The record-union., 1894-05-18
EXHIBITION OF WEAKNESS
ResulG OF the Pernicious Teachings OF
Anarchists.


Anarchists.
From the Oakland Tribune, May 14th.]
The United States has, for several weeks
past, made a sorry exhibition before the
civilized world of weakness in the ad-
ministration of government and timldity
in the dispensaton of justice. 1t has been
public betrayal Of the defects of our ma
tional system, and the spectacle has been
painful and humiliating to every true
patriot.
At various points in the country men
who were strictly amenable to the va
grancy laws OF the several States have
been permitted to organize into semi
disciplined bodies, who, although un-
armed, have been enforcing their de-
mands upon individuals and communi-
ties as if they were fully equipped with
arms and ammunition, and, by species
OF passive intimidation. levying tribute
at will This has been done under the
plea of necessity. which is popularly con-
sidered to be exempt from the operation
OF statutory law. But that plea has. in
missible. The tribute thus levied has
consisted of money, food, clothing and
free transportation. 1t is pretty gem
orally conceded now that, in majority
of cases, ii the members of these organ
lied bodies had been dealt with singly
the vagrancy laws would have their per-
feet work. But, when brought col
lectively into the presence of the law and
those whose duty it is to administer it.,
the entire political organism has suffered
temporary paralysis. These lawless
bodies have been quick to discover it,
and they have set themselves up as law
unto themselves.
The thoughtful and observant citizen
has clearly foreseen the drift oft events.
He realized that with such an exhibition
OF weakness in the administration OF law,
it was only question of time when pass
i've intimidation would evolve into the
exercise of force, where pleading for a
favor would change into a demand for it
as right. 1t has come to that already.
The railroads are the first sufferers.
From various parts of the country train
seizures are reported. and State and Ma
tional officers of the law are defied. We
have had an unfortunate example in this
/ State within the past week.
/ The rights of property are sacred, 1t
matters not who are the owners. The
"lndustrials'' have acted under the mis-
taken idea that inasmuch as railroad COR
porations are unpopular, that such cor
poratons have no rights which they need
TO respect. Here the humiliatlng specta-
| Gle is presented 10 the civilized world
that there are some in authority in some
| States VINO coincide With THIS laWl6SS
view by the lukewarmness OF their de-
| Tense OF the corporations property and by
giving their moralsupport to those un-
lawfully appropriating it. And the ad-
ministration of national authority seems.
| for a time at least. to be paralyzed and
helpless. To civilized nations possessing
stronger form of government these con-
| ditions must suggest that a republican
form of government is a failure.
| The trouble is not with the Government
so much as it is with the people. The Gov
ernment is what the people make it. The
scenes which the world is now witness
ing in the United States constitute the
| harvest of what we have sown. We have
| tares; we are reaping weeds. We have
permitted the spreading of anarchism
| socialism and communism in their mos,
| violent forms, without manner of re.
straint, under the covering of the right O.
free speech, and the minds of the vicious
the, idle, the dissoiute and the unfort.
innate have been poisoned by the teach.
| ings of lawless and irresponsible dema
/ gogues who would live by the torch anC
the knife. But what we are experienc.
ing is only the beginning of the crop o.
evils to society which these fallacious So
cial isms must yield if the doctrines they
have inculcated are allowed to develoE
without some heroic method of excelsior
being adopted. ~