The Labor enquirer., 1888-02-18

and marital rights Ito show by
what right they continue to exist.
These plain-spoke Investigations
and criticisms have had the effect
to alarm those who are pecuniarly.
socially and otherwise. interested
in perpetuating present institu-.
tions and, we may add. present.
a6xses! Like unto Demetrius of
Ephesus and his guild of silver
smiths, certain leaders of society
at Valley Falls saw, or thought
they saw, that their Graft" was in
danger. Under present laws and
customs these men are in the en-
joyment of high social distinction
and of very comfortable livings,
with very little effort OF labor on
their part.
It is the fear that these social
distinctions, these high salaries,
these fine perquisites and these
Tin some cases) enormous in
comes from the unpaid labor of
others, would slip away from them
that so aroused these society
leaders that they determined to
crush. Laeify at all hazards.
Threats of violence to our persons
and of destruction to our press
and other materials have freely
and frequently been made. Sew
eral local editors of republican
and Christian proclivities. have
freely lent themselves and the use
of their columns to this kind of
warfare but none of them has had
the manliness to admit articles in
reply to these assaults.
At length, after much persist
ent importantly, these enemies of
free investigation succeeded in
securing our arrest. Immediately
the editor of the local republican
organ announced through his pa
per that LMei,fy he'd been Sup
pressed" and sent the same intel
ligence through the associated
press dispatches to the neighbor-
ing city dailies. Evidently our
Jealous opponents thought it
would be impossible for US to get
bail, and that with the editors and
publishers in prison the paper
must necessarily suspend publica-
ton.
But Laeitfy did not suspend
publication, nor is it likely to do
so. Even if the enemies of free
press and free discussion-the en-
emies of a higher and purer sys-
TEN of morality than that now sane
toned by law and custom-should
succeed in putting the present
editors and publishers behind
prison bars, there are others ready
to take up the work if we must
lay it down.
What the end will be we can
only conjecture. We only know
that we have done no wrong, and
that we have intended no wrong
to any human being. On the con-
trary, we have aimed to. do what
we could to lift our common hu-
manity out Of the vice-producing
and crime-producing conditions OF
to-day. H.
Now, my object in publishing
this from Lneitfy is not merely as
a matter of news but because
deem it a duty devolving upon me-
I firmly believe it the duty of all
those who are engaged in the fight
for Right-for the elevation of the
race-to stand together and come
to the rescue of any and all who
may fall within the power of the
comon enemy.
1t is not necessary that we agree
with all the details of mans
mode of action in order to realize
that he is working on the same
general plan as ourselves and is,
consequently, entitled to our help
and assistance as a comrade and
fellow worker.
1t is sufficient to know that
LHej,fy. though moving on a
higher plane, is engaged in the
same fight as the ENQUIRER.
Knowing this it is my duty to
help all l can to prevent the kill
ing of Laeyfy by the wealthy
bigots of Valley Falls. Of course
it is we'll understood that there is
no case against the paper, but that
cuts no figure when wealth, preju-
dice, partial judges and packed
juries are pitted against a poverty
stricken labor paper.
In order that Lneyy may be
able to make as good a defense as
possibleit is necessary that it have
money to hire able counsel. To
help raise the money is the object
of this article, and in furtherance
/ r Ill