New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-17
WELCOME TO ALTGELD.

On Nav f. 1856, an outdoor meeting was held
In Haymarket Square, Chicago. Several thou
sand people gathered TO listen to addresses from
some foreign preachers Of Anarchy and blood
shed. Their opportunity came from some labor
disputes which had been for some d0yS In prog
ress. Taking advantage Of this trouble. the for
eigners began to parade with the red flag, and
several days before the Haymarket meeting the
Chicago newspapers. which supported the wage
earners in their contention, denounced these
Anarchists as mischiefmakers, who were tax
ing advantage Of the labor grievance TO bring
about the riot and pillage which they had been
industriously preparing for through several
months. When the crowd gathered at the Hay
market these Anarchists made speeches, calling
on their hearers to arm themselves and night
under the red flag The situation became so
threatening that a force Of police was sent into
the square to preserve order. The presence OF
the officers OF the law was the signal FOR more
lncendlary remarks and calls to the crowd 10
kill them AT that bomb. which had been
brought TO the meeting with view to murder,
was exploded. Several people We're killed and
large number injured.
The conspiratOrs who planned aud executed
this outrage were arrested, tried and convicted.
Some of them were executed and others were
sent 10 prison. The whole American people
breathed more freely. realizing that 1t was still
possible to enforce law in this country. and the
foreign criminals who. driven from among their
own countrymen. found refuge in this country
only 10 plot the overthrow OF the Government
which protected them, learned q lesson OF respect
for our laws which awed them into harmless
ness Some years passed. John p. Altgeld be-
came Governor of Illinois. Suddenly the whole
world was startled with the news that he had par
dOned the mountaineering murderers. and had not
only exercised cemency in their behalf, but had
gone out of his way to denOunce the authorities
who arrested them and the courts which tried
them. He placed himself before the people as the
apoogist for Anarchy, the defender of the right OF
man to preach murder 10 his fellOwmen and to
place in their hands frebrands bombs and dag
gers with instructions TO their use. The bomb
throwers who had been hanged for the Haymar-
ket murders he canOniZed as martyrs. and on
their living companions he bestowed his dstin
gnlshed consideration.
Thus he was well established as a defender
Of riot when, in the summer Of 1894. another
labor difficulty occurred IN Chicago. Cars were
burned, wOrkmen We're killed. mails were de-
layed women and children were sdetracked to
starve Local disorder reigned and wholesale revO-
| luton was threatened No mans life or property
| in Chicago was safe If he disobeyed the leaders
| OF the mob Then was Governor Altgelds sec
ond opportunity to favor disorder. He refused
to enforce the State laws. he gave every encour-
agement to those who were trying 10 make Chi
| cago q place Of ashes and death. and then when
| the President Of the United States began to ell
| force the Federal laws which the rioters were
| breaking he denounced the Government at Wash
| ngton and ever since has been trying to under
mine its authority He was leading figure In
| the Chicago Convention, and put In its platform
| the plank promising to rioters future liberty to
| burn and to kill. undsturbed by Federal courts
| or Federal soldiers.
| Now he is coming to New-York. Tonight he
| will speak in Cooper Union in behalf Of Bryan
and freedom Of mountaineering. He will talk to
| people who have been encouraged by his acts to
think themselves oppressed by tyrannical laws
which insist that they shall not kill one another
because they disagree over the conditions Of their
work. which forbid them to burn factories be-
| cause wages do not suit them which punish the
| throwing Of bombs into innocent crowds to
| brighten them into joining riots, which compel
| them to let the business of the Government go
| OH in spite Of their private grievances.
Whatever words he may USE. this Is the logic
| OF his teaching as Governor of Illinois, His
actions speak louder than any words he can use.