Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-05-01


on my every transaction. have nothing
to conceal.
You can settle this strike. It's longer
continuance rests with you and you alone.
Every act of violence, every drop of blood
that may be shed from this time forth,
must be laid at your door.
The Knights of Labor were not found
ed to promote or shield wrong-doing, and
to-day the Order of the Knights of Labor
stands between your property and ruin.
We are willing to absolve the men along
your railways from their allegiance to our
Order; we leave that to themselves. We
will not allow any claim which the order
may have on them to stand between them
and their restoration to their former pO-
sitions. The Order of the Knights of
Labor asks Of no man to remain a men,
Der if it is not to his interest to do so.
You may deal with them as citizens If
you will. We will surrender our right to
claim these men as members If they wish,
but will not surrender our right to see
this affair thoroughly investigated.
You have said that the Order of the
Knights of Labor was conspiracy, Sc
cret menace, &c. I am willing, as the
chief officer, to lay everything connected
with our order bare to the world, if you
will, on the other hand, lay open to the
public the means and methods whereby
You have piled up the wealth you now
control, and allow the tribunal of public
opinion to pass in judgement on the two,
and say which is the conspiracy. Do you
accept the challenge?
You have instructed your legal adviser
to proceed against every man connected
with the knights of Labor for the dam
ages sustained since the strike began.
Two weeks ago 1 said "Do not do this"
To-day [ say begin at once. Lay claims
for damages in every court within whose
jurisdiction Knight exists. Proceed at
once, and in every State where you can
recover damages do so, if the law will
sustain you in it, Let the majesty of the
law be indicated 1t is just and right
that it should be SO. We are willing to
face you before the LAW. We will fight
you with no other weapon. For every
violation of the law of the state or ma
ton, we will enter suit against you. And
in this crusade against you, do not under
stand that we mean to prosecute you.
On the contrary, we wish to see the law
indicated. If you have at all tines obey
ed In your dealings, in the methods by
which you have acquired your immense
fortune then it is time that the many Of
fences with which you have been charged
should be refuted. You have remained
silent under many damaging charge of
injuring the state. We will be your
avengers. If you have been wronged, we
will let it be known to the world through
the medium of the COURTS OF JUSTICE.
And let me say right here, that no money
will buy a verdict at the hands Of these
courts.
There are people who say that this
struggle is the beginning of war between
capital and labor. That statement is false
This certainly means war; but it is war
between legitimate capital, honest enter
prise and honest labor on the one hand,
and illegitimate wealth on the other hand.
This is war in which we court the full
est investigation of our acts. Do you dare
to do the same?
This war means no further strike, no
of blood. It is war in which
every business man, every commercial
man, every professional man, every work.
ing man, will be invited to enlist. It will
not be war upon the innocent, and the
battlefield upon which it will be fought
out will be before the courts of LAW, and
that which makes law-PUBLIC OPINION.
There will be no mobs in this supreme
hour to silence any mans opinion. No
converts will be made by physical force.
''That flag which floats over press or man
sion at the bidding of mob disgraces
both victor and victim" And under such |
a flag as that we will not wage the battle.
But this battle of the people against mo-
nopoly may as well be fought out now as
ten years from now. And what field so |
proper in which to fight it out !
as before the courts? Let us know wheth- |
er laws We're made to be obeyed or not;
and if they were not so framed, then the |
people must make laws that will be obey
ed. No man, whether he be rich or wheth |
er he be the poorest of the poor, shall in
the future shirk the responsibility of his
acts, and shield himself behind the courts.
It was to see that the laws were obeyed |
that the Order of the knights of Labor
was founded, and if the day has come to
make the trial, so let it be.
/ do not write this letter to you either
IN the spirit of anger or revenge. For
you, personally, have no dislike. 1 be-
ieve that if allowed to follow your own
in this matter, you would have
lad the strike ended ere this. Those who
advise you do not mingle with the people;
hey do not care for the people.
You have been warned that your life is
n danger. Pay no attention to such talk.
No man who has the interest of his coun-
ry at heart would harm hair of your
lead. But the system which reaches out
N all sides, gathering in the millions of
dollars of treasure, and keeping them out
# the legitimate channels of trade and
must die, and the men, whose
money is invested in the enterprises which
took gambling has throttled, must make
ommon cause with those who have
'een denied the right to earn enough to
'rovide the merest necessaries of life for
ome and family.
When 1 say to you that we will meet
on in the courts, do not speak rashly
r ill-advisably. [ have taken counsel
rom the best legal minds of the United
states. We are prepared to face You be-
ore the courts, and now await your ac-
ion in the matter. This is no threat. I
lay no game of bluff or chance. Ispeak {
Or SOC, 900 organized men who are ready
D pay out the last farthing in order that .
Justice may prevail You have it in your
over to make friends of these men by
citing the part of man by taking this
natter in your own hands. VIII you do
0, and end this strife in the interest of
and our common country? It
your duty to brush aside every obsta. +,
lie, assert your authority and take this !
natter in your own hands; settle every |
rievance, restore every man to his own t
he,