The record-union., 1897-11-10
SHOULD woRDEN BE EXECUTED?

During the American Railway Union
strike of 1894 a company of men en-
couraged by the then existing condi-
tions blew up .trestle by which United
States soldiers were killed.
This brief statement is by way of
reference and reminder. S. D. Worden
was a member of that company. Their
numbers have been variously estimated
at from eight TO fourteen. The testi-
mony given at the trial showed that
there We're a number of them; that they
purchased dynamite at a store in Sac
ramento; that the Sacramento mer-
chants must have known from the at
tendant circumstances that the article
purchased was to be used for some
unlawful or murderous purpose. A
team was hired from a livery stable
to drive to the trestle.
The railroad employees who acted with
and sympathized with the strikers had
no complaint against the Southern Pa
cific Company. They were well paid
and well treated. This was freely ad-
mitted by the most rabid supporters of
the incipient revolution.
On this coast, this city was the storm
center of agitation and turmoil. This
city is practically the great railroad
center of the Pacific Coast. It is the
one paramount distributing point of the
inland commerce carried by rail. The
membership in the organization of the
American Railway Union was the most
numerous here; hence this city was the
storm center of turbulence and intense
feeling.
All strikes result in lawlessness, and
lawlessness in its turn eliminates in
murder. It is but three years since
the events which produced the tragedy
of the trestle, and they may be recalled
with vivid distinctness That the
Pullman Company treated it's employees
in a brutal and shameless manner can
not be denied but the methods adopted
by the American Railway Union for
the redress of the grievances of the
Pullman employees We're unwise to idi-
ocy. It was we'll both for the reputa-
ton and peace OF this country that 1t
was crushed by the iron hand Of the
Government. 1t will be well in the flu
ture if such incipient revolutions are
crushed even at the sacrifice of human
life.
The first great necessity of civiliza-
ton Is order. Our system of Govern
ment affords orderly remedies for the
redress Of grievances, and they must
be appealed to. The genius of law de-
mands that no individual shall take
the redress Of his grievances into his
own hands. AS soon as law and gov
ernment come into existence, the right
passes to society. Associations or
men are amenable to the same rule.
All rebellions are seditious. Sedition
intensifies into revolution, and in a
portion of the sovereignty. sedition is
in its very nature treason.
These elementary principles OF gov
ernment are presented. not because
they are debatable, or doubtful, but
because they give direction in arriving
at just conclusions of the specific mat
ter in hand
1t is not a little astonishing that the
American Railway Union rebellion at
tracted and held the eneoua agenlo. 1t
and the sympathy of the masses of our
people cowardly poltroon, exercis-
ing for the time the office Of Govern u.
vacated the executive Office by his alb
sence from the capital and covered in
his home at Pasadena. Holding the
chief command Of the National Guard
Of the State he plead inability to reach
the capital and his duty. The Mayor
Of the city. with demagogic cunning.
plead his inability to do anything, while
the Sheriff of the county took little
pains TO conceal his qualification al the
saturnalia Of iawlessness which was
prevailing. With but one exception
the metropolitan journals encouraged
the strikers to believe in the high JUS
tice of their cause as full justification
of any lawless method. In the individ-