A Reign of Terror by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Aug 29, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 34.

"A Reign of Terror"

By Editor

IN McClure's Magazine for August a writer tells the story of an interview with detective Burns concerning his arrest of the McNamara brothers for the dynamiting of the Los Angeles Times Building, October 1, 1910. Mr. Burns showed that the Los Angeles dynamiting was not an isolated case, but it was rather the culmination of "the campaign of dynamite," as it was called. He goes back to 1905, where, he affirms, the trouble began, and mentions a few cases in that year and in the year 1906. By the year 1908, he declares, "the dynamitings amounted to a 'reign of terror.' We are given a record for that year of twenty big explosions on different works, besides four attempted explosions and three cases of tampering with machinery." He further adds: "The thing got so bad that a war wouldn't have been much worse. For 1909 and down to the time of the Peoria affair in September, 1910, we made a list of thirty-five destructive explosions, three other unsuccessful attempts, and seven assaults on workmen."

"The Peoria affair" that he speaks of was an explosion that occurred in that city in September, just prior to the one that destroyed the Times Building in October, a few weeks later. Those who have followed the news of the day will readily call to mind the despatches that have noted from time to time these dynamitings and explosions.

The National Erectors' Association was organized during the first week in May, 1906, and drew into it most of the large structural iron concerns of the country. They immediately declared for the "open shop," and said they would employ either union or non-union men, just as they pleased.

The claim is made by the National Erectors' Association that all this dynamiting has been done by the labor organization that has opposed them, so as to terrify them into meeting the demands of the labor-union. And on the other hand the claim is made by the labor-unions that the Erectors' Association itself has hired men to do all this dastardly work, so that they might defeat the labor organizations by bringing them into contempt.

With these contentions we have nothing to do. It is not even necessary for us to state on which side we might think there was the preponderance of evidence. The fact has to be admitted by all, that there has been an awful amount of lawlessness, resulting in much loss of life and property. The condition has come to be a terrible one, regardless of who is to blame for it. Men may blame this one and that, and they may offer this solution and that for the relief of the difficulty; but the violence and lawlessness of the time keep going on worse and worse. For more than a third of a century this journal has been in the field, telling every one it could reach that the Word of God clearly points out that lawlessness and violence will be more and more prevalent. The prophecies point it out as the last desperate effort of Satan to destroy as many as possible before the coming of the Son of Man to end this reign of sin. The very conditions of this time show that violence, lawlessness, and crime will become worse and worse; and the prophecies show what it all signifies.

Martin V. Calvin, the director of the Georgia agricultural experiment station, sends us their recent Bulletin No. 92 on "The Cotton Red Spider." Mr. E. L. Worsham, State entomologist of Georgia, is the author of the Bulletin, and he tells us that the red spider was first described by Entomologist Banks in 1900, showing that it had not attracted attention in this country before that time, altho it was known in Europe. This mite, popularly tho improperly called a spider, has come to be one of the menacing pests that destroy crops. It has a particular fondness for the cotton plant, which it destroys very rapidly, especially in dry weather; but in the absence of the cotton it feeds on almost any kind of green plant. In dry, hot weather the pest increases very rapidly. Careful observation and calculation lead to the conclusion that a single female and her rapidly developing progeny will produce more than a billion in a single season. The fight that has to be made against the great army of pests that destroy crops has come to be one of the strenuous tasks of the time. Did you ever read the striking prophecy of Joel concerning the significance of this thing?

Two boys, each six years of age, entered the offices of a stone-cutting company in Denver, knocked the knob off the safe with a pick, but not being able to get it open, they ransacked desks and office drawers, and were captured as they were leaving with their arms laden with plunder. Happenings of this sort show the great field for missionary endeavor in American homes. Boys with proper homes and the right kind of reading and instruction, do not come out "safe-crackers" at six years of age.

The despatches continue to tell of the critically sick condition of the pope. The orders have been given by his physicians that he must remain very quiet, not being allowed to sit up. And current with these despatches concerning the pope's illness are others that tell of certain holy days that he has ordered not to be observed, so that business and labor will not be so much interfered with. He evidently has some good lieutenants who know how to keep things going in his name.

God will do all for the sinner's salvation on His part. He has pledged all that in giving His only-begotten Son to die. Having given Him for the saving of mankind, how can He withhold anything that is less?

A fleet of four cruisers and eight torpedo-boat destroyers have been ordered by the Government to proceed to Hawaii to test the defenses of those islands.