The record-union., 1894-07-31

: mater in these communications will be un-
derstood to represent only the views OF the
writer's All communications must oe o; accom- fnr
panied by the name OF the writer, NOT ior
publication unless so desired, butas q gnaran-
tes Of good faith.-EDs.
..strIke While the Iron Is Hot.o
EDS. REcoRD-UNIoN: Tine strike is
practically over, and now we have time
TO reflect on the lesson it teaches.
The great Gladstone has said that our
Constitution is one Of the most wonder
full documents that ever issued from the
brain of man. Just think of 1t! In
more than a century of its operation only
fifteen amendments have been made TO
it, and many of these of comparatively
slight importance!
Where in history do we find better
example of the ample provision for hu-
man needs by human endeavors! Twice
since the adoption of our Constitution
has our Government engaged in and sue
cessfully prosecuted war with anolner
nation. Once has she been tried IN the
crucible of the most bitter civil war
known TO modern times. But when the
passion of this fratricidal strife had sub
sided, and the clouds of the stormy re-
construction period had cleared away,
the old ship of state was seen sailing Sc
renely on with the stars and stripes still
floating as the emblem of law and order,
peaceably enforced ii possible, but en-
forced at the cannon's mouth II neces-
sary.
In every emergency she has risen to
the needs of the occasion. This is our
heritage. This is the Government to
which we owe individual allegiance
Truly has it been said, Our ancestors
builded better than they knew"
And yet the number of unamerlcan
Americans shown by the strike Is sur
prisingly large. To me that was the
most surprising thing about the whole
affair.
There is nothing palmer, it seems to
me, than this: That if the demands OF the
strike had been conceded the logical re-
suit would have been the surrender OF the
main underlying principles OF repu ublIcan
institutions.
The people would soon have been no
freer in their property rights than were
the English before King John was forced
to sign the magma charta
Whether the strike was right or wrong
might admit of questioning, but whether
the law should be NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
an individual or corporation should be
protected in the ownership and control
OF property could not for a moment in the
mind of any right-thinking man admit
of questioning.
The strike leaders may not have Or
dered the strikers to forcibly seize the
property of their employers and forcibly
deprive the latter of its use, but they did
it, and apparently majority OF the peo-
pie conniyed at and sympathized with it.
Now. what is the difference in principle
between the illegal seizure of a railroad
by its operatives and the illegal seizure
OF a store by its clerks, or like seiZ-
ure of the horses and buggies of livery
stable by its paid help?
Doubtless the same loose illogical
method of reasoning that sanction the
former would condemn the latter.
f. ere seems to be pretty general tacit
admission that corporations are cheats.
and that therefore to do them an injury is
perfectly justifiable; as ii two wrongs
could make right.
have heard it charged that if the South
ern Pacific Company die own three
fourths of the Pullman cars in its services
1t had never paid taxes on them, and
hence the strike was right, or at least
justifiable on those grounds.
Is there no legal method of compelling
the payment OF taxes on certain kinds OF
property? If not, then I'VE, the people,
would better devise one.
How easy it is TO see the mote in your
brothers eye when there may be beam
in our own How many of these good
citizens that are righteously indignant at
the shortcoming Of she railroad company
are scrupulousiy and conscientiously
careful to give in every dollars worth of
their own property when the Assessor
comes around? l am not to be under
stood as approving of all the methods of
the railroad managers; but / do emphati-
cally say that we are not justified in toll
Grating the SubverSiOn of law and order
because they have done wrong. l have
seldom ridden over railroad without
feeling that my fare was pretty high; but
/ have been compelled to paw it only
| RhOG0 IN I hou
bought a suit of clothes without convic-
ton that the seller could afford to sell at
less profit. This condition of affairs
exists In a greater or less degree in all the
ramitications OF business; but, because we
know II is wrong, and, therefore, are not
satisfied with 1t, are we to disregard the
law and thus invite condition Infinitely
worse than the existing one?
The very essence OF a republic is that
the people are the Government. We are
the people and we have the ballot, If we
would decide to be both honest and in
telIigent In its use and to pirate less about
the sins OF others, we should take the
first and most important step in righting
existing evils.
Some OF US show lamentable ignor-
ance of the fundamental principles of
our Government. One native-boru citi-
zen OF my acquaintance recently soundly
lated President Cleveland for NOT com
Il u
of that l do not doubt that it would
have been wise and humane in Pullman
to submit 10 arbitration, but what sec
ton of our Constitution gives 10 the
President the power to compel a man to
submit his differences to arbitration and
TO the consequences that this would inn
ply? Such power would render him as
autOcratic as the Gar of Russia, and the
very men that clamor for compulsory ar
bitration for settling the disputes of 9TH
ers would prove the most recalcitrant
should the same method be applied to |
them.
have heard the terrible Yolo wreck
ing disaster condoned on the ground that
the wreckers were irritated by the pres-
ence OF the regulars among them. Mon |
strousi If we are to condone crime be-
cause criminals meg haze had some ex-
cuse for it, then let US repeal all laws for
the punishment OF criminals.