The record-union., 1899-06-28
THE WARDNER LAwLEssNEss

AS the truth becomes known concern
Ing the Wardner outrages it is made
clear that the proclamation of martial
law was a necessity. Either that or the
very riot of lawlessness and the result
fant Of such a. condition which could not
by any possibility inure to the benefit
:. of honest labor. That when it became
dominant martial law showed harsh
ness, even some phases of severity I'M
usual to it may we'll enough be con-
ceded, since such features are almost.
tnseparable from the suspension of civil
rights under conditions such as pre-
vailed at Wardner
We have now. since the matter has
been examined into, writer's who had
denounced the military commander
and branded him as a monster, freely
confessing that they were in error, and
that he has simply done his duty in sup
porting the effort to maintain order
and protect innocent people in their
rights. asswell as those directly assailed
by lawlessness.
The whole trouble has arisen out of
an attempt on the part of irresponsible
organizations to dictate to others their
order Of conduct and how they shall
manage their own affairs; a usurpation
of power that is simply impossible in
this country consistently with the
maintenance,of free government. This
attempt went so far it seems as to sup
press free speech and embrace commits
sion of crime and the cowing of the
officers of the law so as to shield Of
tenders from punishment for gross Of
fenses against life, liberty and prop
erty.
So dominant became 1awlesSnesS at
Wardner that the district was invaded
by masked armed men from abroad,
and terrorism of the worst order was
set up by them. Men were denied the
right to refuse to unite with the riot
ers; some were shot down because they
maintained the right to think for them
selves and the Offenders were shielded
and remain as yet undetected. Houses
We're burned works blown up and the
tyrrany of mob rule made dominant in
the community. The civil officers were
either cowed or participants in the out
RACES, and nothing remained but to
give over that whole section Of coun-
try to the passions of an ungoyernable
mob, or to appeal for protection to the
strong arm Of legalized force and au-
thority.
When order Is downed the law is
powerless; usurped authority triumph
ant society has. no other resort than
to call for force of arms in the hands of
due authority Martial law means not
the suppression of any human right,
but the swift, effective and complete
assertion of the rights Of men to life,
liberty and their own methods In pur-
suit OF happiness, within the law.
Yet against this, on the unsupported.
false and oyercolored statements Of the
mob itself, peaceful communities far
removed from sWardner have been
shamed by assemblages denouncing the
effort to maintain order and punish
Sl1A4Gs dliQ 0laChCAAAi6 bAS SAAe~A s~SsS~~ -
mmanders who have been guilty OF
no greater offense than doing their duty
under the Constitution and the laws.
At these meetings crime has been
exalted into heroism, arson, murder and
coercion justified, and the law made
by the people declared tyrranical and
unjust which does no more than guar
antees liberty. Men who have committed
themselves to such Endorsement and
Justification, now that the whole truth
is being laid bare, have cause and time
for rejection upon the teaching OF their
acts. If they can And in them any
thing running abreast. with justice and
good conscience, then their concept OF
duty as American citizens is dangerous
to their own liberties and personal
rights.