The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-03-30
BYE BYE BOYCOTT.
A Stirring Address Issued
BY the Law and
Order League.
A Document Which Speaks i'm
no Uncertain Voice and
Affords Much Solid
Food for Reflection for Every
WOrkingman and Business
Man i'm the Country.

of the striking Knights of Labor, and also
asks neighbOring towns to weigh the re-
spOnsibility they owe to their neighbors
and themselves, trusting that they, too,
will take some action leading to the same
end:
To he Public:
The citizens OF Sedalia, Mo-, city con
tanning among Its population large num-
Der OF railroad employees, have in the past,
as In the present, been in fun sympathy
with these employees in all lawful and hon
orable efforts to better their condition, and
in full sympathy with all honorable efforts
having for their aim the improvement Of
the condition Of workingmsn generally.
AS a consequence, at the beginning of
the strike, which Is now exercising such a
baneful influence upon the community,
the people of Sedalia generally occupied a
neutral position, attended to their own
affairs, and endured the ills that the situa-
ton brought, hoping for an early and
peaceful settlement of differences.
But soon after the present strike began
il became evident that the secret and oath
bound organization known as the knights
of Labor, the members of which are
exercising a system of espionage over the
people which is utterly foreign to Ameri-
can habits and institutions, and which was
having the effect of supp. essing freedom1of
speech and action, and of utterly destroy
ing that independence of thought, utter
ance and action which is the high preroga-
tive and the proud boast IF every American
freeman. Threats were made both openly
and by means Of the cow Ird's weapons,
anonymous letters. Business men were
threatened with the boycott. Good citizens,
for expressing their opinions were notified |
to leave the city, and state of affairs be-
gan that caused men to speak in whispers !
and to look carefully alb ut them while ex-
pressing their honest convictions, as though |
in fear of some secret foe.
1t is but Just to the Knights OF Labor to |
say that they disclaim any participation |
In any of these practices. The only official /
utterance that the citizens of Sedalia have
heard was in reply to the
question of committee of business men,
which was appointed by a meeting of citi-
zens having Tor its object the bringing |
about Of speedy settlement of the exist
ing difficulties. The executive committee
of the Knights of Labor were asked |
whether they proposed to proceed to the
extent of using physical violence TO pre-
vent men who desired to continue their
avOcations as railroad employees from doing
so. A member of the executive committee
answered: There is the track, the engines
and the cars; here are We" Then the
same committee of KING Is of Labor volun-
teered advice to the effect that every one
must be either for them or against them
that If the citizens of Sedalia choose to as
sist them in securing their alleged rights,
we'll and good. If not, then the consequence
must rest upon their own head.
When outrages are perpetrated or crimes
committed, TO discover the authors thereof
mans judgment always leads him to seek
the person or persons having a motive for
the act. When such person or persons
have been discovered, the second step In
the investigation is to discover If such per
son or persons having q motive have made
previous threats. The third step is to in
quire IL these same persons have had ade-
quate opportunity to perpetrate the ou.-
rage or commit the crime. We believe,
therefore, that il is the bounden duty of
those persons who have the motive, who
have made threats, and who have had
adequate opportunity to use every effort TO
clear themselves from the suspicion which &
justly rests upon them Il
These facts are stated TO show what is
the moral responsibility of the knights Of
Labor for the crimes and outrages of the
past two weeks
In this condition OF affairs few citizens
met together for consultation. The result j
was the formation of the Law and Order Q
League of Sedalis, which now contains '
nearly all the law-abiding citizens of the o
,ity, of all classes, conditions and svoca- '
ions. We therefore think that the time 4
mas come when this league should give to
he public its objects and its intentions.
We are banded together for no other c
purpose than that OF mutual protection .
against any violence or intimidation from Z
my source; for the protection of one an
,ther from the practice know as boycott u
ng; Tor the enforcement of law and the q
maintenance of good order and public .
afety.
We wage no war against any class or or '
,anization whatever, nor do we seek to in +
erfere in the controversy now pendins q
'etween the railroad company and its late q
employees, beyond discharging our full duty u
IS citizens under the requirements of law.
We declare our belief that the present
trike is without cause and without excuse u
hat it has been brought about by rash,
mprudent and irresponsible men, who are
acri6cing their comrades and their fol-
overs for cheap noloriety, political pur-
oses or selfish, mercenary and unholy Z
inns.
And we further believe that so far as we =,
the state of affairs, the position n
the officers of the Missouri Pacific
silway company is proper one I
nd should be sustained by all good "a
itizens, so long as the present state Of h
fairs continues. OF
We recognize the fact that there are v,
lany men among the supposed member Il
nip of the Knights of Labor who have for
lany years been numbered among our
lost esteemed and honored citizens. We
ould ask such men to pause and ask vi
hovv fsr +hav - ,,o-.II.x = | r