The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-31
IItHTy NdITt
Indianapolis, July IS, 1899.
The Lesson of Cleveland.
Columbus (ohio) Dispatch.

ColumbuS tOhlo) Dispatch.
| BY the dynamiting of a street car re-
sultlng in the injury of half dozen per-
sons and by the things already done and
the preparations being made to give
Cleveland the protection of the militia
attention is again drawn to the unhappy
conditions prevailing in that city. A
strike with all its attendant evils is on.
and there is a strong probability that it
will not end till there has been more
bloodshed and destruction to property. The
strike Is not new; it is the renewal of an
old strike that was apparently settled
on basis of Justice to all; it is renewed
because, according to the statement of
the strikers, not one of the agreements
OF the settlement has been lived up to
by the company. Naturally the bitterness
OF the conflict is greater now than it was
before because the men, believing as they
do, are better satisfied than ever that they
have perfidious company to deal with.
III anger they have done much that they
would not have done before and their
excuses have opened the doors wider to
the naturally lawless element.
rms violence. the people of Cleveland
must disapprove, and they are justified
IN demanding a sufficient force to put
aoWn the rioting and render the streets
oil the city safe. But while they demand
protection to lives and property, a great
many OF them recognize the business of
the original cause of the strikers.
cleveland minister who mingled with the
men and talked with them at the time
OF the nrst strike found them to be. for
the most part, peaceable and law-abid-
ing set OF men-men born, reared and
educated In Cleveland. men whose organi-
Zation was neither aggressive nor often
slVe, nut served to give them about the
only social enjoyment they had outside
Oh their homes. They earned enough to
give them respectable living and were
content. But the company had an eve
TO profit rather than to the conteutment
OF us employees, and a manager was EN-
Pioyed whose prime business 1t was 70
leauee expenses. He began by doing that
which would bring the union to the front
IN protection of the men. Then he an
nouheed that he would not deal with the
union; ne would treat with none but en-
P'oyes OF the company and in their capac-
ny as employees. The clash naturally
followed. The strike was settled after
.he entire city had been wrought up 10
hisn pitch OF excitement. after much
loss OF various kinds had been incurred
ana after demagogues OF all stripes had
oeen privileged to play their despicable
role. But the settlement. which involved
no loss of dignity or contention TO the
company, was apparently not satisfactory
20 the manager. He had not vet per- |
formed the business for which he was
CHOSEN He dlsregarded the terms of the
se'tlement and put the peace and safety
ts me CITY again in jeopardy. That is
the situation today: what IL will he "a
morrow no man can say.
Is an outrage that one man should
lave tne power to precipitate such a
,an'eipal crisis that little more money
:, ,.'"y De wrung from paying investment.
!. ~ an outrage that a company ENJOYING
p.IVieges conferred upon II by the pubJic
auouiu De privileged to do that which will
wi 1he very dregs In the political MT and
. aae government seem to be the unjust
ming that demagogues and agitstors saw
.na. II u.s. II Is an outrage that n city
scn mas given so much should. bv ia
'snsnciary, be brought into such distress.
ana this outrage must stop. n mn
a,o,palities continue to grant street rail.
way franchises. 1t should be only IN the
,..nuition OF submission TO arhitratinn
= r We that may arise ana the lapse
Insai ne franchise in the event of the re-
,waras Tue company to accept the iust
rovss us OF arbitration. The evils of city
ss"ch 'nnent are already enough without
, ,ne additional evils as stubborn and
n i, Ssping street railway managers can in
,ass, ne spectacles that have been wifi
,ho,1a IN cleveland and Brooklyn lately
,,a" prompt to this or some hetter
:, aus OF rescuing cities from the hama.
= MUS ana mob-makers