Scranton was serious and all the great trunk
lines were tied up. The result then was 'ne
restoration of order and law, and that Will he
the result now. Public opinion quickly CON
con,ratcs with tremendous and irresistible
power against those who break the peace a'u
those who excuse or tolerate lawbrcakng.
1t is true that violent outbreaks IN the hah'e
of labor organizations recur with soiheoh'"s
like periodical regularity. The men VINO hho"
what the riots of 1877 meant for labor are 10"
mature and presumably conservative Du'
vounocr and more hothcadcd men have come
n the front. and often WELD controlling IN
fuence who do not remember. Each genera
ton as it comes has to test for itself the ieces-
sity of upholding and enforcing the laws II
may not be nattering fact to American cur
zenship and perhaps these outbreaks "ouiu NC
less frequent if there were not SO ere'' al
immigration of comparatively Ignorant peopic'
but it is the glory of American institutions ''"'
the people always sustain the law ana crush
ovorv form of lawessness, no matter on What
pretext it may begin.
This is the first duty to-day After tibet has
bcen done. men may stop 10 consider WI, 'ne'
there was more or less OF right in the cia'i'N
which have resulted in riots at Buffalo, at
Homestead and in Tennessee, so that the troops
~ tho two greatest States in the Union and OF
another State of large population are uhuer
arms AZ one time. Until law has been restored
and it's supremacy absolutely indicated, Amerl-
cans have no thought of the preteXts TOR rio''
They know one thing. first and all inc ume'
that no right whatever can be protected III 'hi'
country unless self government by me peoplo
is unfinchingly upheld and the laws are re-
spected and enforced.
The most intelligent leaders of labor organ
izatons undoubtedly realize this. lhey must
see that nothing else could possibly damage
their cause so much as the recurrence OF ia"icSS
and bloody outbreaks in connection with TABOR
controversies and hence they are careful 10
state that their organizations have nothing 10
do with the buInings at Buffalo or the shooting
At Homestead. Men outside the organizations,
they affirm. men whom the organizations can
not control, men who are really enemies OF all
law and order, are those who do the mischief.
r. the members of labor organizations were all
prudent and conservative men, 1t certain!
would be so, for such men know that resort 10
violence can only injure their organization and
their cause
Bnt the fact is that individuals connected
with organizations appear In all these violehI
and riotous outbreaks, and the very nature OF
them goes to support the idea that strikers or
persons in sympathy with them are engaged
Il therefore becomes the first duty of labor or
carnations TO aid the authorities in UNFOLDING
and indicating the law. They have deep
interest in making it plain without any delay
that they neither countcnance nor excuse any
acts of lawlessness. Their first business is TO
stop the men who are members OF organiza-
lions. and are engaged in such acts and not
merely to stop them, but TO expose and bring
70 punishment these and all other persons who
are breaking the laws. Surely no honest
reputable member of labor organization will
claim to be exempt from the solemn obligation
of every good citizen in this country to do his
utmost to uphold the laws, and to cause them
to be obeyed and impartally enforced