Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-01
PRESS COMMENTS.
The Anarchy Issue.
IN. Y. T'ribune.)

On. Y. Tribune)
Mr. Harrison was right in taking up
the Anarchy plank first In his master
~ Indictment Of The Chicago platform.
Hitherto II has received less attention
in public discussion than it deserves.
Free trade may be reckoned a blow at
industry ana free silver blow at
honor; but Anarchy is a blow at life
itself The moment the principle Is
established as the Chicago platform
demands. that the Federal government
shall have no power to enforce Federal
laws, and Federal government becomes
a nullity, and the Federal union is dis
solved. The moment the supreme
court is. as the Chicago platform d.
mands it shall be. degraded Ia the rank
al "A political machine periodically re-
organized and packed 70 do the bid
ding Of the party temporarily in power.
that moment all law and justice vanish
from the land. The Anarchy planks.
for there arr two of them in tho Chica-
60 platform. were put there at the more
or less immediate instance Of two men
-Debs, WHO organized an instruction
against the government If the United
States. and Altgeld who was the friend
and official champion Of Debs and who
pardoncd the Chicago Anarchists I'll
may serve q good purpose to recall the
salient Incidents OF peb's attempt at
revolution. and TO show the sort of
werk the Chicago Anarchy planks are
intended to Nindicate and promote. III
Was Only two years ago But Ameri-
can memories are short
In the early summer Of 1924 disput
concerning wages arose in a large car
factory near Chicago, and the work |
men went on strike. Forthwith a gen |
eral sympathetic strike was ordered |
b! the American Railway Union. Of |
which Debs was the president. The |
result was an almost total stoppage % |
traffic on all the railroads centering at
Chicago. and on many other lines in !
the West. Not content with quitting
work themselves the strikers. at Deb's
dictation. undertook violently TO pre-
vent other men from working. They
began wholesale destruction and plum
dC ring Of property. and deadly assaults
upon limb and life. Acts of malignant
cruelty were committed. such as are
supposed to be done only by savages
Carloads of passengers including
many Ntuttu anu tHiiIltil, were run |
upon sidetracks. kept prisoners there
in the blistering summer sun, and not
permitted to drink from public
hydrant or to obtain food from a res
taurant Moreover, the carrying of
the United States mails was stopped by |
force of arms, and impudcnt announce
ment was made that that essential and /
important function Of the Federal /
government might be performed only
on conditions imposed by the insurgent
government Of which Debs was "Presi-
dent" Thercupon the Federal govern
ment interfered to assert and to main
tain its constitutional rights United
States deputy marshals were detailed
to protect the mail carriers and to ar
rest all who inteTfercd with them. But
as this measure was insufficient. the
next day further action was taken.
The regulation of commerce among
tie states being constitutional func-
ton of the Federal government, it was /
logically held that the Federal govern /
mcnt had the power. and was. in fact
under obligations to protect such com
merce from violent and lawless inter- |
ruption Accordingly, an injunction |
was issued against Debs and his fellow !
conspirators, enjoining them to refrain |
from interfering with the carrying of |
the mails and with the operation of !
railroads engaged as common carriers |
ot passengers and freight between the !
states. Debs replied that he cared !
nothing for the injunction, and his fol- |
lowers continued to disregard and |
violate it. Thereupon the Federal
government ordered a detail of Federal
troops to proceed to the scene of dis
order to enforce the DEGREES of the
Federal courts. Altgeld, the Anarchist
pardoning Governor Of Illinois. pro-
tested against this, and so showed his
sympathy with the mob that rioting,
arson and murder were renewed with
redoubled fury. A practical state of
civil war prevailed. Many men were
millions of dollars worth of property
vas destroyed. In the end the forces
Of law and order prevailed. Debs ana
some of his fellow conspirators were
arrested, tried and sent to Jail for con-
tempt of court in violating the injunc-
ton issued against them. Thus ended
the ''Debs Rebellion against the
United States government, of which
tht CHlcaSo convention, AT the bidding
OF Debs and Altgeld. made itself the
apologist and champion.
According to the Chicago platform.
the Federal courts should not have en-
Joined Debs and his lawbreaking fol-
lowers against Interfering with the
carrying of the mails or the conducting
of interstate commerce. a riotous. in
cendiary and murderous mob should
have been permitted to nullfy those