Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-09-10
How Stone Enforced the Law
(Cassville Democrat, August 49,


A great deal is heard about the
use of the militia to enforce the
law, and it might be we'll to re-
call the position of William j.
Stone, while he was Governor, re-
lative to the use of the military
arm of the government in quell-
ing disorder. During the year 1894
occurred the great railroad strike.
In many states, notably Pennsyl-
vania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indi-
ana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and
and Alabama, the militia and ar
my of the United States were call
ed in, and almost state of war
existed, Many serious conflicts
occurred, and the widespread
strife was threatened. The coun-
try was never so near a revolution
as then. But, what of Missouri?
In Missouri thousands of striking
men were found, and excitement
ran rife in all the railroad centers
of the State. Life and property
were in daily peril, and men
gravely feared the worst. AT Mo-
berly, Springfield, Thayer, Slater,
Birds Point, Kansas City and st.
Louis menacing demonstrations
we're made, and timorous souls
began calling upon William j.
Stone to call out the militia and
send them into the centers of the
strike. Did he yield to their
alarms, and send the States mi
litia to shoot down the striking
workmen? Did he send terror in
to their midst, and threaten them
with bayonets? No. He answer
ed that he thought the States civ
| il authorities were abundantly
able to cope with the situation
He declared that he did not be-
lieve it was the business of the
State to supply railroads with
workingmen, engineers, break
men or the like. But that if the
1
railroads supplied their trains
with crews and were able to run
them they must be permitted tc
run, that the State could not tole-
rate any interference with traffic. II
was simply up to the company tc
furnish train crews if they could
Proceeding upon this ground, he
dispatched members of his per-
sonal staff, officers of the Attor'
ney-General's office and othel
State officials into the storm CEN
rers and called upon the loca
peace officers to do their full du'
ty in preserving peace and order
Then he made direct personal ap-
peals to the pride, good sense and
patriotism of the striking men.
He determined to exhaust every
res ource before making use OF tn
militia, and accordingly used tn
States constabulary with COM
plete success. There was not
life lost, and only one incident il
the State where railroad propert.
suffered loss. This occurred in 81
Louis, where a locomotive wa
standing on the track with stear
up. The engineer was away fror
his cab, and some man suppose
to be striker, sprang upon tn
cab and threw the throttle oper
> The engine started down the tracl
i but switch was thrown open an
. the engine ran off and was smash
ed. The man guilty of this OF
tense was arrested and brougf
before the courts. Aside from a.
this, there was no injury don
s railroad property anyw here in th
: State.
The result of Governor Stone
d CO OIL headed course was satisfat
l tory, and Missouri alone, OF a
: the states, suffered no stigma up
= on her good name by any de
!. structive outbreak. The Cover
t nor and the administrative Office
1t of the State under his calm an
!. iudicions lead held the situatio
completely in hand. Never on.
did he entertain the idea of cal
=, ing to his aid the Missouri M
20 tional Guard, which he believe
1t was organized for other purpose
V than to do police duty, when Il
= local officers could control IL
q situation by doing their full dut
II This was a striking instance of el
forcement of the law without eve
having to threaten the use of IL
militia, and it must be borne
mind, that he was not dealil
% with craven, sulking race-tra'
:, gamblers or drunken "lid-lifters
" but with men infuriated by ha
g, red and passion, in whose vel
81 hot blood coursed madly, as th'