The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-10-25

TIN R1PLY
of"Tax Payer 20 Tax Fsyers."
BUTTE, Oct. q, 18ss.
There b and ought TO b but one
excuse for the passage Of the % called
Gag Law, "and that b it. neeessity.
Class legislation b beyond all contro-
versy no: only wrong but sncivillsed
Laws to be just must BE universaland
effect all CLASSES alike, and when this
tsst = applied and the law fails to
meet the requirement, it, repeal b
the proper remedy. It appean to be
the determination Of . class, or . por-
tion Of the community, to make the
Gag Law an issue at the coming elec-
tios, and regardless Of party to vote
for the men who favor it, repeal, and
to defeat, II possible, those who enter
tain . different view. Your CORES
pondent In this mornings issue In.
sinuates that this law was passed by
corrupt means and In the interest of
. certain capitalist Of this plaee. It
b not known who this accuser is, but
he by his communication convicts
himself Of being either . knave OF .
very poorly Informed individual, for
Il h . we'll known Gact 70 all who have
examined the history Of the bill that
the same was passed without word
having been uttered against its pas-
sage In either house, and virtually
without opposition, and consequent
ly fraud or corruption was not neces-
sary. The measure was passed free
~ and with knowledge Of its pro-
visions by the Legislature, and It
would be humiliating indeed to any
member Of that Leg islature to assert
the contrary.
A certain class, or rather the demar
gsgues who pretend to ally them
selves with the Interests Of the work
Ing claeses, proclaim aloud that they
are insulted by the provisions of this
law. Quite likely, and these same
lo,d-mouthed advocates q Kearney-
ISM , II the truth sheuld be known, are
insulted by the statutes pu1ishing
murder, arson. larceny, and every
other statute for the prevention Of
crime. Why should these men be 10
Infatuated and insulted by this law :
It punishes one class ~ we'll No an
other. and It only Furnishes such acts
"A cannot and will not be tolerated
by civilized communities, and the
LEGISLATURE In. done no more than
was required Of it, In providing =
punishment for acts which, otherwise
the law-abiding portion Of the conf
munity would punish In . very sum-
mary manner. The law is . good
one, and IL in the interest Of peace
and good order. II no illegal acts are
contemplated then this law has no
terrory; but should these complaining
parties, very many Of whom may not
be honest workingn,en, expect to pre-
vent the use and enjoyment Of prf-
vate property by the rightfal owners.
Or apply the torch aud ax to other
mems property, or tra'nple upon 9TH
sr's rights, which they hold 10 dear
to themselves, then the law does ap-
ply, and Il Il the wish Of every good
citizen that It may be rigidly en-
forced, and that 'sno quilts man e.
cape." II the issue must be present.
ed upon thir law, it looks strange that
the workingmen, II such they he,
should worry themselves ~ the law-
opposing party, and enter . contest
which must inevitably prove disas.
trcus. aud destroy the confidence u
law-abiding citizens In the honesty
of their designs and purposes.
should the working CLASSES enter
this contest and strive fSr the repeal
Of this law, there II much to be said
that would excuse their course. They
are. II we are to celieve these pre-
tended or woultl-be exponents. .eniire"
" ignorant Of the provisions Of the
law. There has been eonjured up IN
their minds, by the application Of
this ,nisnomer Of ''Gag Law" to the
enactment of the Legislature, grave
f@ars concerning their lives and liber'
ties. They have been told ~ un
scrupulous persons that the very
bread fr themselves and families
depended upon the repeal Of this
law: that the stability and price OF
waves ars regulated BY 1t, and a'-
though in nearly four years Of It's ex-
istence no hardship has been exoeri'
enced thereby, there seems to Ce an
underlined and ungrounded IeaE t"a'
they may be called upon ut any mo-
nent to answer some grave charge
f,r uucem,mitted crimes without the
intervention Of Judge, Jury or co"n'
sel. This Is the teachings OF such
educators .. tic writer Of the efSas'""
1, this mornings issue, In which ne
falsely intimates or asserts mat
this hus the harshness e"".
nletl with the power N
absolute and uurestratned en-
forccment Of y Russian law or eo'c''
1t n,ay 10 as predicted that the law
and order men will t.e "bursed deep
in this contest, but 1t Is we'll Tor th's
correspondent to renle'"''er 'na'
men Who attempt to teach falsely
knowing It, and who seek every oP'
portuuity to es:os,se the cs'''c Of Inc
"d~ar people," in y spirit OF ''e'''., ,
eoxuery, will eventually t'e as..e"ee'
to their proper place in society," 'hes
do not already occupy It.
- Al. Na<aDuH