The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-20


A REAL GRIEVANCE.
The Democratic county convention at
Wallace, Idaho, expressed its sympathy
with the Coeur d'Alene rioters by passing
q resolution condemning the continued
presence of troops, but then this Demo-
cratic convention can plead extreme provo
cation in extenuation of their action, for
the saloons were all closed the night be-
fore the convention and remained closed
while the convention was in session the
next day. This was done by the military
authorities.
To as thirsty body as an average DEM
ocrs.ic county convention this closing of
the saloons was violation of the funda-
menta! rights of man, among which are
included ''the pursuit of happiness" How
can Democratic convention engage sue
cessfully ''in the pursuit of happiness"
when it connot get anything to drink the
night before the convention or the day
following because of the interference of
the military authorities? No wonder tin is
Idaho convention, maddened by thirst,
resolved to condemn the continued pres
encc of the troops" The fertile oasis of
Wallace, Idaho, had been made part Of the
the military, and no wonder the dry and
disgruntled Democracy were disguised
with 1.-THE continued presence of troops"
Starve your pet dog and he will fly at
your throat; cut off the whisky Of DEM
ocratic convention, large or small. by
military interference and You may be sure
that among its first resolutions will be one
denouncing ''the continued presence of
troops"
The Democratic county convention had
another serious grievance against the
military authorities because through their
presence the Democratic vote will be con-
siderably lessened in November next,
since the military arrested some $50 DEM
ocratic voters. a number of whom have
been sentenced to term in the peni-
Tertiary, which sentence will compel the
absence Of these Democratic voters from the
polls in Idaho at the national election in
November next. From the point of view
of the dry Democracy the resolution de-
nouncing ''the continued presence of
troops" was at least natural act of re-
sentiment in answer to an act Of extreme
provocation on the part of the military
authorities.
The cutting Off of their daily supply Of
bread might have been patiently endured
by the county Democracy at Wallace,
Idaho: the loss of sleep might have been
patiently borne, but to cut off the whisky
supply of a Democratic convention the
night before the convention and the day
following was, as an imported Democrat
remarked of Lincoln's assassination, "a
very ungintlemanly act." and the dessi-
Gated Democracy Of Wallace, Idaho, are
excusable for their unqualified denuncia-
ton of 'the continued presence of troops"
But for "the continued presence of
troops" the desiccated and parched
Democracy at Wallace, Idaho, would not
have violated all the best traditions and
hereditary habits of their party in the past
by going sober to bed and by uttering
other than alcoholic enthusiasm and ine-
briate eloquence the day of the convention.
The State Federation of Labor has really
no just reason for its hostility to the
NATIONAL Guard, but the county Democ-
racy at Wallace, Idaho, had a real, SUBJ
stantial grievance against the military
authorities who cut Off their whisky by
closing all the saloons. War is said to be
cruelty, and surely war was cruelty when
the military arm of the government COM
PEELED Democratic statesmen to go dry for
forty-eight hours; to wrestle with the
vexing issues of the hour withou, drop
of whisky to Intricate their tongues, or
thrill the torpid convolutions of their
party brains.
The military arm OF Pennsylvania has
as yet been guilty of no overt act OF wan
ton. unnecessary inhumanity in the exc
cution OF their soldierlv duty; they have
not exceeded their lawful work of protect
Ing life and property; they have not sought
despoticai!y 10 cast IA gloom upon the
deliberations of Democratic conventions
by compelling them TO sit for forty-eisbt
hours with closed saloons. The dawn ot
. grinding military despo,ism is not far
of when the military arm wanton,v
tramples under foot the hereditary hah;ts
and customs of the Idaho Democracy bv
obliging them to think and talk. to de-.
hberate and debate without a drop 70
drink.
Water, water everywhere, but not dron
OF whisky 10 drink is not the average
Idaho Democrats idea of an earthly para.
disc: it Is rather the idea of an Indian
military reservation, where fire water is
not furnished lest the noble red man re-
rndiate tho missionary and return 10
icnohie savagery. Quite possibly the
military authorities thought that the dis
sinction between an average Democratic
county convention in Idaho and band of
Indians was a distinction without differ
ence and feared if the Wallace Democratic
convention had free access 10 lIquor they
might blow up another mine and rescue
the arrested rioters from custody.
Ia our Judgment the military authors
ties did wrong: they violated the consti-
tuition which ferbids "the infection of
cruel and unusual punishments." Ii GER.
tainiy Was inaicting "a cruel and unusual