The record-union., 1894-07-23
a PITIFUL SPECTACLE.

One disgraceful fact will go down in
California history that will be inefacable
namely, that with only one exception
the metropolitan daily press. in the
States hour of sorest trial, abandoned
principle that is the only security that the
press has for free expression. and went
over to the side of treachery, revolt, law
1essness and anarchy.
It boldly applauded, gave aid and COM
fort to, and defended that which has done
no human being any good, threatened the
stability of free institutions, and visited
upon the people of this State almost in
calculable loss-loss from which recovery
viii not be fully had, nc matter how dill
gently industry may apply itself, for FIVE
years to come.
There is in the midst of the solemnity
and seriousness of this deplorable truth
one gleam of humor. grim and CHASTITY
humor. It flashes out of the position of
the metropolitan daily press with regard
to the boycott, the support it has given to
it, its advocacy and defense of it, from the
last days of June until the middle Of July,
when cowardly fear taught these news
papers discretion. That position has dis
armed them, it has committed them to a
policy and practice that may at any mo-
ment be employed by an antagonistic or
revengeful body to crush them.
Let anyone of these superservicable
and purblind newspapers now dare to
cross blades with single industry related
to the newspaper interest and it will be
at the mercy of that force. There will be
turned against it its own wesponry; from
its own columns the enemy will draw
ammunition to be used against it; the
boycott viii be applied to it with the cer-
tainty that the newspaper will be either
absolutely helpless or else reduced to the
nauseating task of eating every word
they have printed and every sentiment
they have uttered during the late insane
strike, and infamous boycott period.
Indeed, the San Francisco daily press
with one exception-in the light of its
own words. is to-day the most pitiable
spectacle of the era; spectacle that ex-
cites the contempt, as well as the mirth,
of every sensible person who has watched
the course of these journals.
There is in strong contrast to this
shame that the metropolitan press has
brought upon the profession the loyal
and law-abiding attitude of seven out of
ten of all the newspapers of the interior.
They have not permitted passion, preju-
dice or greed to blind their patriotism,
blind them to the truth or obscure the
principle for which battle has been done.
The boycott is dead, but the San Fran
cisco press can claim no part in the
honor of its taking off; conspiracy in the
form OF and guise of freedom and treason
uuder the mask of the sympathetic strike
have been throttled. but the San Fran
cisco press did all it could to prevent that
act of justice.
The vicious assault of disloyalty upon
the most vital principle upon which the
Republic stands has been beaten down
and defeated, but the San Francisco press
cannot share in the honors; it closed its
eyes to the schemes of anarchy. and saw
not the flag. the Constitution and free
institutions in the struggle; it had for the
chief magistrate Of the Nation only re-
buke and abuse for doing his simple duty
in extending the Federal arm to stay
an ambitious dictatorship and maintain
the guarantees under which even the
lawIess preaching press of san Francisco
is permitted to afflict the day and hour.