New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-16
NEW.ORLEANS AGAINST WOES.


yEUORLEANS AGAINST NOES.
The declaration of New Orleans business men
and leading citizens that they will bcnceforth
UNFOLD and defend. with armed fore" II neces'
cary rho right Of men to work if they wish,
without regard 10 race color or previous condl-
.;on {, only astonishing because il is the first
,i,ne The controlling influences in that state
h,v. been enlisted to defend the rights oil
ucs,,es formerly cnslavcd. SclfintcrcSt in TINS
,.osc opens the eyes blinded so long and so com
nlri4ly by race prejudice, and by the habits OF
the peculiar institution. Tie business men %
<ov.-OrlcanS feel that their cotton trade VIII
bo diverted from them by Other Southern por's
unless they can have the benefit OF as cne'p
Labor rs j. elsewhere employed. with the COT
ION trade goes great part OF me interior uauc
in merchandise and supplies OF every Kind Inc
prolonged pros;ration OF business because or the
strike and the violence employed by strikerS
4, prevent negro workers from taking thPlr
ulacps have cost the business men OF NeW-Or-
leans 50 much that they are even ready to do
irstice TO a colored worker against white
rather than suffer IN their pockets.
whether by one motive or another. II Is
,ooJ thing that the ruling men Of that city have
been brought 10 the conclusion that the rights
~ negroes in one respect at least, must be pro
,o,tcd. 1t is also a good thing that these peo-
milo If New Orleans have learned lesson 10
,,bich Southern communities have been 40 often
Hind that they cannot afford to tolerate mob
violence ont OF this partial enlightenment 1t
may come pass possibly, that some men VIII
realize the necessity Of protecting all rights, III
order 10 get peace. order willing and efficient
labor. and any solid prosperity. While the
Southern people have shown n magnificent en-
crcy and courage in the rebuilding OF their III
duetrlcs during the last thirty years, those Ell
forts have been deprived Of Mt least nine-tehths
~ their legitimate fruit by the fragrant denial
Of Justice 10 the great body OF the working peo-
plc in that section. and by the liberation OF
lawcSS violence as the means Of setting any
question at issue. 1t il not yet three months
since a farmer. native of the South, VINO ma
settled with his family in Southwestern state
had broken land and made himself comfort
able farm and home. and had educated chil-
drcn 50 that one was a highly appreciated
teacher. though he lived 4 quiet life, never tax
ing active part in politics, was summary or
dercd 10 abandon his farm and leave the coun-
trv by 4 gang Of Democratic regulators. solely
ho..ausr hr voted Republican ticket and Oh
t,tned useful information from The Weekly
Tribune. States in which such things are done
anpeal for immigration In vain. They are
cu-,cd nv their own disloyay 10 free institli-
lions and IN many localities the curse outweishS
all that can bc done toward progress
The one fact that Is convincing, As To the CON
,r,r.r.y between strikers and the employing
.hinpcrs. Is that the strikers resort 10 mob law
working No argument about the necessity OF
strikers has the slightest weight when they
confess by their violence and tholr murders
that the work can be and would 10 done ny
negroes who want work. The strikers nave
MOI a shadow IF excuse for robbinS the unor-
ranlZed aud unemployed man. whether hlacA or
white ~ his opportunity To do what th'y re-
fuse - d. The city is bound to protect not the
small minority IL workers who belong 10 some
organization, but every laborer who wants 10
work The city IL bound 10 maintain IN" ana
order. even IL II has 10 shoot down every ro'er
who threatens or kills man for seeking en-
nIoymeni The de%potsm OF moDs Is ilhh'asuI-
ably The worst and most intolerahe known OH
earth. and II the people Of southern cities nave
20 learn the lesson. exactly az the people OF
HrnokIyn and Buffalo, Plttsburg and chicago
h,v. learned Il. the result will at least De a real
procrcss toward civilization and prosperity.
The autagonisu Of race, which WAS foS''reu
50 long by slavery and pro-slavcry Politicians
woud naturally make labor difficulties more
frcoucnt and harder 10 settle at the South thin
in Other sections On the other hand. the tnld-
l,y Of the colored people, so long accustomed
II, denial Of every right ana 10 entire absence
Of protection, doubtless prevents many conihc's
hccause Injustice backed by mob violence 100
easily urevails one result Is n rapid loss OF me
advantage which Southern Industries have long
euiovcd in having cheap labor. y greater re-
sulr f., that free and intelligent labor IS new
tablv kept away in great measure rom local
,ic. where 10 man can count upon the cquAl
,r,iertion of the laws or upon freedom To thlnk'
sneak and vote as he pleases. Mob despousm
has for thirty years been proving itself the
worst foe of Southern industries and prosperity,
and II was inevitable that sooner or later
ehrevd business men should begin TO resist and
s1Iuurc,s it, II for 10 better reason. In order TO
s1yc their own business interests.
the UHEIT HELD BY FARMERS.