The Labor enquirer., 1886-07-31
VROOMAN,s VALoR.
The Boy Preacher Socialist
Bluffs Back at the Mayor
of Parsons,
And Holds Three Rousing Meet.
ings In Spite of the "Law
and Order League"
A Brush at the Polls In Which the
WOrkingmen Come Ont
First Best.

FIRST Best f..
Editor Labor Enquirer - e..
PARSONS, Kansas, July 22.-Coming
events cast their shadows before, and
we can judge pretty we'll of what will be
done bv the exploiters of the world by
the present actions of few of their rep
resentatives. Your readers are probably
we'll aware of the fact that Parsons was
one of the hottest points in the late
Southwestern strike, and that several
hundred of the strikers, all good Knights
of Labor, were discharged, the majority
of them scattering throughout the coun.
try and thus leaving the whole commu.
nifty at tn mercy of the "law and order
league"
But whom the gods would destroy
they first make mad, and once in power
this mob began to show its true nature.
Since the strike about 300 Knights of
Labor have left the town. and since
then the silk clothing element have had
things completely their own wav. On
the third of July laboring men were
even prohibited from celebrating the
day that they were made fire. Ell, In the
place they wanted to, There being two
Parsons celebrations on the same day),
andthey were told they would lose their
jobs if they went to the one managed bv
their own class
Members of the Knights of Labor
have cen falsely imprisoned and heav-
lily fined for ilnag ginary otfenses, and
good workmen and citizens of the town
have walked the streets for months
without work. because of their manhood
in staying with the order, while strangers
have come In by the dozen and taken
good jobs before having been in the
town twenty four hours. Those of little
faith had begun to, lose courage and
think that all was lost, in this locality at
least, and that there was not much
use for further effort for the pr esent.
came to town nine days ago, and,
distributed circulars announcing an
open air labor mass meeting on the
street, for last Thursday evening. |
met the mayor on the street Thursday
forenoon and asked if 1t would be all
right to hold meeting on the street, as
long as we did not blockade travel. and
as soon as he found that was the one
advertised, he began to curse and swear
and rave, and said that not another id
agitator would be allowed to speak in
town, and that if was caught in the
city limits after 3 o'clock, they would
"put me in the hole if not by law, some
other way" He is the leader in the
law and order league and a hard worker
in the Y. NC. A. l walked around
and told some members of the K. Of L.
and they were blue. and said if spoke
there would be trouble, and that they
were not at present strolg enough to
defend me, that the |. and o. league had
things all their own way, and my own
: friends advised me not TO speak as |
would get hurt.
But had read the bible more than
they and had committed to memory the
story of little David, who, with nothing
but sling, because the Lord was with
him, slew the great giant Goliath. who
| ,r;th iponrounI
of the time, and decided, contrary to
the advice of elder and cooler heads, to
!. find out whether or not there was yet q
God IN Israel. Was met again on the
street by the mayor, and before twenty
witnesses he cursed me and sail that if
| did not leave town on the next train
it would be made warm for me but
, about o'clock 1900 people had gathered
on the vacant lots secured, great many
expecting to see the speaker pulled
( down, tarred and feathered and sent
t from the town in hurry.
9 But when the speaker appeared, q
g small crowd of the most determined
}. looking men Of the community appeared
!. with him. One of them mounted the
y stand and said there was going to be a
speech there that evening, and that the
r principle Of free speech would be tested
h there and then.s After being introduced
j. to the crowd, with one hand on the
bibl. and the other not very far from
n the hip pocket, we gave the people some
severe truths IN plain language, for an
= hour and half. interrupted often by
o outburst5 of enthusiasm.
b When we had finished, like Elijah
e when making the test with the priests
g of Baal between Jehovah and their idol,
It when all their sacrifices and entreaties
}, brought no response, be said may be
It their god was asleep. and he gave them
n more time so the test would be satisfac.
s tor7 to all. and We said that we would
have another meeting the next evening,
s and see if it was not by some mistake or
re misunderstandlng that Il was allowed to
speak tonight" The next evening the
vacant lots were all crowded full clear
r out into the street, over 1000 people be-
ing present, including women and chill
: dren. Tne speech lasted for an hour
3 and half, after which we announced
n that we did not want any misunderstand-
O ing, that we wished to be thorough, and