The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-30
WORSE THAN ALTGELp.

The people of Illinois had a good deal
10 complain of during the administration
OF Alleged; and they did not hesitate to
complain. Especially is this true Of the
Republican press of the state. Day after
day they roasted" Altgeld. calling him a
socialist, anarchist, friend Of criminals,
and the like. But with all of his cranky
notions. Altgeld was never so dangerous
20 the Institutions OF Illinois as the man
who IS now in the executive ofice-John
r. Tanner, Republican. Altgeld's social
ism was pretty much theoretical; Tanner
proposes to put his socialism into practice,
If he can.
One OF his latest declarations, in connec-
lion with the troubles at the mines at
Paua and Virden, is that he will not toll
crate the wholesale importation of fore
igners into Illinois," referring to the car
rying there Of negro miners from Georgia
and Alabama. Further than that he goes
on to say that if any more of the for
eigners' are brought TO the state he will
meet them at the state line with Calling
guns and shoot the mob to pieces" The
mob in this case means the colored labor
ers
II makes no difference to Tanner what
the constitution says about individual
rights. he means 10 hedge Illinois in with
Gordon of Calling guns and "shoot to
pieces" those who attempt to come into
the state without his personal permission.
These so-called foreigners" it should be
borne in mind are citizens of the United
States by the grace of Tanners own par
ty, and as such are granted and guaran-
teed by the federal constitution equal
rights and privileges with all other citi-
zens. They are no more foreigners" than
Tanner himself is a foreigner. He says
they are ex-convicts. They may be, or
they may not; that is none of his business.
They are free men now, and are entitled
to the same protection under the law that
other free men receive. Had a Southern
Governor taken a position similar to that
assumed by Tanner, he would have been
denounced as an aranchist, If not as a
traitor, throughout Illinois.
Tanner, however, does not stop with
proposing to shoot to pieces" American
citizens who attempt to enter Illinois
without his permission, but he also wishes
the state to conf1scate the private prop
erty of the mine owners. He denies, in
deed, that the mines are private property
or that they can become such, Goal is
a public necessity; then is 1t not logical to
assume that a coal mine Is public prop
erty?" he asks land If Il is public prop
erty, it should come under state control
he concludes. The reasoning is foolish,
but it illustrates Tanner, who, unfortu
nately, is in a position to make trouble
by his fallacious and foolish reasoning. He
is the Governor, and a considerable pro-
portion of the legislature is subservlent to
his wishes
He said in a speech a few days ago
that he would advise the legislature to
pass laws prohibiting the Importation of
labor into the state, prohibiting the build
ing of stockades around mining property
for the protection of the works and fixing
a minimum wage scale to be paid to min
ers. The effect of such prohibitions would
be to virtually confiscate the mines.
1t may be, as has been alleged, that
Tanner Is only making play to capture
the support of the labor vote; but IL he is,
1t does not alter the fact that he is dan
| gerous man.