Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-10-16
REAPING THE WHIRLWIND.

New York Evening Post.
Rarely In the history of this country have
the evils which result from maladministra.
Hon been brought out in SO illuminating
intifiner,ns In the Pennsylyunia Stree fin
beginning ot2the coal strike. The entire
state 10 in contempt; its governors name
synonym for cowardice and weakness, In
large portion of its extent anarchy has
reigned and lawlessiless still rules. One
brahch OF trade Is at standstill. Millions
OF people in its own territory and In other
states are deprived of necessary of life.
me whole nation is facing an unparalleled
calamity. And the exigency to which We
nave come is very largely, IL not wholly,
due to the public corruption which for
a .,',. PAST mas given pennsylvania the
reputation of being politically among the
very rottenest of our common wealtbs. 1t is
The towering of Quayism which We now
see-the harvesting of a crop sown in
municipal, county. and State corruption,
watered by law-defyine corporations and
nnrsed into full growth by politicians who
owe their domination of the State to partll
sanship OF the most sortlid and selfish kind.
AS has been we'll said, 1.-The governor ID
silent, the law officers of the State asleep,
the Legislature unsummoned the people
politics is over ALL
II is not merely that Gov. Stone delayed
IN giving the protection to life and limb
and property which is the CONSTITUTIONAL
right OF every citizen of Pennsylvania. ThI
very strike itself owes its being in large partl
to the knowledge that Republican party inn
terests rule the State, and not considerationA
LOT us needs and welfare. John bIitcbellH
and his fellow 'leaders'' were well aware
that this Is q year of Congressional elections. 4
Ineir memories are not SO short as to hayeN
lost all recollection OF the reasons whyk
Senator Hanna settled their strike Of twot
years ago. Their followers have seen riotinr 1
ana iawlessness often enough before to nave
g contempt for the law and for its makers.
ahey know whose creatures the Pennsylvania
representatives are, and they know we'll that
actnates tho disreputable boss of the State.
Iney have seen law after law placed on the
statute books only TO be unenforced or
evaded by the plnines. trickery, not only BY Y
me railroad companies, prohibited from
wherever they have looked they have sean
franchises stolen, elections purchased. city
and state legislative bodies bought outright.
ana even the governments of cities upset In L
defanre of the will of their inhabitants.
what wonder that they have deemed 1t their
right TO destroy homes with dynamite. and
to beat and murder all who would NOT accept
their dictation?
When the coal operators met President
roosevelt In Washington last week, MIR,
Baef stated that II any miner choose to
WIN anu ldu with hta
employer, both should refer tho questions ut
issue to the judge Of the Court of Common !,
f'ieas oil the district. This suggestion has
been met with scorn. What, call upon a 4
creature OF the Quay machine to arbitrate \
such matters! has been the question asked |
publicly and privately ever since Mr.. Baer's
proposal; To such depths has the State sunk \
nnoer the administration of its senior
United States Senator that Its very Judges E
are without honor in their own country.
40 this moment one OF them is traversina \
the State, apologizing for, nay, defending,
Quay and Quayism. By the present of tha
nomination for governor he has been made L
% say that black is white and white black.
The degradation of his State, about which n
no once wrote and talked 80 vigorously, has
disappeared before his eyes.
But 1t Is not only In this public danger
and disgrace that We find all the fruits Of
Quayism. The hour is one of endless loose
and dangerous thinking. The general excite
ment and the general need are the warrant Y
for every crank with a new or an old theory
OF government to present il and obtain
hearers. Socialists and anarchists reyeI in
the. opportunity; their noxious theories
blossom and spread like the weeds which !,
choke the rivers in Florida. How fatuous.
IN ne iace OF such happenings. are tho laws
How foolish read now all those wild de. \
mands for stamping out anarohyi' which
came from press, pulpit and public after tina
crime of Czoigosz! What could create y
anarchists and socialists more quickly than
Just snch misgoyernment as has Slapped the
civic virtue OF Pennsylvania, made its cities
Augean stables of corruption, and nulified A
its laws at the wink of n dictator? Today
men OF usually clear heads are advocating 4
violation OF the Feueral Constitution. Still
others, like the Hill-ridden Democratic
party In this State, demand, without
moments thought as to the inevitably 1
sinister results of such policy, government /
ownership of the coal mines.
by al this we do not mean to say that if q
pennsylvania had had rightly ordered 4
government and a Jealous and capabie
governor there would have been no strike.
The chances are, however, altogether that ID a
would have reached its conclusion Ionq L
before this had there been strong and truly
representative government at Harrisburg,
me issues which are Just now being tried
out would have been settled at least three
months ago, had lawlessness been pre-.
vented. In the pure air of good government
this disease Of the social order could never A
have spread so far or become so virulent,
US very germs, political or social, would
have found Judgement difficult or impossible 1
in community in which operators andilf
miners We're treated with equal justice, and
with equal severity, by government md
hanirered by the "shroud Of politics. Thsf
growth OF the deadly bacteria would HAWAII
been checked or withered by the acts of "a N
true executive determined that justice be 4
upheld, and the rights and wrongs OF thu IN
case known at my cost. AI
In view of these results of the degradation +
OF Pennsylvania, the people of the United
States should realize moro clearly even thnpt
they did in 1874, when Debs and an Altpeldl (
throw Illinois Into anarchy, that bad govern II +
fnent does not merely mean disortiernd&
finances, thefts from the public treasury, III f
high tax rate, and general public inconN k
yenience. In every dollhouse OF boss ruIeH
Of public plumber, and OF Stats exploitatio,E
for personal gain, there are being forced
plants. of .noxions growth, threatening thri /
worry life OF tine State-eyen an eyertt1rnina
Of the social order.