The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-09-24
Alsgeld. the First Insurgent


Altgeld, the First Insurgcnt
There il a world Of truth in the pro.
verb that justice comes to every man,
and the first step Of il came TO one
mau last week when Governor John +.
Altgeld received the name of ''the
first insurgent" at Chicago at the IN.
yelling Of four bronze memorial tablets
uader tn. direction Of the John p. Alt.
geld Memorial association.
The life OF the former governor dom.
mated as among the first officials TO
take up q tight against special privileges
was recalled by George Fred Williams of
Massachusetts. The dedication was at.
tended by members OF the Chicago La.
Dor organizations in a body.
The tablets which will be- placed in
Gracelaud cemetery, are dedicated to
"Johp Peter Altgeld, citizen, volunteer,
soldier, lawyer, Judge, orator and gov.
ernor OF Illinois, who died March IL,
1902 Each contains selections from
tho HAbiAN AhCNS VI wv rim VI
fetal, including u message OF protest to
President Cleveland in 1894 denying
the right OF the president to send Unit.
ed States troops into the state OF III.
inois and al expression OF his attitude
following the pardon Of men convicted
OF anarchy in 1893.
GsIn tk. .sUnna,hAra ~ n.t.f vyh,.h
pervades today, can it be doubted
that a blind and unquestioning support
OF Altgeld would have made this state
one of the purest in the %republief' said
Mr., Williams in his address.
As one who had ever a deep belief
in the life and character OF John l..
Altgeld as n OF the greatest Ameri.
cans who ever lived, there is "a deep
pleasure 70 me in the above items of
news. For John Peter Altgeld was a
man in all that makes for greatness, and
il is wsl that at this late day the fact
is being recognized by 30 many people,
some OF wbom IL must be confessed
joined in the hue and cry against him
when he pardoned the anarchists. And
yet his action in that case was proof
in itself OF the greatness of the man,
1t always seemed to me-, and I was on
the ground. There was not the least
doubt in the world that Lingg and his
bunch were anaehists. They admitted
IL, glo RED in il. 80 far AS I was con
cerned / thought then and think now
that they ought to have been hung OF
general principles. II looked different
to Altgeld. He was the governor OF
q great state. There was not Il par
ticle Of evidence TO show that any on,
Of the three had anything whatever u
do with the throwing of the bomb tina
carried death with it that evening il
Haymarket square. The popular clamoI
was for the conviction Of somebody Of
other, add all Of the power Of the pc
lice department Of the great metropolis
was bent toward eonvicting the accus
ed e SO strong was the feelinI
against them, that conviction was easy
and IL is not TO be wondered at wheI
IL is recalled that the chief really be
lieved that they were guilty. However
the evidence did not show II, or tina
they had anything against them beyon,
them being against the government, o.
rather all government, Altgeld had TAX
en- the oath to protect all tho preople
and sorry specimens as Lingg and hi
compadres were, they had the right
of the people, ana their lives were en-
titled TO the same ssftey as those o
other citizens against whom no crim'
had been proven. Altgeld stood "
in the face OF the popular cry for re
vsnge and pardoned the non II Their
had been q recall in Illinois then, b.
would have been bounced from ofic'
In q week. There was non and afte
the heathen had gotten their rage on,
bad time 10 think as reasoning thing
hey began 70 see that Altgeld was RICH,
though thousands snd Thousands o
tAsn would Aavs died before they woul,
have admitted Il. Il was all the sam
! 70 The tran iittis MAJ whose great bsai,