Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-07-02
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1908.
INJUNCTION OR GUNS, WHICH ?

strumentalilies, that have so far been dis
covered, by which the lawlessness that
follows the modern strike can be averted
or suppressed. One of these is a civil pro.
ceeding-the Injunction. The other, and
by far the most distasteful is an armed
soldiery.
Strikes are constantly appearing in every
section of the country; and they are too
frequently attended with riot, bloodshed
and destruction of private property. They
are also source of great loss and annoy
snce to the localities in which they occur,
and often are Of such character as TO Sc.
riously affect the general public welfare.
The strike question and the race ques
ton are the two dangerous problems that
have to be studied aud solved by law
abiding and intelligent American citizens.
These problems are of such appalling mag
Ii'ude as to demand the earnest attention
OF Inhilanthropists and statesmen. They
have been resolved into grave contest
between phllanthrophy and craftsmanship
on the one side and mob violence on the
other. The issue may be the perpetual
cion or destruction of our happy republi-
can form of government.
We have been having some strikes in
Virginia. At this writing one is on in our
Capital City. 1t has been accompanied by
such mob violence as to awaken grave ap-
prehensions in the minds of all good citi
Gems Of the State. The conditions have
become 30 violent that all attention has
been withdrawn from the merits of the
controversy between the street car com
pany and its Employees. 1t may be that
the employees of the company had just
cause for complaint. No one will deny
their right to refuse to work for the wages
they were receiving. The company had
an equal right to employ other men to
take the places of the strikers. Any inter
ference with the operations of the new men
or interruption of the service which the
company was trying to give the public, by
the strikers or their friends, was unlawful
and should have been prevented. The
city authorities, it seems, were unwilling
or incapable, to prevent the strike from
assuming form of aggravated lawessuess.
Then it became necessary TO adopt a means
OF suppression. In the selection of
method we believe great mistake was
made. The power of the courts should
have been invoked An Injunction. what
has been denounced as government by in
junction.. would have been much more
reasonable, inexpensive, humane and eff.
fectual proceeding.
We recall the fact that few years ago
there was strike by the street car en-
poyes in Norfolk. 1t was somewhat SINH
lar to the one now in progress at Rich
mond. The municipal authorities could
not control the situation, and call WIS
made for soldiers to protect the property
OF the street car company and prevent
riots. large force of the State militia
was sent to Norfolk, and for some DAYS an
Intellectual effort was made TO relieve the
situation by the use of armed soldiers, but
1t failed. Then some person had the good {
sense to ask the Corporation Court of the t
City of Norfolk for an injunction, and t
Judge A. K. Hancke had the courage to I
grant and Issue the Injunction. By the
use of the civil process the storm was soon il
quelled and the strike came to an end. &
We could cite other recent instances where C
the injunction proceeding was found to q
be effective and speedy, even In this i'm C
mediate section.
Why has the Injunction not been used
in Richmond? Is it due to the teachings n
ofdemagogues who have prated much about ri
the outrage of government by injunc- n
ton ?" Have not these same blatant dem. q
agogues shouted themselves hoarse over d.
the danger of militarism and Imperialism, in
and proclaimed that a standing army is a O,
menace to the liberties of the people? n
The much abused government by in 81
junction" strikes us as the most intelligent M
and conservative method that has ever al
been discovered for asserting the majesty tn
of the law. Excited and turbulent crowds Of
will bow to its quiet but majestic power in
when the presence of an armed military
force would only serve 70 intensity the r
passion and turbulence of such assemblies.
Men, even civilized men, are combative :,
by nature and will always be disposed to !.
resist threatened physical force with force.
Which is the wisest, the best means of -
The INDUCTION is the hand. =.
maid of arbitration, the harbinger of A..
peace. The soldiers gun is the emblem :;
Of physical encounter, the symbol of IL
brute force. :.