New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-06
REBELIION TO BE SUPPRESSED.

ais II rcvOluilOnF' men ask, as tneV reiu az
counts of resistance 10 United States officers
and troops wherever the railroad strikers are
strong Ii is nothing of the kind, though DebS
pleASes himself with the Idea that nine-tenthS
of the people will rise and revolt II the Govern
mcnt undertakes TO enforce Its laws. lie Tor
gets that a far more powerful rebellion was sup
pressed thirty years ago, though 1t cost many
lives and enormous sums of money. The people,
he will find. will uphold their Government
against the insOlent lawlcssncsS OF his organ
ization exactly as they did against the sectional
rebellion Of Shareholders. though far more
quickly The millions of wagc-carncrS are not
fools The great majority of them Know that
the Railway Union Is defylng and attempting
10 defeat the enforcement OF DEGREES by United
States courts I'm spite Of all dishonest pre-
fences. Debs himself fOolishy bctrays the In
tention to resist in his awlsh regrets that the
United States officials have been mislcd by the
statements OF railway managers.
The man needs TO be locked up and punished,
for he is publicly melting men 70 defy the de-
crees of the courts. There is no longer the
slightest excuse for pretending that the strikers
respect or obey the decisions Of the United states
courts Interference with trains. stopping or
troops when sent to enforce the laws, are acts
which call for swift and stern punishment The
quicker the gravity Of these crimes Is shown by
severe and pitiless punishment Of leaders anu
instigators the fewer misguided men VIII be
drawn into criminal resistance 10 law. When
the court orders strikers not 10 trcSpass upon
the property Of companies for which they have
refused TO work. and not 10 hinder other men
from working II means that any person who
uncouplcs cars. or sets switches wrong, or
climbs upon trains 10 interrupt hands In their
work becomes rebel against the United States.
Everybody who incittS or excuses such defiance
Of law takes a rebels part against the Govern
ment of the people and needs 10 be dealt with
vigorously. The issue Is no longer between the
railroads and the men who have chosen 10 stop
work. 1t IS between the United States Govern
mcnt and those who rebel against and resist its
authority.
II is not pleasing 10 the strikers 20 find that
the laws and the civil authorities are thus ar
raved against their demands But they ought
70 have considered before they began their
struggle whether they had any legal right 10
block the commerce Of The country In order 20
force a single employer Of lnbOr, with whom they
had nothing whatever 10 do, into running his
works AT n loss. Though they did not fully real
ize it, their very act was one Of rebellion against
constituted authority and against the welfare of
the people That they were more than half
aware Of the fact IS betrayed by their repeated
assertions that they do not mean 10 resort 20
violence and will not resist the laws. even while
they are In fact defeating by every means In
their power the execution Of the orders OF
courts These men, IN fact, set up their own In
depreciation Of the law against The judges APP
pointed to interpret 1t, precisely as the rebels
Of 1861 set up their own construction OF the
Constitution against the Government OF the
United States There Is great need Of prompt
and stern manifestations OF the power and the
severity Of the law, In order that men may real
ize that they have no right TO assert their own
construction Of the laws against tie authority
Of their country.
The President and his Cabinet deserve 70 be
upheld and heartily commended for their deter
mined efforts TO enforce the orders Of the court
against opposition Of every form. 1t not
10 be expected that any man charged with the
grave responsibilities OF government would
shrink IN such an emergency from upholdlnG
the law since it must be clear 10 any man Of
ordinary comprehension that there stands be
tween the people and all their Industries and all
their rights on the one hand and ruthless Anar
chy and boodshed on the other nothing but the
authority OF the civil government the laws OF
the United States, and their faithful enforce
ment. II is to-day the duty Of every respectable
citizen whatever his party or his occupation
may be, TO uphold the Government by which
alone his own rights can in case Of need be
defended and maintained.