Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1886 — BEN BUTLER INTERVIEWED. [ARTICLE]

BEN BUTLER INTERVIEWED.

ile Denounces Pinkerton’s Armed Force as an “Organized Movable Mob.” [New York special.] Gen. B. F. Butler had a long talk about politics with a corro-pondeut who visited uim ut bis home in Lowell, Mass., during the course of which lie said: "I am inclined to believe thitthe George movement is ihe beginning of the organist, ion of labor as a political body. Of its extent I practically know nothing. It may e ephemeral, like the Know-Nothing party, but I hope not. Labor should organize itself for its otvn protection. Capital is already organized. It employs some 8,000 men, thoroughly armed, equipped, and drilled, called the Pinkerton force of detectives, which is thrown upon any point where labor is discontented or shows signs of trying by organization to better its condition, it is sent with tho greatest celerity, for it is passed over many ail roads without paying fare. Whenever it uses its weapons upon laboring man, it becomes a murderous mob Ibis incites the laboring man to turbulence and violence, md there is no more dangerous element iu this country than this same organized, movable mob. Its shooting from the cars upon a body of citizens—men, women, and children—as was done at Chicago recently, without substantial cause, shows its utter recklessness as to law and human life. “It is a disgrace to both the State and the United States governments that such a body of men is suffered to exist. The militia of the Slate and the regular army of the United States ought to be sufficient to enforce the law in any case, nnd have always been shown to be powerful lor that purpose when properly handled. At some time Pinkerton’s mob will bring on a riot m which it will be found powerless, and from which such horrible and terrible results from loss of life nnd destruction of property will ensue as to open the eyes of everybody to the enormous mischief of tho organization. “The labor question will bo the groat disturber of future politics. I mean the question of how firmly and completely labor is organized and takes part iu its ow n behalf in future elections. If it is organized and the laboring men vote together to any considerable extent they hold the-elec-tion in the hollow of their hands and I look to them to destroy this Southern monopoly of the Presidency by inking from it that without which it is impotent for evil—New York City and New York State.”