Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-07-02
GLOVES OFF.

aud the well-known cowardlce of trade.
This truth is painfully apparent to every
thinking man whenever the occurrences
In Tarrant county, beginning with the
strike in March and ending with the Dark
Lantern combination Of oflice-hungry Re-
publicans, lonesome Greenbackers and
sore headed Democratic place seekers,
are recalled tc mind Before the strike
came, to startle the country with its sud
denness and apparent causelessness, Fort
Worth had been captured by boycotting
tyranny OF petty local Leadership, acting
without authority of the order In whose
name the despotism was established ana
perverting the declared objects and the
real and assumed strength of that order
to sinister purposes. The strike found
Fort Worth tradesmen, great and small,
covering at the feet OF small lunto,
acting ia fragrant contravention OF the
teachings of the order they protested to
serve and OF the utterances of Powderly,
who had nursed that order TO strengthen
benencence. The strike went on to de-
struction of property, terrorism of the
community and assassination OF law
officers, simply because there was
not the courage OF conviction In those
who professed to uphold law the strength
Of the strike had been due to the secrecy
Of the counsels Of those who conducted
IL and to the popular fear of secrecy; but
when law did assert itself the strike went
TO pieces, and 10 the crumblIng Of it was
seen how little courage Of conviction at
the outset would have prevented all the
unoappy days of March The same oh,
servation is applicable to the "conier-
ences" between certain parties Of this
city. When the tall, gaunt form of Col
Young arose and his voice spoke for the
suppressed feeling OF the public, how
quickly the men wilted who had before been
80 audacious In disrespect Of public safety
and public right. Then followed the
stranguation OF the boycott merely 10y
absence Of popular fear of it. :.
Where do the men stand to-day that
had applause for strikers aud sneers and
derision for law officers in March and
April9 Where do the men stand to-day
whose edict put local boycotts In mo-
tionp Where do the men stand to-day
that quailed before the direct plainness
of the rugged Young2 Are they not one
and all among the instigators of the sc.
cret political movement that stalks as al
affrlghting political spirit in the eyes o
| timid menu
What is the strength OF tits mortal ter
ror save Its secrecy Now, as when tn,
city trembled at the strike--now, a
when the tradesmen bowed to the boycott
the only reality, the only strength o
the peril is in its secrecy and the timidit,
Of those who at heart oppose dark-lanterl
methods.
The knights of Labor did not, as
body, indorse lawlessness; the Knight
Of Labor, as body, did not approve tn,
I boycott; from Powderly down to tn,
, humblest of true Knights Of Labor there
I was hostility to all such methods; but
few men ruled and agitated anC
{ bulldozed, their bluster and loud
: lunged agitation in public places
/ persuaded the people that all the
; power of the order was at theil
D back, and they did their evil work on tn,
: strength of secrecy. So 1t ia now. 4
s secret conclave met at midnight, sentriei
Q kept away people in whose name tn,
iunto now appeals for support, ticke
OF variegated hue was nominated, an,
4 these astute managers, stu counting OF
: the strength of secrecy, stand out an,
i say, "for the peoplet" These men no
; only assall the Democracy, but they ar
: untrue to the orders in whose name the
: presume to act. They talk Of the Ills q
k legislation, and propose to remedy ther
l. by grabbing local Offices. They claim b
d have been read out OF the Democrat
= party, wheR some of them have bee
e lighting the Democracy all their lives
r and when theycast out from among then
l. selves, as unclean, all men who will nc
]. agree to turn their backs on Democracy
It These men are not even acting for tn
II alliance or Knights OF Labor, both {
l. which orders disclalm political purposes
4 These Dsrk-Lanternltes represent nothiu
l. but themselves and their itch for Ollie,
IS They are false to the teachings Of the o.
!; ders in whose name they presume ,
5 speak, and II Powderly and Dunlap al
ie true, these men are false. Secrecy
lie Their only strength. The alliance wi
n pew them out in good time. Let II
/, people who do not approve secret poll
?, loal parties shake OF the fear which dot
o. SO easily beset politicians, open their eye
,r aud see the harmless pillow In the swim
d, which has been swaying in public place
9. as loud-lunged ghost, full Of sound an
IL SacrecV gionifvtn0 nothing lint hatred ,