New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-22
~ OBJECT LENSON.

The National Guard Of Colorado has pceh
called out There is riot!ng at Leadville Inc
railroads running toward that city had 10 pe
patrolled to keep the trains carrying uooP'
from being wrecked. Houses were burned hre
men who tried to subdue the names were Sno'
down. miners imprisoned by strikers OH at
tomptinC TO flee from burning buildings were
fired upon. and explosions of dynamite killed
or wounded many persons. Altogether leau
VILE has been having lively eXhlDi'loh OIL the
UPRISING of the masses against the CLASSES
which Mr.. BRYAN has been talking SO much
about for some weeks
AT this distance from the scene OF troupie 1t
is difficult TO get at the abstract justice OF the
controversy between the mineowners ana 'heir
onnloves But that question is not pressing AT
nrosant Tho impOrant thing Is that the MN
ors ond tho owners cannot agree and, after n
period of strained relations. the FORMER haNe
undertaken TO defend their opinions Win gun
novder and TO force them on others with dyn-
amite 1t is said on behalf OF the owners 'ha'
the Sheriff the Governor, the courts ana the
newspapers are in league with the strikers anu
that there is no use under those conditons vi
their making any concessions. for they Wo"iu
only be opening the way to greater DEMANDS
backed by the same influences. Accordingly
they have refused 10 treat. arson ana ihuruer
have followed and the Governor, whatever HIS
sympathles, has been compelled TO call out 'ic
,roops. and the State of Colorado will have to
pay the cost of II all
Such an outbreak is greatly 10 ne uepioreu'
No part of our common country can De gwen
over to violence and disorder without affecting
the honor and COOL name of the Whole Na'ioh'
Our glory he's been that we were self-govern-
NOT a
barbarians who settled their differences by
force and burned down neighbours properly
in the endeavor TO collect debt or obtain
gratuity. Troubles such as have disturbed
Ieadyille are at once blot on the country's
fame and cause of distrust. The question
arises if this new millennium which Mr. Bryan
nroocbes is the success il is cracked up TO be-
Colo; ldo Is full of adherents of his creed, VINO
look TO the time when every poor person shall
have all the money he wants and all men shall
dwou In nlcnty happiness and brOtherly love.
Ont in Colorado they have been putting that
creed in practice. 1t is true they have not had
free silver but the Sverites have controlled
the State government and the principles of the
| Chicago platform have been applied through
several years to domestic affairs. And yet we
see n riot there and. moreover, see the authorl-
ties calling out troops TO restrict the right OF
the people to enforce their will against cor
porations and pluto rats in a way that recalls
the Chicago doings of 1894.
Then II will be remembered, workmen had
trouble with their employers, and riots resulted.
in that case the rioters happened to DO more
than destroy property which. IN fact, the STATE
authorities. in contrast 10 those OF COLORADO
permitted them TO do quite freely. lhey
stopped the mails and interfered with Interstate
commerce. Then. when the law officers or inc
United States tried to prevent this obstruction
Of Federal law. they rebelled and compelled
the President to send troops against 'hem'
| That action Of the Government In enforcing
Federal law was condemned by the Convention
which nominated Bryan for President Inc
plank denouncing that arbitrary interference
by Federal authorities" is one Of the most con
spicuous In the Democratic free-silvcr platform
That platform is said 10 have the cordial sup
port of the majority of the voters OF Colorado
In that they ought to rebuke their Gov
ernor for calling ont troops. The Leadviiie
rioters are doing no more than the Chlcago
rioters did They are only breaking state law
where the others broke Federal law, ana ar
btrary interference by State troops TO enforce
State laws is as mach TO he denounced as ar
bitrorv interference by United States troops
TO enforce United States laws. If the people
of Colorado like that sort Of thing ana the
candidates who preach it, they onghl 10 dc
consistent. and hall the Leadville rcvolutions'ts
as victims Of plutocratic oppression. They are
having an object lesson in warfare of wage
earners against the trusts-the mining trust
which favors free silver. They have all beer
enthusiastic for that crusade, and they ought
not TO back out and get squeamish over little
preliminary drill