The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-19
LABOR AGITATORs.

have announced the arrest. conviction and
sentence OF Denis Kearney, charged by the
police authorities with using vulgar and
language In hls speeches. The
court decided that Kearney was guilty as
since his language was likely to pro-
woke breach OF the peace, and Judge Rlx
promptly sentenced the renowned agitator to
SIX months Imprisonment in the House OF
Correction, and to pay q fine OF $1,000. It Is
said that the severity OF this sentence
WAS q decided surprise to Kearney, who
expected to be let off with q nominal fine
and to make capital out Of the circumstances
In his future dlsorderly proceedings He, no
doubt, thought 1t would enable him to appear
In the role OF champion Of free speech and
to hurl his inyectlve with redoubled force at
the minions Of the honorable bilks" and
stbloated aristocrats" who had, In his person.
undertaken to trample upon the sacred rights
OF American freemen. No wonder, then, that
the sudden check involved In the penalty OF
six months Incarceration In prison and a fine
Of $1,000 should somewhat shock his nerves and
arouse his vehement Indignation as recorded
In the kilograms. simultaneously with this
announcement comes the information that ut
a meeting OF the Worklngmens clubs OF San
Francisco resolutions were presented declar-
Ing In unmistakable language against Kear-
ney and disclaiming all sympathy with what
are known as the sand lot agitators who, 1t
is claimed, have already brought the real
workingmen Of the city and State into dig
repute. This would seem to divest Kearney
of much OF his boasted strength, and to es-
tablish the fact that the open outdoor agita-
tion In San Francisco has been confined
almost entirely to those loud-mouthed indi
viduals who have, from time to time. pro-
claimed from their arena In the sand lots the
coming doom of those who dared to deny
their claims to regulate the demand and sup
ply Of labor and to fix the amount OF COM
pensation for the same There is just pos
sibility, however, that some OF these work.
ingmen who now profess such holy horror
OF the wicked ways Of Kearney have In the
past encouraged him by failing to speak out
In condemnation of his acts, and now come
forth at the last hour, when his star Of
popularity is nearing the horizon, In the
same manner that rats will desert sinking
ship. While Denis Kearney was looked
upon as master Of the situation
we heard no talk of his course damaging the
cause of the workingmen, but the moment
that he falls into the clutches OF the law we
find them Justify shouting: "Stone him "
"Down with the arch agitator!" But leaving
this matter without further consideration the
State OF California, as we'll as the country at
large, may be congratulated upon this prompt
action OF the San Francisco authorities. It
Is likely to revive a respect for the law In
that quarter, which Of late has been regarded
as at very low ebb. It will at the same
time encourage the investment Of
capital and allow those honest
workin9men who really desire employment
to secure 1t without resorting to forcible
measures such as contemplated by the late
movements Of the Kearney agltators. The
lesson which is now being taught to Denis
Kearney and his followers, It u to be appre-