The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-07-11
The Federal Soldiers at Chicago.

From the Pittsburs Times.
\ greater issue than that between the
railway strikers and the railway compa-
nies i the issue which has been raised
over the order by the President that Fed
eral troops proceed to Chicago and see
that Federal rights are observed BY one
newspaper in the East that has been de
nounced Is a more dangerous encroach-
ment on liberty than any made during
the civil war, when the civil laws were
silent; by another in the West as "a
damning record for the Federal govern
ment and one which viii produce bitter
results" Gov. Altgeld pronounced the
order unnecessary, reflection on the
people Of Illinois. and Insisted that the
troops be withdrawn
The railway boycott went into effect
June =, and three days laier violence he
gam in Chicago. 4 southbound train was
stopped and the engineer and fireman
driven OF. 4 few hours later another
train was stopped, and by night. accord
ing 70 dispatches. the railway industry
was paralyzed in is chief center. Injunc-
tions from the Federal courts were torn
down and trampled under foot. and
body Of Federal marshals AFTER one of
them had been stabbed. retreated before
the mob What followed until the FEEDER
a. soldiers entered the city every newspa-
per reader Is familiar with
Now. lc. Is leave aside all special plels
based Oh such facts, real or alleged, and
il makes no difference which. as that
trains were made up with the Pullman
ears next 70 the locomotive, 80 that they
could not he cat of by the strikers with
ont al the same time cutting of the mail
cars and thus coming into conflict with
the Federal power, and get II the merits
Of the issue.
There Is no denial by anybody thai the
processes Of the Federal courts were
treated with contempt There is no de
NAL that the judges were assailed a. ty-
rants and tools Of corporations. There Is
no denial that all this was part Of the
lawlessness OF the mob which had set the
authority Of the State Of Illinois at def
ance. Whether or not the State was
tainty i that il did no; prevent It. Wheth-
or actually 80 or not, il was practically
imP0fenf. Was President Cleveland to
sit idly by while the dignity Of the Ma
ton. represented by its courts, was COW
cred with eontameiy? He Is sworn TO
execute the laws, one OF which Is that the
decisions of the Federal courts shall he
respected Arc we 10 understand that
when state eaRRot OF viii Rot preserve
order ia its jurisdiction and protect the
Federai courts from insults by it, people.
the PresideHt becomes usurper in
protecting tbem2 II 30, somebody viii
have to be taught the lesson 0f the
sixties.
One Of the general powers OF the Nation
Is 10 establish pOstoflices and postrOads,
and that necessarily implies the power 10
keep the one in operation and the other
open. Are we to understand that II J.
deSpOtism in the President 10 force open
roads blocked by individuals whom their
State cannot or viii not oontrolg 1t i
not true that the soldiers are in Chicago
% suppress the strikers. They do not
know any such persons as strikers they
do not know any such cause as a strike
all they know there is resistance 10 the
DEGREES Of the Federal courts, and the OBJ
structiOn to the mails. If by any manner
Of means the situation were reversed they
would command obedience 10 national
law from the railway managers as they
do from the strikers. So long Is that law
Is obeyed. no Federal soldier will turn
his hand to either side in the contest Of
the railway men, employers and employ
ed. The soldier does not know one from
the other. He has nothing 70 do with
wage disputes as such.
Much more could be written on this