The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-10-30
THE FREE RIOT PLANK.

The attempt which is made in some
quarters to make it appear that what we
call the anarchist plank" of the Chicago
platform is but a fresh expression of the
traditional Democratic view of ''states'
rights" will not work. That plank had
its origin solely in the brain of Governor
Altgeld-a brain fired with resentment at
the suppression of the anarchist rising in
Chicago at the time of the great railroad
strike. To that anarchistic demonstration
Governor Altgeld had lent all the aid
which the avowed sympathy of an official
in power could possibly afford. He had
calmly witnessed the seizure of railroad
and other property by the mob. He had
beheld the flames mounting skyward
from burning warehouses and railroad
trains, fired by miscreants who sought to
reproduce at Chicago the horrors of the
Paris commune, with no effective step
taken to arrest the evil-doers. The entire
railway system of the country passing
through Illinois, was blockaded with
wrecked and stalled trains. but this rec
reant governor, anxious only TO curry fa-
vor with the mob, refused to Use the DOW
er confided to his hands and set the
wheels of commerce when once in motion
Everywhere the anarchiStic mob, though
no longer supported by the better element
of the striking railroad employees. seemed
10 rejoice in Altgeld's countenance. as it
pursued its course of destruction.
But in stopping the passage of the Unit
ed States mails and in interfering with in
ter-state commerce, the anarchists quickly
found that they had gone too far-farther
even than Altgeld could sustain them.
The supreme power of the nation was in
voked. The injunctions of the courts
against the rioters were enforced, at the
Presidents order, by lines of cleaning
bayonets. and the boys in blue,'' regard
less of Altgeld's remonstrances, quickly
set the trains in motion again. backed the
frightened but now reassured municipal
tiles in the restoration of law and order,
and sent the anarchists with their red
flag, covering to their dens before the tri-
umphant unfolding of the stars and
stripes.
Governor Altgeld has never repented of
his cowardice and disloyalty on that occa-
sion, but he has nevertheless felt the
sting of popular condemnation and re-
buke; and has lOnged for ''vindication."
In the Chicago Popocratic convention,
controlled by a multitude of crazy dema-
EogueS and viSionaries over whom he had
strange hypnotic influence, he found
his opportunity: and the anarchist
plank" was adopted as an endorsement
of his course at the time of the Chicago
riots and as a condemnation of President
Clevelands course in suppressing these
anarchistic orgies.
Thus, out of the blighted, rotten log of
Altgeldian communism-not out of any
historic Democratic tree was a plank
which contemporary mas we'll denomin-
ated the ''free riot plank" of the Popo-
cratic platform sawed. Its adoption was
hailed by all the unruly elements of so
ciety with delight. All those who fancy
they see a prospective gain in the break
ing up of the established order of things,
who want to reap where they have not
sown, and fatten on what others have
earned; all those who want to substitute
: the ipse dixit of the mob for the processes
J, of the courts; all elements of unrest ev-
find their chief incentive to
working for the Chicago nominees in
that plank. For Bryan declares he en-
dorses "every word of it," The triumph
of candidate standing on that platform
would embolden every anarchist to crawl
out of his lair; and ON the first occasion
we might behold the scenes of the Chica-
go riot re-enacted all over the land, with
no President in power daring to uphold
the majesty of the law.