The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-07-09
LAW AND ORDER.
A Secret Organization Which Proposes 70
Maintain Them-National Minute-Men
Ready on Call to Fig:t Strikes and
Boycotts-The American Law and Order

A Secret Organization Which Proposes TO
Maintain Them-National Minute-Men
Ready on Call to Fight Strikes and
Boycotts-The American Law and Order
League.
ST.. LOUIS, July 2.-SeYeral very import
ant meetings of the leaders OF the Law
and Order League have been held re-
Gently both here and at sedaha, Mo- A
prominent officer of the league says that
these meetings have been much more
general in character than those previously
held, the intention being to establish an
organization from one end OF the country
to the other in support of law and order,
which can be largely i1iassed if necessary
at one point. For instance, in case OF
trouble In ST. Louis with which the league
here could not cope, the preparations
now being made are for the purpose OF
enabling the local officials to call on Chi
cago or any other place for reinforce
ments, the members being bound to an
swer such a call at moments notice.
The organization, in this respect, is partak-
ing more OF the character of national min
ute-men, though the members say they
hope they will never be called on to per
form that kind OF duty. AS a means OF
getting the forces out on a few moments
notice, the addresses of all members,
business and residence, are taken. The
league, which had it's origin in Sedalia,
has been rapidly fathered by some of the
leading secret society men in the country,
Legion of Honor members and Ma
sons being prominent and the
workings and management OF these
societies have been consolidated and
the best points called out. In order to Sc
cure large and effective membership as
soon as possible, and at the same time
keep it secret, they have been very success
full in the latter regard, and it is only with
the greatest labor that any thing reliable
as to it's workings can be ascertained. Be-
ginning in Sedalia and spreading to De
Soto and Hannibal, Mo-, it was soon
taken up by st. Louis, when it real.
ly began to boom and spread rapidly
to Carondelet, GAINESVILLE, Crystal City,
Mo-. Belleville, H.; Chicago, jackson,
Mich; Evansville, Ind; st. Paul, Minneap p
oils, Rochester, n. Y; Milwaukee and Bal
timore, in about the order named, and is
now gaining a strong foothold in Iowa
and Kansas and other States. With the
points named it has reached membership
of over II 900, over s, 900 of which are in
st. Louis. Included in the membership, it
is said, are large number OF laboring
men, engineers, conductors and Knights OF
Labor who express q firm allegiance to
the League in preference to any order. Rev.
Edmonston, of Sedaha, has been en-
ployed to work the league up all over
the country, and has organized a
great many branches, and has com
mittees working in all directions
The principal object is to prevent
labor disturbances and discountenanct
strikes and boycotts. The latter comes in
for particular condemnation, commit
tee OF the league being appointed to in
vestigate all boycotts, and where the EN-
ployer is found to have been unjust, to let
them alone but where the employer has
given no cause for such extreme measures
then to go to his assistance.