Year: 1877

|


The struggle between anarchy aud evil law


continues. Yesterday. Chicago dealt with Its
| Communists The attitude OF substantial


citizens IN all the chief cities is reassuring.
| The Urfcd States Government is doing what
il can with forces, and yet more "ith its


assurance that its vast powers VIII be cXerted


wherever it may be necessary. Movement OF


Il ans on some roads has begun. In the survey


OF Ae field there is but one dlscouraging
feature lis reported, we hope not with truth,


that an end of the strike has been secured on


one road 10y promise of immunity 60 certain OF


the most guilty instgatOrs of the Infamous


rebellion which has brought the whole country
into disorder, and exposed selI-government to
shame.


Most earnestly we hope that this report may


not be true. The railway companies have de-
served high praise thus far by their firm, dg-


nted and kindly bearing. They have tired to


reason with misguided law-breakers when
ever reasoning was OF use. They have stead
| fastly adhered to their right to hire free
labor wherever they pleased regardless


of the dictatiOn of any union or MOB,
and so far have done well. But great


harm has been done if, in a single PROM
inent case a pledge of immunity for vio-
ation of law has been given as an inducement
to a settlement otherwise desirable. The rail


road companies have no right to forget that
in this matter they have asked and expected
all law-abiding citizens to make common cause
with them. But surely they do not mean now
TO insult the convictions Of the better class OF
citizens by compounding a felony! They have
liked that order-loving citizens should sustain


them N vindicating the rights of employers,


but surely shey do not mean to tGrteIt all that


is best in the sympathy they have deserved


and secured by selfish barter at the expense


of the majesty of law! Are the railroad com


paiics ready to offer premium for future


riots Can they afford to say thai, however


easy and sure their victory may b. in any


future struggle, the man VINO dehos the


law in order TO assail them shall have I'M


munity from theml Let them remember, we


ask that something beyond the thy lucre OF


railway profits Is at stake! IGere is at stake
the honor of self government; the question
whether free government il capable of meeting


with success a Communist, Instruction. The


gain of the railways may be temporarily Sc
cured by surrender to law-breakers; but the


people who have sustained their just demands
thus far, and without whose support they


would be helpless, have a right to ask that
self lf-government shall not be robbed OF its vim
dicatlon by any compromise hostile To Tie


law and to public morals.


Ii should also be remembered that the rail-
ways cannot afford ID put themselves at the


mercy of mischief-makcrs at time when the
| Government must protect its own honor by


steadily turning toward specie payments. I'M


measurably worse troubles than any we have


vet seen can be escaped only by establishing
| IN the most complete manner the right OF the
! c,uplover and of the unclaimed laborer.
| Presently specie payments must come. In
| fated retail prices must be abolished The
! railways, and every other important industrial
| and commercial interest, must sustain the Gov
| eIn!nent in its preparation for that change.
| " it'll specie payments we must nave lower
| cost of living, so that lower wages shall not
rob the workingmap. But the lower retail


prices can never be obtained until lower
| scale of wages--One more near to the specie
| basis of 1S6O--has been reached. The rail
WAYS have now an opportunity to do their


part in this great work-an opportunity with
| al the power of the Government, and all the


sympathy of good citizens, to sustain them.
| II viii be one of those blunders which is


worse than q crime if they throw way the


chance of adjusting their business - specie


basis, and forfeit the sympathy OF ID" abiding


citizens by compromising with insurgents and
| compOunding felony.