The record-union., 1894-06-13
A SEASON OF LAwLEssNEss.

Do we live in a land Of order and Of
law2 Is self-government under State
system failure? Shall we answer the
first question in the affirmative and the
latter negatively in view of the daily
news of blowing up and burning bridges,
the seizure of citizens and holding them
as hostages by lawless bands, the destruc-
tion of factories, the filling of mines, de-
railing of trains, the seizure of carloads
of goods, the beating and killing of inno-
cent men who dare to serve common car
fiers, the resistance to Sheriffs' officers
and defiance of the militia, the erection
and arming by lawless bands of men of
forts and barricades, the blocking of high
ways, the issuance of orders forbidding
the running of trains, the cutting Of tele-
graph wires, the burning of houses and
the wrecking of machinery?
Is the cause of labor, in the interest of
which these things are done, to be ad-
vsnced by such procedure? Are the
governments of the States overthrown
by the mob, since with a single excep-
ton, West Virginia, they appear to be
powerless to enforce the laws and punish
lawlessnessf
The rights of men in their persons and
their property In all the disturbed regions
seem to be utterly ignored; murder, ar
son, assault. destruction of property,
highway robbery. train-wrecking and
seizure, mail interruption and the stop
page of commercial exchanges appear to
go on without serious check and him
dranee. Here and there a Sheriff. or
few militia companies supporting him, do
attempt to stand against the organized
bands of the lawless, but in most cases
they are outnumbered or outgeneraled
and driven back, or are put to ignomini-
Gus fight.
1t is not shat the strikers have not rea-
son to complain of injustice from their
employers very often; not that their de-
mands for a living wage are not well
grounded; not that they are to be denied
the right to cease work when they please
but the question is whether these things
can. however viewed. justify their resort
to force, intimidation and crime and the
infiiction of injury upon communities,
towns. cities and the whole country, in
order to compel acquiescence in their de-
mands.
Of course the American citizen who ex-
poets protection for himself and his prop
erty from violence and wrongs, re-
spends with indignant heat that no
justification can, short of revolutionary
movement to change the form of govern
ment. be pleaded for such outrages. AS
the Santa Barbara Sentinel says upon
this subject of whether the law has been
suspended and the State arm of authority
paralyzed:
No matter what may be the rights or
wrongs of the respective parties in this con-
test, the redress of those wrongs and the
vIndicatioD of those rights should be sternly
compelled 10 await the more important mat
ter OF the right and impartial enforcement of
the laws OF the land. Strict and implicit
obedience TO law is the nrst essential of true
liberty, When the rights of person or prop
erty Of any citizen is struck down the whole
political fabric trembles until the public
wrong is redresSed.
The Inter Ocean speaks thus boldly
and wisely upon this subject of wide
spread rioting and crime under the guise
of labor rights:
This kind of work must stop It is a fine
satire upon the declaration, 'FAlI men are
born free and equal and endowed with GER
tain lnalienable rights" AS volun-
tary associations Tor the benefit OF their men,
bers labor unions are praiseworthy institu-
t1ons. When they become centers OF rebellion
they are 10 be met with resistance by the
armed forces of the States OF the Nation. No
man Id the United SIales has legal right to
hinder or delay another man from doing law
ful work upon such terms as may seem good
TO hlm. Nor has any body of men legal right
20 hinder or delay another body of men.
The need OF the hour in ali Strike-infested
States is nrmness on the part Of the autnor-
tiles. Systematic resistance OF the law is
anarchy, and anarchy is a condition 10 be
suppressed at all risks and hazards When
order is restored 1t VIII be well to inquire
what measures, If any, can be devised for the
bettermenJ Of the conditions OF labor. But
the restoration OF order and the maintenance
OF the supremacy OF law are imperative ne
cessities