The record-union., 1894-05-28
THE RULE OF THE LAwLEss.

THE RULE OF THE LAWLESS.
Governor Altgeld of Illinois, whose
very name smacks of anarchism and ami
mostly to American institutions, says
that the citizen soldiery, which is the
chief military arm of the republic, is to
be used simply to assist civil authorities
in preserving the peace, quelling riots
and executing the laws. If an owner of
property finds it necessary to have it
guarded, he must do so at his own ex-
pense." Which is simply" the equivo-
eating and anarchistic way of Altgeld in
drawing distinction between tweedIedee
and tweedledum.
Suppose the mine-owners and oper-
ators of Illinois should by force and vio-
lence attempt to compel the miners to
work for them on terms they reject. Sup
pose, because of such refusal, the NINE
owners fall upon the workers and begin
to destroy their houses and burn their
possessions and to beat and kill them.
The Sheriff and his posse. being unable
to adequately protect these assaulted peo-
pie, the Governor replies to an appeal to
him: ST will use the citizen soldiery to
suppress riot, to assist in enforcing the
law, but the troops shall not be used to
protect property. You who have houses
and goods must guard them yourselves
against lawless assault. IF there is riot
and your possessions are broken up and
your houses torn down, then I will use
troops to disperse the assailants, but l
will do nothing else to protect you or
make good the guarantee to every citi-
zen to possess property and to peacefully
enjoy its use."
There is no distinction between such a
surpositious case and the actual one in
which the miners assail the property of
the mine operators. Governor Waite of
Colorado takes the same position as does
Governor Altgeld of Illinois. in openly
expressing himself as being opposed to
using the usual machinery of govern
4lCAb W pAObtCb NASlH0BS anu bn64L PIOD-
erty from assault aud destruction.
In Kansas there is much the same stu
alton, only it is more aggravated. In that
State we have the amazing spectacle pre-
sented of the Governor, Adjutant- GEN
eral and other State officers arming and
organizing bodies of men with the openly
avowed purpose of resisting the county
Sherifs and their posses, and of fighting
Federal troops" called to assist United
States AIarshals in executing the Federal
laws.
In Colorado, the senile crank, Waite,
who has turned the State Government
over to the anarchistic wing Of the social
theorists, issues proclamation ordering
the Sheriff's posses of deputies, sum-
moned under the law and in obedience to
the official oath, to disperse. declaring
that they are unlawful assem- blages.
So it is that Kansas, Colorado and Illi-
nois are to-day in insurrection against
the laws and the Union, just so far as it
is in the power of the chief executives of
those States to put them in that position
of rebellion.
In no instance in these States has there
been issued any orders directed specii-
cally to the rioters to disperse; no force or
authority, outside of that exercised by the
Sheriffs, has been directed with any sin
cerity against the lawless element. On
the contrary the sole aim of the State
officials appears to be to tie up the hands
of the law, and put manacles upon every
officer of peace who attempts to do his
duty.
protect your own property shouts
Governor Altgeld to the people of his
State. But the moment citizens attempt
to do so in Colorado, ''Disperse," COM
mands Governor Waite; ''the law forbids
the assembling Of armed bodies and these
Sheriff's deputies are unlawfully en-
gagged" and Altgeld's cohorts echo the
cry "Hired guards, armed minions.n
These are offensive to the foreign hordes
that are firing mines, filling mp shafts
and shooting down men who attempt to
uphold the law.
In Kansas the military arm Of the State
lie ordered to resist the civil and the Fed
eral authority; in Illinois it is withheld
from action until after the rioters have
accomplished their ends; in Colorado,
rnen willing to work for s. day of nine
hours are officially told that they shall
not be protected in thar rirht hv the law,