Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1903-05-07

tnat 1t has succeeded in perfecting a
new kind of "riot bullet" capable of
causing widespread death and destruc-
ton when fired into a mob, and it is
prepared to furnish each state with IS
large supply of this ammunition as
may be desired.
1t is explained that the riot bullets
are not designed to be of any use
against an army or in regular war;
fare, but are useful only against mobs,
where they are efficient beyond any
thing ever before invented.
This notification has been sent, as
we say, to the governor of every state.
with an invitation to order a supply of
these invaluable riot quellers.
We do not know whether any gov
ernor has as yet aviled himself of this
rare opportunity, but we do know that
congress ought to ask for more LIGHT
about this extraordinary ammunition.
Who ordered it? Who designed it?
And what for?
1t is wholesome at times to learn
how we look in the eyes of the people.
This performance of the war DEPART
ment, which has passed almost un-
noticed in our country, seems to have
amazed and puzzled people elsewhere.
A Canadian newspaper inquiries.
not without reason. Where are the
mobs that are to be subdued by this
ingenious device? AS the bullets are
useless for regular warfare, it must be
that the gentlemen of the war DEPART
ment have designed them for use
against their fellow Americans. II
cannot under stand this except on the
theory that we are in state of yio-
lent but secret disorder, and it draws
somewhat humiliatng contrast be-
A ."~ PSeAS0 anu security OF Cana
da and the terrible turbulence that
must exist in nation where the eov-
eminent provides ''riot bullets for use
against its own citizens.
we 90 not understand it any better
than the Canadian newspaper under
stands it. Even the reflection that
this is strenuous administration. con-
Quoted by strenuous person, throws
no light upon the mystery.
Where are the riots that these bull
lets are to suppress, and who are the
rioters? We have not heard of anv
dlstur bance anywhere requiring the
wholesale destruction of Americans to
quell it. What danger does the stren-
uous administration foresee?
Hitherto we Americans have Justly
thought of ourselves as a 1aw-abidinn
people. We have supposed that our
patriotism was of too real and too
sturdy quality to make it necessary
to overawe any of us with troops.
Garrisons and "riot guns and over
powering force we have always sup
posed to belong chiefly to the monarch
lcal countries of Europe. This being
a popular government, it has never
been supposed that it was necessary
Tor the people to turn their power
a gainst themselves.
But there must be some error about
this. We must be, in fact. a very
riotous and dangerous lot, full of evil
Intentions against our own government.
because the war department has de-
signed fine new "riot bullet and
he governors of all the states have
been invited to accumulate supplies of
But, on the whole, we think it will
hardly be necessary for the governors
o order up large supplies of the war
department 'riot bullets.'' They
night be in the way, and the need of
hem is not apparent to the ordinary
lind.
ihere are no riots in this country