The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-19
Alteeld Not an Anarchist.

: In an interview published in the New
York World Gov. Altgeld Of Illinois
denies that ne is an anarchist. He says
he knows no anarchist, has never come
F into contact with one, and- has no SYM
pathy with the doctrines and practices
Of anarchists. He declares that during all
4 OF his career since reaching mans estate
he has been associated with those who
are builders, and not with those who are
(. destroyers. He points out that he built
some Of the finest buildings in Chicago,
and that he has a special pride in what
he has done toward making that city
what it. is.
With reference to the pardoning of the
convicted Chicago anarchists, he declares
that they were convicted on insufficient
evidence, and that, therefore, it was his
duty to set them free. He says ne has
great sympathy for labor, and thinks
that the only chance for the
they are entitled 10 is by standing to-
gether. He thinks there has been no need
of federal troops.iu Chicago, for the reason
that the city and state authorities could
have prevented lawlessness.
The governors talk is in harmony with
his acts. If he~is sincere it is evident
that he is not the man to occupy the re
sponsible place he does.
He assumes that the anarchists he par
doned were unjustly convicted. But is
he better judge of that than the jury
that found them guilty, and the Judge
that sentenced them7 1t is true that
i71dyae and 5r,ries roalxa y,istalras but -
they do it is shown by the production of
additional evidence in favor of the victims
OF their mistakes. No additional evil
dence was produced to justify the gov
ernor in deciding that the anarchists he
pardoned had been convicted without suf-
ficient proof of their guilt.
1t is probably true that the governor is
not an anarchist, but he is in such close
sympathy with some of their teachings
that he has led the public to think that
he has not far to go to reach their camp.
His talk about there having been no ne
cessity for the presence of federal troops
in Chicago is certainly nonsense. 1t is
estimated that property to the amount of
several millions of dollars has been de-
stroyed in Chicago by lawless persons.
II the federal troops had not arrived at
the time they did the destruction of prop
erty would have been much greater
The truth seems to be that both
Mayor Hopkins and Gov. Alt
geld accepted Debs' statement that
the railroads could not get men to operate
their trains and that that was the reason
no trains were being run. They were in
sympathy with the boycott and strike,
and hence took no vigorous measures to
check the lawlessness. They might not
have attempted to uphold the law had
they not been forced to do so by public
| sentiment that had been aroused by the
vigorous action of the President
The governor and mayor are now try
ing to Justify their inactivity. They will
! have occasion to still further defend
| themselves when the taxpayers of Cook
county learn the amount of the bill they
will have to pay for the property de-
stroyed by the lawless element. If they
had preserved order no one would have
criticised them for sympathizing with the
strikers. 1t is for allowing a mob to have
its own way that they are condemned.