The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-07-11
Send Those Soldiers Home.


What has become of that govern
ment of the people, by the people and
for the people, which Abraham Lin
coin, celebrating on the field of Get
tysburg the downfall of former slave
holding oligarchy, declared should
never perish from the face of the
earth?
We have not that sort of govern
ment today. Have the people put
those platoons of infantry, those
squadrons of cavalry, those batteries
of artillery in the field at Blue Island?
Have the people demanded that the
military shall usurp the functions of
the civil authorities, and that federal
courts shall enjoin free speech and or
derby argument? Are the Millionaire
corpora lions the people?
1t is time for plain speaking. It is
season for manly protest. The United
States troops now in the service of the
railroads are there unWarrantably and
unlawfully. The president who Or
dered them out, pulled up with an eX-
aggeratted sense of his own authority
and led skillfullY by the moneyed in:
tereSts of which he is the tool, is of
the stuff of which in other nations die
tators are made. At the behest of the
New York banks and without lawful
authority he put the nation deeper
into debt to Wall street money lend
erS. At the command of railroad mag
mates and without lawful cause he has
done what no true American will ever
forgive-sought to make the Gatling
American affairs.
ira tiOn in this affair is a reprOach to
the United States. A railroad attor-
ney and railroad stakeholder is attOr-
ney general Of the United States-that
to begin with is disgraceful to him
who holds the Office, to the president
VINO appointed him, and to the nation.
which tolerates it. The railroads up
on being embroiled with their work
men straightway appeal to the federal
courts. The salaried railway official
who is attorney-general thereupon APP
points another salaried railroad law
yer to assist the district attorney in
the case. The two 60 before a most
peculiarly constituted federal court
asking an Injunction restraining en-
ployes from persuading other employees
to quit work. This court consists of
Judge Woods, the useful friend of
"Blocks of Five" Dudley, and Judge
Grosscup, who owes his place on the
bench very largely to the fact that
George M. Pullman contributed lavish
ly to the Harrison presidential cam
paign fund. OF course the Injunction
was issued.
With this injunction in hand the
railroad influences were directed tow
ard calling out the federal troops. No
earnest effort was made to guard the
railroad property by civil forces. The
chief OF police testitieS that there has
been no sign of riot in the city which
the police can not handle. The sheriff
asserts that no demand has been
made upon him for forces of law and
order which he can not meet, nor has
there been any disorder with which he
can not cope. United States Marshal
Arnold can not and dare not say that
at any time the situation has been be-
yond his control. He has been the
plant tool of wealth and has inflicted
upon the state of Illinois the discredit
OF having federal troops called out to
suppress disorder within it's boundar-
les, Why, if troops were needed, was
not the state militia put under arms?
Does Grover Cleveland, the recluse of
the White House, know more of the
situation at Blue Island than our own
state officials?
It is damning record for the feder-
administration and one which will pro-
ducesbitter results. If there be car
dinal precept in eur national code it is
the assertion of the right to local self
government, and THAT right is not to
be over-ridden by railroads on the spe-
cious pleaof interstate interests. The
nation will not tolerate the theory
abdicate their functions in favor Of
the secretary of war. Here in Chicago
there was no reason for putting feder-
al troops in the field, because there
had been no disorder which the local
Authorities were not able to suppress.
The troops should be sent back to
Fort Sheridan and the action of Presi-
dent Cleveland Shnilld he Eondamnad