Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-07-07

The Pullman strike has reached
point where the railroad system OF
the West is rendered practically use
less. One after another line has been .
tied up until traffic is suspended, and /
the public is at the mercy OF the |
American Railway Union The lead |
ing officer of that organization is ex-
ercising a degree Of arbitrary authori-
ty that the President Of the United
States would not dare TO assume. He
controls the situation in the most au.
tocratic sense, and disreglrtis all the
rights and interests OF the people.
The spectacle is one calculated TO
stir the blood Of all good citizens 70
indignation, particularly when the
fact is considered that it represents
no substantial grievance. Only few
hundreds Of the many thousands Of
strikers have any personal relation TO
the controversy. The great majority
Of them are acting upon what they
call the prompting Of sympathy They
do not pretend to have any cause for
complaint against their own employ.
ers, but they are engaged, ucyrrth,.
less, in the work Of doing serious H.
jury to those employers and TO tie
general public because OF local dis
pute between the Pullman company
and its laborers. The mere statement
Of these facts is sufficient % indicate
the unjustiaable nature OF the pro
ceeding, and to present an example 81
/ tyranny that is a national reproach
There is no rule Of justice or pro
priety that's warrants such a disturb
ance OF the established means Of
traffic, and such an invasion Of the
rights Of the people The movement
is in contempt Of laws and the courts
provided for the adjustment Of DIN.
culties that cannot be settled by mu.
tual consent President Debs AFRO.
gates to himself the power to make
and enforce decisions affecting not
only the welfare Of the directly inter
ested parties, but also the direct pros
perlty Of the whole population Of the
western states. His orders are potent
to stop trains, TO delay freight, 10
prevent traYel, to unsettle all the con.
ditions Of trade and industry. And
who is this Caesar suddenly grown so
great? He is the head Of an organi.
cation which Is not recognized as a
part Of our political system, and
which cannot be held responsible for
the damage that it causes. Whatever
injury it may iuaict the victims can
have no redress 1t imposes penalties
at its pleasure, and is itself free from
liability in that respect. Tie inter.
ests that il is fighting are responsible
and damages can be collected from
them for any harm that they do, while
it may perpetuate the grossest wrongs
and there IS no remedy. This aspect
Of strike is really It's most serious
one, and yet it is the one about which
we hear the least IN the current dis.
cussion Of the subject.
1t is the public that pays the cost
OF strikes, and the parties who should
make good the losses are never mnlct-
ed. The public has a right therefore
to demand protection against these
violent and expensive assaults upon
its commercial facilities and its vest.
ed privileges and conveniences. The
interests of all the people are OF much
greater importance than those of any
one class; and the laws intended 10
guard and promote them are better
entitled to the respect and support Of
good citizens than the antagonizing
doctrines and practices Of any labor
society. There is only one true and
proper way TO meet strike and that
is to take the side Of law and order
OF morality and patriotism, against
that Of manifest tyranny and threat.
ened anarchy .-Globo Democrat.