The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-16
SEATTLE. SATURDAY. july rs.



The Telegraph, in discussing the Cnur
d'AIene and Homestead riots. declares:
"a remarkable feature in connection with
them Is that the killing of men for no
o!fense against the law. and not in the
heat of passion, fails 10 excite an express
sion of sympathy from the numerous or
carnations which have expressed their
views upon the situation. Not one of the
labor organizations has. 50 far as We have
seen. put itself on record IS regretting the
killing of men whose sole crime consists
in not belonging TO a union"
1t is not remarkable. Il is the natural
result of the course pursued by the press.
the platform. even by the pulpit. OF this
country. When in the hope OF obtaining
some temporary and unmportant adj
vantage in politics, or in the fear of losing
business, men of thought and feeling fail
TO express their true convictions on such
subjects, when they seek soft words to
describe cold-blooded murder, and With
honeyed phrases discuss open defiance of
the law. one is almost driven to the belief
that we are a nation of towards, and that
Has the Telegraph denounced 1.-The kill
ing of men for no offense against the law
and not in the heat of passion" in the
stern English. not to be misunderstood,
which the occasion requires? Has the
San Francisco Examiner doneit2 Has the
New York World done il? Not one of them.
They soften murder in cold blood into
Of off
against the law, and not in the heat
of passion" They seek excuses for
lawlessness and offer no manly word
OF protest against the destruction
Of property. II is the owners and editors
of papers such as these, it is the leaders Of
thought who are afraid TO utter their
thoughts. it is the time-servers in and out
of congress, who are responsible If this
country appears TO be drifting into
troubled waters. If the newspapers and
the men who hope by condoning murder
and iawlessness to gain a few votes for
this candidate or for that party, would
speak what they think. would utter ring
ing sentences coming from the heart and
framed in the sweet syllables of American
of the skies that we would wonder where
the clouds had gone.
1t is not the union workingmen of the
United States who are responsible for riot
and murder. Ii is not the non-union
workingEnen. IL is the public men who
Go not feel the responsibility of their posi-
ton. 1t is the leaders OF thought who fear
10 lead. 1t is the party journals and the
party leaders who strive % turn every
event 20 political advantage and fear the
loss of vote more than they fear the
loss OF manhood. Il is the newspapers
who say ''she killing Of men for no oifense
against the law and not in the heat of pas
sion" when they should say murder
in cold blood" II is these, and all
OF these who are responsible for the evils
which seem TO threaten a government
which is in truth government "of the
people. by the people and for the people,"
These time-seryegs who place party
above country. who grow weak and falter
where they should be strong, these
trembling ones who fear they know not
what. misIudce aud wrong the American
lea there lie "A respect for law and an alb
horrence of lawtessness which are As strong
today as they have ever been. The safety
OF our country depends upon this deep.
underlying feeling which will have ex-
preston when the time for its expression
comes.
When a man places himself in omen vio-
lation and defiance OF law he shoaid not
complain If the forces o! law are arrayed
against hun. When man commits muir
der. he should not comp. ain if he meet, a
murderers doom. When \ man asserts
that he is stronger than the law and able
e. override il and beat il down. he should
not complain il he fails in the attempt and
discovers that there is force latent IN the
American people which can not re trihed
vita.
Ii We get these things clearly in mind,
II We forget party and think OF country
II Ne call things by ;heir right names and
cease 20 tTeIua.e lest our thoughts should
reach our lips, Ne can approach the solu-
tlon of the problems before Us, confident
that when they are solved We will still be
free. united. prosperous ana hsppy
people.