The evening times., 1898-10-13
THURSDAY. OCTOBER 70. 1895
The Tragedy at Vfrden.

The sanctitY Of human life does not
seem TO be recognized by the men who
employ eXtra-Official guards for their
property in times Of labor trouble. If
modern civilization insists upon any
thing with particular emphasis. it is
that the lives Of men shall be taken only
when the urgency Of self-defense re-
quires Persons who bring about con-
ditions which they must know will pro-
woke bloodshed. cannot find moral ex-
-cuse in the fact that their own prop
erty is involved and that they have an
apparent legal right to take whatever
steps they may consider necessary to
protect their business from interfer-
ence. The tragedy at Virden, Illinois,
is another proof that labor has a rea-
sonable ground # complaint against
the employment Of the Pinkerton
guards Here, as elsewhere, the arrant
cowardice Of the Pinkertons. reaching
the degree of panic, was the exciting
cause Of the death Of a number of hu-
man beings.
Back If that is the action of the mine
owners that warrants Governor Tan
against them. Regardless of the
question as TO who fired the first
shot at Virden, which the mine
owners viii attempt to make the vital
question. every death and every wound
was due to the entirely vicious impor-
tation of black criminal labor into the
State Of Illinois. A fundamental right
OF every people is TO protect itself
against pernicious and destructive in
fiuences. 1t is under this principle that
our Government excludes she criminal
and dangerous classes of Europe At
Nirden tie mine workers were on strike
To crush them utterly, the owners sent
TO Birmingham, Alabama, for men from
the prison mines. AT and near that
place there are commonly about 5000
convicts digging coal, and as fast as
their terms expire they are turned loose
on the community. They are regarded
as a hopeless criminal class
In Illinois the plane of living Of the
miners is much higher, and however
violent tEey may become when they are
inspired by a sense of wrong at the
hands Of the corporations they are not
chronic criminals. To allow the impor-
tation Of a degraded element from the
prison mines Of another State is to beat
down all labor to a lower plane, to men,
ace the peace of the community. and
the safety of life and of property Gov
ernor Tanner was within his duty when
he warned the mine owners against
their proposed attack on the civilization
of the State. The miners at Virden
were driven to desperation by an i'm
moral movement, which, if successful.
must virtually destroy them. They
were fighting for their own lives and
the lives Of their families in attempting
TO exclude a criminal element which no
community Of average virtue in the
whole country would allow TO enter its
boundaries. Lawlessness must be con-
demned in any circumstances. but
where the laws fail to protect good
morals. life and property against an
incursion Of professional criminals. the
most orderly Of men are disposed to
look leniently on the rational efforts of
a community TO protect itself.
Whatever may be said in censure of
the armed miners. there appears to be
no moral defense Of the mine owners.
In importing vicious laborers they
struck a blow at the civilization OF the
State. and by employing. for the pro-
lection Of the criminals, the mischiey
Gus Pinkertons. they were well aware
they were signing the death warrants
OF number Of human beings. The law
may call them practically guiltless. but
IL it does II is defective. II should give
expression II TIE best moral sentiment
OF mankind. Niih viii surely hold the
pitiless mine Owners guilty Of murder
Ev n il en.i e. s-s We no duty 10 their
wOIEeis. cX1n 4 there is no sense of