The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-07-13
RIGOROUS METHODS DEMANDED.

Because liberty was one OF the
Fundamental principles upon which
our government was framed 1t has
attracted to this country the OPP
pressed of all lands. After enjoy
ing the advantages of our free
American institutions for a time,
they soon become socia!Istlc and
even anarchistic in their views.
They declare that the rights Of the
laborer, who may be. dissatisfied
with the remuneration he is receiv-
ing, is paramount to all others,
and that any rights of which the
merchant, capitalist, manufacturer
or private citizen is possessed, are
at aHstimes subservient to his will.
It matters not to the average
strike leader, who is generally q
foreigner, how far-reaching the re
suits of strike may be; how much
business is suspended or interiered
with; how many poor laboring
men are forced into idleness and
. how many children are forced into
starvation, so long as their sup
posed or real grievances are lis
tened to and their demands
granted. We are now suffering
from the greatest strike ever
known in this country and in the
name of liberty the people are
calling upon the government Tor
some action, prompt and decisive.
Thousands of our citizens who
have heretofore been considered
law-abiding and liberty-loving
people have become socialists and
anarchists.
In Chicago the dcprciati"n' o.
The mob are almost on & plane
with the scenes Of the commune
in France. L. 8. troops ""3 ~"
militia have been on duty for days
and many rioters are dead and
Others dying from the effects Of
shots fred by the soldiers. 1t is
unfortunate that it became neces
sary to resort to such methods but
the infuriated mob were bent Oh
burning the city and nothing but
a volley of shot from the soldiers
would daunt them in carrying
their plans into effect. 1t might
be found upon careful investIga-
tion that the employees of Pullman
had some grievances and were enti-
tied to some concessions at the out
set, but strikes, especially such an
one as this, will result in no good.
The means employed TO gain their
point does not commend itself to
the thinking public and therefore
little or no sympathy has been
accorded them.
Debs must recognize by this
time that 100000 strikers are not
easily handled. His appeal "to
conduct themselves as law abiding
citizens'' is meaningless. The
strike was ordered, and, as con
sequence, a bowling mob exists in
several cities, bent on the stop
page of business and the destruc-
ton of property, over which he
has no influence or control. This
is only the inevitable result of
such proceedings. When men are
out of employment and encour-
aged in the belief that because
men are wealthy, the wages de-
manded should be paid, no matter
what conditions exist for not com
plying with their demands, an
archy and bloodshed are sure to
follow.
Since the matter has gone fur
ther than was expected Debs at
tempts to shift the responsibility
for the murder and riot for which
lie is alone to blame, and under
takes to make it appear that the
railroad managers have hired
band of stabbers and incendiaries
10 burn and destroy their property
in order to injure the cause Of the
strikers. Debs is no fool and
must have known when he ordered
the strike that it would eliminate
in violence, and his attempts to
disclaim responsibility for the acts
Of the mob, is looked upon by in
telligent and dispassionate observ-
ers as twaddle of the silliest kind.
Strikes seldom, if ever, occur
without resulting IN suspension Of
business, violence, anarchy, crime
and bloodshed. This being true,
the dignity of the state and the
welfare and safety of her citizens
demand the employment of more
vigorous methods in their suppress
sion. When strike is ordered
troops should at once be dis
patched to the scene in sufficient
numbers to queIl the mob and
I