The state chronicle., 1892-08-19
Our Outbreaks of Disorder and Their
Meaning.

Our Outbreaks of Disorder and Their
Meaning.
Baltimore Sun Aug. lS).
The wide extent of the United States
and the quiet confidence OF the people |
in their institutions are called into prom
inence by the serenity with which they |
regard local disorders, which IN other
countries would be considered poten
tous. In Yesterdays Sun details were
given of an attack by some hundreds OF
armed men upon a stockade containing
couvicts at oliver Springs, Tennessee,
the wounding of men on both sides, the
calling out of State troops and other In
cidents of serious civic tumult. The
event here noted was the sequel OF sue
cessful attack at Tracy City, some days
ago, upon another stockade, the result
of which was the letting loose upon the
country of large number OF conVlcts
and the stoppage of various industries
which are dependent upon the miners at
Tracy City and Inman for fuel.
At Buffalo, N. Y, like disorder and
violence. attended with arson, have man
ifested themselves Cars an6 other
property are fired by the Erie and
Lehigh strikers, and many thousands of
> dollars worth of property is destroyed.
Here, too, the State troops have been
called out to restore the reign of law, but
! so far without much practical result.
, The strikers are being joined by the en-
ployes of the New York Central, the
West shore and the Buffalo, Rochester
and Pittsburg railways, and there is a
prospect of large and protracted OBJ
, struction of freight and passenger
? traffic.
, Yesterdays issue of the Sun narrated
t also in its news columns how "a conflict
between the militia and crowd of fully
t 5000 men, women and children was mar
rowly averted the day before in Home
1 stead, Pa" Only the Intervention Of
f troops, with bayonets fixed and ''guns
e at half cock" kept the crowd of striker!
e from killing ''scabs." The previous bat
f tie at the Carnegie works between strik
e ers and Pinkerton men, with its lists O.
e killed and wounded, is fresh in the pub
u lie mind. Out in Wyoming at the pres
f ent moment only the United States troops
e called upon the scene by the Governo
e of that new State, prevent the rus
,e tlers'-a species of cattle drivers-fron
is exterminatiDg the owners of the cattl
o ranges in certain sections where the lat
II ter have tried to assert title. A fey
!" months ago the rustlers and range own
# ers were firing at each other with Win
~ chester rifles. The rustlers were to
~ strong for the owners, and only th
T. timely arrival of federal soldiers averte'
IN massacre.
But the area of the United States
over 100000 square miles, so thu
ID these outbreaks of lawlessness-sympt(
-, matte, perhaps, but local-do not dis
turb the equanimity of the vast undis
10 turbed area. The people of Wyomin
,ir may be very much excited, but the PEI
al pie Of Vermont and Texas are very f;
,is away and know and care very lit
about the quarrel or its result. The Te
~ nessee mob and it's doings do not inte
ey est the real estate dealer of Oregon u
srs the peach grower of California or Del
,s ware Massachusetts cares little for tt
-. war at Homestead, and South Carolin
IT'S intent on the political campaign, ignor
'es the social cyclone at Buffalo. Each ce
he tre of disturbance is but point in o
* vast area. The general mass of our pc
~ bursts, but keeps to the even tenor of
ny way.
an If what occurs is noted it is only
point {. moral. The Homestead stri
meant that the Mckinley tariff, alleg
of to be in the interest of labor, is work
vo solely for the benefit of the tariff lor
~ The Wyoming anarchy meant that t
o'e rustlers did not respect the land titles
to the range owners as honestly acquire
LIE, The law, it is felt, is wrong, or is C
' in ruptly worked for private advantage
,,u the public expense. Hence vague sci
''iS of discomfort, which suggests viole
me methods. The remedy, of course, is
his return to sound principles of legislati
as and administration. Make every t
ooL stand on its own bottom. Repeal the p
tectionist tariff which makes one man I
any high prices for another mans bene
ded Scout the creed that it is the COVE
ment's business to make anybodys
come bigger, and a long step will
am taken toward restoring respect for la
crlv Politics should not be regarded as mer
W. a game of grab. Patriotism, as pr
We ciple of self sacrifice for the gene
lout good, should be kept in mind by
ator favored class who now have the fede
ests taxpayer by the throat. The princi
. :. of live and let live rather than the I
- indulgence of predatory instincts sho
the guide these people if they wish to ar
the the growth of disorder.