The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-09-17
ANARCHY AND A REMEDY.


putation for conservatism some
times go on a tangent and say some
real irrational things Among these
so afflicted is the Minneapolis Trib-
Ine. In a recent editorial headed,
.Anarchy in the South" it suggests
ball cartridges and shrapnel as q
remedy for lynching. The following
Is the EDITORIAL:
The states of the South are sliding
down the easy descent to the he'll of
anarchy. We have another example
from Alabama Of how naturally lynch
.ng upon extreme provocation passes
nto contempt Of law in common GRIM
lnal cases. The negro taken from jail
In Huntsville and hanged by a mob
was accused of nothing more horribly
ng than murder. He had not been
eried and there is no testimony to his
confession but that of his murderers.
This is less shocking in one way than
The burning alive of men duly convict
I'd and about to be executed legally;
non sense of justice.
This Huntsville case is less repul:} g
han many. 1t shocks the feelings of
humanity less than a burning at the
stake. But we have had no more
shameful weakness Of law in the face
Of defiant anarchy. The mob captured
and held the town like an invading ar
my All the forces Of the law were
,owed and overcome. Firemen, sher-
Ifs deputies and militia were held
helplessly at bay by a Gordon of rifle
men while the Jail was fired and the
;ictim murdered. The town was a
scene of anarchy as complete as ever
existed In a savage community of the
stone age. We must go back of the
dawn OF history to lind a parallel for
the state Of sayager1 to which these
communities Of the South are revert
Ing.
The case is made worse instead Of
better by the strong protests made
by Officials against the lawless out
rage ,Ien who we may suppose are
appointment. citizens" and leaders in
the community" made stirring speech
IN which law and order were plead
ed" # there is anything more futile
than blank cartridges against a law
less mob, It is stirring speeches. One
orator poiied the mob In favor of law
and order. They .hooted him, voted
sardonically as he wished and then laid
hold of the rope to pull.
These communities need ball cart
ridges and shrapnel instead of pleading
speeches. One of these days they will
get what they need. If the state gov
ernments are incapable Of administer
ing the remedy, it will come from the
nearest regular army post with the
authority of the whole nation behind
The remedy suggested by the Trib-
une is but another form Of anarchy.
It is like fighting fire with fire. 1t
strikes us that just few arrests and
q few convictions with penitentiary
sentences would serve the purpose,
and would be the reasonable, sensi-
BILE and patriotic course to pursue.
It would inspire a respect for the
law that is now sadly lacking, while
ball cartridges would have a tendency
to stir UP the spirit Of revenge, which
is not a difficult thing to do in
southern community. The inclination
to use bullets freely is getting to be
country. A true Democracy should
have better idea Of melting out jus7
tice than by powder and shot.
The last suggestion by the Tribune
might be received with satisfaction
by some people in Colorado inst now
There the state government Is capable,
but has not the molina tipn to admins
ter the law, by prohibiting the I'M
lawful deportation of miners. If the
Tribune is such an exponent Of law
and order as it pretends to be, why
does ii not offer its remedy In the
Colorado case. The same, principle is
involved there as in the South.