The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-31
THE TENEMENT HOUSE FILLING
Up.

mean something they mean not that the
| machinery provided in our constitution
and laws for preserving the public peace are
| defective, but that the high public spirit
| We call patriotism that sternly represse.
| instruction against Law and order is no
| longer behind the machinery. Il is a
| dlsagreeable fact that when the local
| police force is inadequate to sUbdue law
breakers and the sheriff calls upon the citi-
zens for help there is seldom any hearty
response. Why? Because there is no
longer behind the sheriff the popular
conviction that to respond to his call is as
much patriots duty as to take arms to
defend the country against invasion.
The law-abiding majority no longer has
any sympathy with the sheriff against
formidable riot. New Orleans, city of
25o,oc0; Pittsburg, city of 24o, 900; Mil
waukee, city OF 205, 900; Cincinnati,
city OF 10000; Omaha. a city OF 40 600,
have all been disgraced by riots that never
would have gathered head enough to
make success possible had the sheriff been
equal to his duty or had he been supported
heartily and courageously by the law
abiding citizens. The increase in acts of
lynch law show the same absence of patri-
otto readiness to do their duty on the part
OF the citizens when called upon by the
sheriff TO enforce their own will. Hence
the occasions are multiplying when the
lack of high spirit on the part of the citi-
zens compels the sheriff to appeal to the
IS = 4
compeis even the state to appeal to the
| federal government for military aid
This is a bad state of things. and it is
likely to grow worse. The fact that
"Pinkertons" exist proves that the civil
authority which costs the employer moth
ing to summon, is practically worthless;
that the military power of the state is re-
luctantIy set in motion after frightful mis-
chief has been wrought. Doubtless one
result OF the Homestead riot will be the
passage of anti-Pinkerton acts in many
states where they do not now exist. Then
what2 Why, then, the hostility now felt
for 1.-The Pinkertons" will be transferred
to the state militia that will be summoned
far more frequently hereafter when en-
ployers have no other resource to defend
their property. How will the militia stand
the strain of constant calls of this sort,
especially when they will probably include
in time large number of persons who
will be in full sympathy with the rioters
as were the local militia of Pittsburg in
1877; when the militia begin to feel that
savage hostility of public opinion on part
OF law-breaking labor now directed at the
Pinkertons is vented upon the militia en-
ployed To protect employers and their
property when they undertake to replace
union strikers with non-union men.
The Homestead strikers in their mani
festo hold that a workman who obtains
employment has a right TO keep it during
| good behavior. His employer cannot turn
him out upon his own judgment. The
workman acquires property title in the
plant where he works beyond the
power of his employer to overthrow.
This new idea of property is not the law
OF the land, nevertheless, like the silver
craze and kindred lunacies. it seems to
have infected good many minds both
East and West, and there is little doubt
that the prevalence of such social and in
dustrial heresy will have its effect on the
morale of the local militia. What then?
The governor can appeal to the Federal
| authority. Suppose the governor refused
| to appeal; suppose that men like Sem
ators Palmer and Voorhees, lost
no opportunity, both in the state
and national legislature, to cripple the
strength of the state and federal military
arm, as Voorhees, did during the great
| civil WARP There are a good many signs
| that our people are deteriorating in patri-
otto intelligence, high spirit and self-gov-
| erning capacity, or as the Springfield
| Republican suggests, we follow the tradi-
| tional methods while losing the spirit
which originally inspired them" Our
institutions seem to be outworn and i'll
adapted to our changed conditions, which
| demand more Capitalization of power in
many directions.
The day is drawing nigh when, ac-
cordirfg to Macaulay's prediction,
our republican form of government
will be impracticable in this coun-
try. Suffrage is almost universal
and so-called education" keeps fairly
abreast with the enlargement of the suf-
frage but the difficulty is popular "educa-
ton" Is no cure for the troubles that
| threaten us. The most dangerous
| political and social forces that vex
| our peace are not our illiterates
The Peoples party at the North include
! vast number OF very ignorant folk, but
they are not illiterate; they have a good
deal of tag-rag and bobtall knowledge that
! passes for education" and there is 10
end 10 the luency and resonance Of their
/ oratorical expectoratlons. OF the kind OF
/ education and knowledge that equips a
man excc'lently for the kind OF govern
ment conferred on France by the Jacobins
| there is sn excess in America, but in the
mass il cannot be said that We are an IN
telligent or superior people save in our
energetic aptitude for trade, speculation
and the art Of money making
The universe! passion for wealth win
ming has dulled the edge of our patriotic
respect for equa! liberty under law. We
are nation of shopkeepers threatened
with = barbarian invasion of social ami
Industrial cranks leading horde of the
| natural born pirates OF civilization. most
Of whom are not illite-ate, bat are cursed
with Just that degree Of crazy-qU.it knowl-
edge that makes man Of Iittle learning