Looking thru History - Part 2

In talking with a friend yesterday about the historical significance of my political views, I decided it might be a good idea to write a little bit about the events that I see as having the greatest effect on my view points. I will touch upon 3 points in history: The Enlightenment of 1848; The First International Haymarket Riot of 1886 Eugene Debs and American Socialism 2 - The Haymarket Riot In 1886, various US Labor Unions had organized strikes, trying to work towards an 8-hour work day. On May 1, approximately 80,000 people marched down Michigan Avenue in Chicago (the first May Day Parade). In the next few days, over 1200 factories around the country went on strike. On May 4, a large group gathered in Haymarket Square to listen to the speaking of August Spies, a prominent local Anarchist. Although the rally was peaceful at the outset, this would all change very dramatically. At some point, a pipe bomb was thrown, killing a Chicago police officer immediately, and mortally wounding several others. Return fire from the police and general violence wounded multiple other people. Eight people were arrested in the aftermath and charged with murder: August Spies, Albert Parsons, Adolph Fischer, George Engel, Louis Lingg, Michael Schwab, Samuel Fielden and Oscar Neebe. The prosecution, in lieu of bringing forth any actual evidence, argued that the person who had thrown the bomb had been encouraged to do so by the defendants, who as conspirators were equally responsible. The jury, apparently convinced, convicted them all, handing out seven death sentences. Upon appeal, 2 of the 7 were commuted to life sentences. 1 prison suicide left only 4 of the original 8 to suffer the full penalty. In November 11, 1887, the 4 remaining convicted were hanged. This led to national and international outrage. Responding to significant pressure, On June 26, 1893, Illinois Governor John Peter Altgeld signed pardons for Fielden, Neebe, and Schwab after having concluded all eight defendants were innocent. His reasoning can be read here. The pardons ended his political career. In 1992, the location of the speakers wagon where August Spies had delivered his address was commemorated with a plaque that read: A decade of strife between labor and industry culminated here in a confrontation that resulted in the tragic death of both workers and policemen. On May 4, 1886, spectators at a labor rally had gathered around the mouth of Crane's Alley. A contingent of police approaching on Des Plaines Street were met by a bomb thrown from just south of the alley. The resultant trial of eight activists gained worldwide attention for the labor movement, and initiated the tradition of "May Day" labor rallies in many cities. Designated on March 25, 1992 Richard M. Daley, Mayor This event is considered by some to be the only time in American history where the US Supreme Court knowingly allowed innocent US citizens to be executed. Some support for this is found in Altgeld's pardon. Indeed, it is a fascinating read. It is not hard to understand why a pardon description like this would be political suicide (which it was). It turns out this is not the only time Altgeld displayed this type of nonconformity. As the Pullman Strike flared up with riots, sabotage, and disruption to mail service, Altgeld refused to allow President Grover Cleveland to send in federal troops. On July 4, 1894, Cleveland sent troops to Chicago anyway, an action later upheld by the US Supreme Court. Altgeld's opposition was seen as a highly unusual stance for a state governor at that time. When it all ended, newspapers circulated the following rhyme: The railroad strike played merry hob; The land was set aflame Could Grover order out the troops To block the striker's game? One Altgeld yelled excitedly "Such tactics I forbid; You can't trot out these soldiers" yet That's just what Grover did. In after years when people talk Of present stirring times, And of the action needful to Sit down on public crimes, They'll all of them acknowledge then (The fact cannot be hid) That whatever was the best to do Is just what Grover did. Newspapers, it seems, were nearly as objective in 1983 as they are now. In another related strike, workers striking at the Pullman Palace Car Company (assisted by Eugene Debs, part of my topic for part 3 of this discussion) were described in the media in these ways: "Debs strikers begin work of Destruction, Guns Awe them not, Drunken" "Stockyard Rioters defy Uncle Sam's Troops, Mobs Invite Death" So much for the liberal, labor-friendly media. Altgeld is also eulogized in the poem "The Eagle Forgotten" by Vachel Lindsay. This Governor did much to help the Anarchist cause, even if he did it for reasons that are different than the obvious. What do we learn from part 2? 1. The Government can easily eliminate people they do not like. The convictions of the 8 Anarchists in Chicago was bogus, as shown in Altgeld's pardon. This however, did not prevent 4 of them from being hanged and 3 of them from spending long prison sentences. We have free speech, provided it is not dangerous to those in power. When it becomes dangerous, (1,200 striking factories do not make powerful industrialists very happy) the dangerous people are quickly quelled. 2. The Supreme Court will allow this governmental elimination in all but the most heinous cases. Studying the cases on Constitutional Law, (Indian Law as an example) it is amazing how often the Supreme Court will allow the Government Constitutional authority to commit despicable acts. They are appointed by the executive branch, and stay suprisingly loyal to the power structure and to industry. Legal protection from this group does not resemble the "Blind Lady of Justice" nearly as much as one would hope. 3. The media supports the opinions of the powerful. From this 1 incident, the notion of a "bomb-throwing Anarchist" has grown to permeate the general perception of Anarchy. The word can scarcely be mentioned without conjuring up these images. A great read involving media support for the power structure is Chomsky's book Manufacturing Consent. It delves deeply into this difficult topic. 4. Some politicians will protest injustice, but rarely for altruistic reasons. The Illinois governor, even though he resisted the Presidents use of force and pardoned the Haymarket leaders (after 4 were dead, however), did this more out of a show of state power against the Federal government than of any concern for the people involved. Beware of governmental magnanimity, it is seldom genuine.