New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-08

ers MS well as against one, then the author'! III
trusted with the conduct OF pubic aIhlrs H'uS'
have force to make itself obeyed ana those WHO
defy It must do so nj their peril. The American
DELIGHT IN civil liberty has led 10 strong, not
10 say extreme. safeguards against militar!
despotisln Citizens may live for years so long
Ms they live peaccably without having personal
contact with n soldier Nevertheless the SOL
der exists not to furnish gold lace and titles 10
staff officers nor 10 furnish athletic exercise ana
Climb facilities TO select bodies Of young men.
Jo eyists TO defend his country and fight lis
onen,ies That duty does not consist simply OF
rcpelling foreign invaders. nor of keeping rcDeiS
from taking Washington nor Of stopping the
octivity Of Anarchist bomb-throwers. Ii con-
.;ets M supportjnr the constituted authority,
whether in Il school district or state IN the
lawful discharge of rs duty against all lorcipie
interfercncc either by the first citizens or ny
II drunken rabblc. And II is the soldier p"s'-
ness TO support that authority M no Hiatter
what cost II people do not want TO he hurt OF
killed they should not go rloting.
This seems a hard doctrine to some seh'i-
mental people and to some civil officers depend
ent for reelection upon the votes OF ci'izehs
who are likely to get hurt If order Is enforced
with such rlgor. But really 1t need be feared
bv no man who Is even moderately DESTROYS
of orderly existence. Nobody need ever be hurt
Inv n National Gua,dsman unless he deliberately
and ofter full warning in a time Of notorious
public danger persists in violent lawbrcaking.
The militia is never called out until the or
binary instruments Of law fail. Then there IS
crisis which forbids liberation of disorder
and every citizen knows IT. lie knows that vio'
lence at that time is not simply dls0rderiy COLI
duct, but an act Of war against the STATE. IL
he continues in mob he makes himself pup
lie enemy, and he has no reason to complain II lie
is treated as a public enemy. The man VINO
takes the oath and puts on militia UNIFORM
assumes the obligation of soldier 10 delehd
The State against the attacks even of his own
household. The dispatches tell of the urbana
cuordsmen hesitating and even refusing to IRE
on tho mob because II was composed Of their
fricnds-and perhaps also because they thought
the negro was not worth fighting for. If this IS
true ssome cour.s-marial are in order II the
younc men who enlist in the militia are not pre-
pared to do their simple duty as soldiers ana
engage in real earnest battle for the law of town
and county as well as for the law or the Nh
,ion. they have no business to occupy the States
ornories or wear its uniform. These military
organizations are not maintained for fun but
for work. They are expected to maintain the SUI
premacy Of law against all enemies whether
tbe hone of contention is a wretched negro or
the spoils of city 1t is time for guardsmch
pnd rioters and civil courts alike to understand
that the militia is an arm OF Government, strong
to enforce law, potent TO punish disorder. we
have had enough Of the timidity and defiance
ond indictments that fit Tin soldiers.