The Louisiana populist., 1897-11-19
FED ON A RIFLE DIET,
A GOVERNMENT BY INJUNC-
TON OBJECT LESSON.
enbiio Sentiment Universally Condemns
she Massacre. of Unarmed Miners at
Lattimer, PennsIyvanis, on the Public
Highway.

Highway.
The fearful slaughter of unarmed
d1iners, who had created no disturb
ance, but had simply exercised their
constitutional right to walk upon the
public highway, near Lattimer, Pa,
emphasizes" says W. j. Bryan, "the
dangers and evils of government by in
junction." This is the general senti-
ment, also, of the reform press, while
with single exception the plutocratic
press does not dare to defend the ac-
ton OF the officers, who, nevertheless,
were simply enforcing judicial order
which met with the full approval OF
the monopolistic daily papers.
I. Tne newspaper accounts agree that
the men who suffered death and injury
had no firearms or weapons whatever.
They were all, with one exception, shot
In the back, which shows they were in
iuii retreat when the volley was pour
ed into their ranks. There Is already
q wild chorus of praise for the firm
ness" OF the sheriff in standing mp for
law and order, but the chorus proceeds
wholly from the friends of the official
implicated. says the Twentieth Gen.
tury. 1t is not taken up by the news
papers, with, the exception Of few
whose point Of view does not impress
tne average mind favorably, like the
New York Sun, for instance. "Honor," !"
1t exclaims. ''to the sheriff of Luzerne
country" It is not easy to see what
nonor is to be gained by shooting down
strikers even IL they are engaged in the
most riotous violation Ct law, any
more than honor is to be gained by
hanging a murderer. The murderer
may richly deserve hanging, but we do
not particularly honor the sheriff for
hanging him. He might hang hum
dred odious murderers in day, but
Wnat honor Is that? It Is the same
way with the shooting down o. the
strikers in Pennsylvania. However, 1t
is noteworthy that the horror of the
carnage has driven all thought Of hon
-oring the killer out Of the minds Of
the people. Only the New York Sun
Is singing his praises.
Inc most serious side Of this massa-
ere is the effect 1t will have upon the
masses. All minds will be innamed
and In the general outburst of bitter
hatred the ethics and lessons nf the
occurrence will be misunderstood. AS
mas been intimated already, It will be
waste of time to heap abuse upon the
snerin and other creatures OF capital
Ism who have been the instruments
through which this deed was done. We
must get not at the agents, but the
principles. The capitalists and the ex-
ploiters are responsible for It all, and
while the sheriff and his deputies are
being arrested and suspended and
served with writs, the capitalists and
the exploiters are safe and comfortable
at home. keepinr mt of tba macs oTd
acting as if they had notb,nS No.. - 's,,o ~
with 1t.
The New York World fp,uta, savs.
Impartial and thorough snuost;ro.;on
by the world Of the conflict bstwes
deputy sheriffs and striking minera a.
Lattimer, Pa. on Friday nipht nroves
that Sheriff Martin lost his bsad S when
he ordered his 1o2 deputies - Arc ,,ror
the strikers. Butchery ia mot too .tronp
q term to apply to the shnotinv down
Of fifty-nine miners and the killinv ant
right Of twenty-one not one ~ whoy,
carried q flrearm. World atafr cnrro
apondents personally examined tho
bodies Of eleven Of the dead miners ara
found that ten died from wounds ra-
ceived obviously while they were trv-
ing to escape froE, the ss,s.risf,sl assd,u
rifles"
sa
The following from the r;om,ns No
HON fairly shows tho senti,nsrt :, a. ~.
reform nress: .sAaain hss s r,,..ss.su'. - -.
shown ,aa ma,,ed hana-hoa .aSy ~,s."
ubIsct lesaon q tbe neop,s ,s ~s.es sssn 49,, =