Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-16
GOV. GILLETT AND THE MOB

Rioters nave had practical pOSSeSSlOi
of streets traversed by car lines; they
have prevented the operation of cars;
they have assaulted hundreds of citi-
zens and killed several persons.
And today at the end Of the ten-day
period the situation is worse than IT
has been at any other time since the
beginning of the trouble. The rioters
are in control, the police service is inn
potent, the people seem to be dazed'
Governor Gillett is sptneless spec
tator Of semi-anarchy and the leader
of the strikers announces for publica-
ton that he is satisfied with the sit
uation" and "well pleased with the
progress of the strike."
1t is interesting to recall that the
Republican organs Of Southern Cali
fornia demanded the election of Gillett
on the ground that Theodore A. Bell
had promised the labor party that II
elected he would give labor "a square
deal"-an honest, manly declaration,
but one which was used against him
because it was represented to the peo-
pie that Gillett would be more likely
to suppress insurrection or anarchy,
since he would not be under obliga-
tons to the labor party for its votes.
But what do you suppose Theodore
A. Bell would have done at this crisis
In the affairs of San Francisco? Any
person who knows him, or any person
who ever saw him, knows that he
would have suppressed the rioting and
established law and order in San Fran
cisco if it had taken every man and
every gun in California. And he would
have said 1t was giving honest labor
the identical square deal'' he had
right to live and work
amid surroundings of peace and secur-
ity.
What is Governor Gillett doing?
Looking on" the press dispatches say.
Looking on" while men, women and
children are being stoned and shot by
a reckless and riotous mob of anarch-
lists.
The governor does not seem to under
stand or to appreciate the fact that an
exists in San Francisco,
within the meaning of the state consti-
tuition, and that 1t is his sworn duty
to suppress 1t with all the power and
force at his command. The city is sup
posedly in command of Mayor Schmitz,
who is under many indictments charg-
ing graft and corruption. The board
of supervisors is a body Of self-con-
Pessed grafters. The chief of police,
also indicted and charged with corrup-
ton in office, is supposed to be in COM
nand Of the police. Schmitz is handi-
capped by his partners in crime. Self
would lead him to take
are fruitless. He is powerless to de-
pose the chief of police, and neither
the chief nor the mayor would dare
offend any of the powers behind the
rioters.
The situation leaves the people of
San Francisco absolutely helpless and
at the mercy of a bowling
mob of agitators who do not represent
the honest worlzingman, either union
Or non-union, who believes in law, Or
der and civilized processes.
Governor Gillett is not doing his
duty. He is waiting too long, while the
whole state knows there is no chance
for any Improvement in the San Fran
cisco situation until mob rule is
out by the state.
And unless something shall be quick
y done the results to the city at the
Golden Gate will be more disastrous
than even the effects of earthquake
and fire. Decent citizens will leave
that city as rats desert sinking ship,
and homeseekers would as soon think
Of locating in the regions of inferno
as in city dominated by the mob
spirit.
If the decent people of San Francisco
are patiently waiting for something
to turn up" in the way of surcease
from trouble, in imitation of Micawber
and Governor Gillett, they are making
a grievous mistake. There can be no
between order and an
archy. One or the other must be SUI
preme. When anarchy throws down
the gauntlet of defiance law and order
must take it up or surrender uncon-
That is the present situa-
ton in San Francisco. And 1t is amaz-
ing that there seems to be not enough
of the olden spirit left in the city to
meet the defiance of lawlessness, or
enough sense of duty in the governor
to suppress the insurrection.