The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-10-30
THE FREE RIOT PLANK,

The attempt which is made in some
llrters TO make it appear that what we
All the anarchist plank" Of The Chicago
lltform is but fresh expression of the
ADDITIONAL Democratic view Of states
rchts' will not work. That plank had
+ origin solely in the brain of Governor
Ahgeld-a brain fired with resentment at
'le suppression of the anarchist rising in
4'7ig0 at the time Of the great railroad
,rip. To that anarchistic demonstration
rrernor Altgeld had lent all the aid
mich the avowed sympathy of an official
% power could possibly afford He had
d'lnly witnessed the seizure Of railroad
ana other property by the mob. He had
h"held the flames mounting skyward
ron burning warehouses and railroad
iinS. fired by miScreantS who sought 70
produce at Chicago the horrors of the
I'dlS commune, with no effective step
Ken to arrest the evl-dOerS The entire
AWAY system of the country, passing
rough Illinois. was blockaded with
"recked and stalled trains. but this rec
""nt governor. anxious only to curry ia
NJ with the mob. refused TO Use the pow
~ confided TO his hands and set the
IL.
Everywhere the anarchiStic mob. though
la longer supported by the better element
NJ the striking railroad employees. seemed
% rejoice in Altgeld'S cOuntenance, as it
pursued its course of destruction
hlt In stopping the passage OF the Unit
20 States mails and in interfering with in
'-f-state commerce. the anarchists quickly
.'ilnd that they had gone too far-farther
ven than Altgeld could sustain them.
me supreme power of the nation was in
'"Aed. The lnJunctiOnS of the courts
t-alnst the rioters We're enforced, at the
residents order by lines of cleaning
"TonetS. and the boys in blue" regard
'>S of Altgelds remonstrances, quickly
NE trains in motion again. backed the
'.%htened but now reaSSured municipal
"i's IN the restoration of law and order.
ana sent the anarchists. with their red
nag covering to their dens before the tri-
ahlphant unfolding of the stars and
stripes
Governor Altgeld has never repented of
rs cowardice and disloyalty on thar occa-
son but he has nevertheless felt the
Ing OF popular condemnation and re-
'ANe' anu has longed for ''vindication. >"
B." ne Chicago Popocratic convention.
''Huolled by multitude of crazy deIna-
o'-ues ana Missionaries over whom he had
strange hypnotic influence. he found
az opportunity: and the anarchist
'L'nh was adopted as an endorsement
HIS course at the time of the Chicago
,''S ana as condemnation of President
"'eland's course in suppressing these
11archiStic orgies.
nus. out Of the blighted. rotten log of
N"Seldian communism-no out of any
">loric Democratic tree was a plank
"NcA contemporary mas well denomin-
~N7i the free riot plank of the Popo-
aac platform sawed. Its adoption was
-'"'u by all the unruly elements of So
TF with delight. All those who fancy
see a prospective gain in the break
= up OF the established order of things.
VINO want to reap where they have not
""h. and fatten on what others have
''n'd; all those who want to substitute
~ iIse dixit of the mob for the processes
me courts; all elements of unrest ey-
- Were, find their chief incentive to
'rNns for the Chicago nominees in
EAU plank. For Bryan declares he Ell
SEES every word of it," The triumph
d candidate standing on that platform
''uu embolden every anarchist to crawl
III OF his lair: and on the first occasion
- might behold the scenes of the Chica-
gloI re-enacted all over the land, with
80 resident in power daring to uphold
"F majesty of the law.