Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-08-01
The Strength OF the Republic,

The recent great strike has furnished
pretext for certain foreign critics to
repeat their dismal predictions as to the
ultimate fate of the American republic
They insist upon taking every disturb
ance of the or tenor Of things as an
indication Of the fundamental weak
ness of the Democratic plan Of Govern
ment. Whenever we are confronted
by an unusual difficulty, they hasten
to tell wherein our means of dealing
with it are defective, and how vain it
is for us to hope that our institutions
can much longer stand such tests.
They would have us believe that con-
dition which does not forebode fatal
consequences in monarchial countries
is somehow infused with the logic of
inevitable catastrophe in this country.
1t is their delight to dwell upon the
alleged inefficiency of our means of
snppressing violence and dispensing
mobs composed of men who have votes.
They quote to us the saying of Macau-
lay that our Constitution is "all sail
and no anchor" and gravely cite the
declaration from the same source that
it may become necessary ito destroy
liberty in order to preserve civiliza-
tion." The sudden appearance of a
man like Debs or Coxey in our affairs,
with an organized force behind him,
is interpreted as an event of moment
GUS significance, and sign that the
beginning of the end of our politial
system is not far distant, whatever we
may do to avert the terrible misfortune.
1t never seems to occur to these men
who are 80 wise in their own conceit
that their melancholy prophecies are
being continually postponed and dis
credited by the practical and effective
action of the American people. The
commotions which are represented to
be vitality dangerous invariably sub
side in short time, and each succeed
ing attempt to accomplish given results
in an arbitrary and illegal way ends in
ignominious failure. This should sure
ly be accepted as proof of the inher-
ent strength of the republic, instead of
being regarded as an evidence of its
besetting weakness and its necessary
tendency toward decay and dissolution.
The strikes and other forms of disorder
that antagonize the interests of peace,
safety and prosperity from time to
time do not succeed. On the contrary,
they always encounter kind of oppo.
sition that arrests their progress and
defeats their purpose. No matter what
the contingency may be, method is
found to meet it that vindicates the
potency of Republican principles and
instrumentalities. The conspirators
against public tranquility and the Sc
curity of life and property proceed
only so far, and then they are resolute-
ly stopped, and their men ace is turned
to folly. They make trouble and cause
loss, but in the end they never escape
disappointment and humiliation.
There is no justification for gloomy
prophecies where such record exists.
The foreign critics who are 80 fond of
disparaging our institutions and giving
reasons why they can not endure may
be sincere, but they are clearly not
willing to attach due Importance to
we'll known facts. They are the same
men who said that the Union could
not possibly be saved; but it was saved,
nevertheless, and is now stronger than
ever. 1t may be that there are other
severe trials in store for us, but there