The Labor enquirer., 1884-04-26
A Defense.

| gin TlgnG mere anu now. ClTlZEN.
Defense.
Editor Labor Enquirer.
DENVER. April 22.-In your issues of
the twelfth and nineteenth instant, your
comment on the conduct of D. K Smith,
superintendent of the South Park rail-
road at Como is unjust. Permit me
space to tell the truth, which I will do,
let the consequence be what it will.
know you are true advocate of theIpoor;
of this am fully satisfied, let others say
what they will; but do not be too hasty
in believing what everybody tells you
about the tyranny of others. There are
many men in the ranks of labor who
look like men and talk like men, but
whose veracity cannot be relied upon
whenever an opportunity presents itself
to traduce their nelghbor. Such men
are like millstones fastened tightly
around the neck of all honest, industri-
GUS labor reformers.
am not undert aking to defend ID. K.
Smith or any other officer over or under
him. l have been working under D. K
Smith for the last seven months. have
never spoken one word to him nor has
he to me; would scarcely know him if
l should meet him now. am under no
compliment to him nor he to me. am
here to perform my duty, and if l do
that Mr.. Smith will never interfere with
me or anv other man that does W hat is
right. Mr.. Smith never did instruct
clearinghouse keepers or any other
person to garnishee the wages Of any
man who is honest enough to pay his
board. This is the truth. Every board
ing-house boss on this road can put his
board bill in on the time. roll, on the last
day of the month, and he will get it
without serving garnishee, to the cent
So Mr.. D. K Smith need not instruct to
the contrary. You did not get your In
formation from section-men; or, If you
did, they lied deliberately about board
bills
Now, for the character of the person
garnisheed and what they were garni-
sheed for will tell you the truth, They
are chronic drunkards, who work a few
days-perhaps month or more to earn
whisky money. They are generally
paid off at Como. If ten minutes or
less they are drunk, ON the streets and
raising the devil all around that little
town. The marshal takes them to
prison, they are fined for drunkenness,
and if they have not the money with
which to pay the fine at the time, and il
they go to work on the road again, their
wages are garnisheed to pay that fine
and the expenses of the garnishee-$2O
which is an outrage, even on a drunkard
But there ought to be no sympathy
shown such men. They are disgrace
to any class of civilized men, and an
impediment to the good morals which
characterize all Christians from the com.
mon brutes of the field.
lam the friend of all honest men, nc
; matter how poor and lowly, provided
they are sincere in what they undertake
to do in promoting unity and industry
in action. word and good example, bu1
this the chronic drunkard never did and
never will do. You might as we'll try
, to fence the air across the earth with 6
single barb wire as to try to reform
dirty, vomiting drunkard; even tn.
truth he will not tell. 1t is disgusting tt
see young, strong men tramping bach
, and forward, year in and year out, bu
every year getting older, meaner, ant
confirmed in that fatal vice that know
no shame, and extinguishes in man tha
bright flame that lights him to libert!
, and happy death.
They blow all out at Como they trave
along in the midst of winter without
I. blanket to cover them at night, and sleel
out in the snow without food for days
! telling very pitiful stories about tn
: misfortunes they met at Como; tina
r monster and murderer-Bradly, the mar
shal-robbed them, imprisoned then
> without any cause, and D. K. smitl
5 sanctioned and helped to rob them
: After they are through with their hal
r angue against honorable. decent mel
. they will turn the conversation n-whel
: they think they have excited you t
have pity for them. "Well, misus, hav
Q you hard crust of bread you woul
= give me I did not eat a mouthful {