Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-12
The Judge in Print in Connection
With the Strike Of 1886.
The Knights of Labor Not Held in Very
High Esteem by the Anti-Com-
mission Mems Candidate.
Williamson County, the Home of Land Com
missioner Hall, VIII Send HOgg
Delegation to San Antonio.
LOOKING BACKWARD.

OF the Iexas FARMER has been looklng
up Judge Cooks record, and particu-
larry that part of it wherein he put him.
self in print in connection with the great
railroad strike in the spring of 1886.
The following extracts from the writings
and utterances of Judge Cook, taken
from the files of the Galveston News
will appear IN the next issue of the Texas
Farmer. accompanied by spicily- written
comments by Mr.. Shaw.
In communication to that paper of
March, "a, 1886, Judge Cook said:
1.-THE Knights of Labor is an organI-
cation formed for the purpose Of formu-
lating and enforcing demands against the
rights and property OF others, which are
not maintainable nor recoverable by the
law OF the land, and is, therefore, nee
essarily lawless and revolutionary.
In connection with the above Judge
Cook admitted that the great evil was
caused by the "exactions, heartlessness
and tyranny of incorporated capital. -
This drew from the Galveston News an
insnuation that Judge Cook was
troubled with gubernatorial bee in his
bonnet, to which he replied in the same
paper under date of April / 1886:
81 am not Ga candidate for governor),
and have not the most distant idea that
any emergency can arise which would
make 1t my duty TO be a candidate for
either the nomination or the Office.
My lack of personal popularity and &C.
quaintance, my comparative poverty,
my uufeigned disinclination to politics.
the wishes of my wife and children, the
great and unavoidable responsibilities of
the position. and my aversion TO the
fearful abuse and criticism, not TO say
ISLANDERS, heaped upon all men who have
the hardihood to take high places, deter
me from any ambition that way. If 1
were able TO do so would pay the SAL
airy and add bonus of $40 900 10 any
other gentleman who would hold the
Office rather than hold it myself
In this communication Judge Cook
found it necessary, also, to explain his
abuse of the Knights of Labor. He said:
81 am neither a Knight nor capital
list, and wrote of their quarrels without
bias or prejudice between them, and with
the solemn conviction that unless the
people take hold of both of them, and in
the exercise of their just rights in this
matter, compel both parties to respect
the obligations they are under to the
will be the sufferers. -
On May s, 1886, another article from
Judge Cook IS pen appeared IN the CAL
weston News, suggested by the Haymar-
ket riots in Chicago, the responsibility
for which he attributed TO the Knights of
Labor. Among other things he said:
"POwderly, who is an overrated and
hypocritioRi fraud, comes to the front
with an indignant denial of RESPONSE
bility for himself and his followers of the
direct, immediate and necessary conse-
quences of his and their lawless precepts
and examples. In my opinion he is
liar, because he is coward. He and his
Irons, Blacks, Goldens. Yasmers and
other coadjutors are the instigstors,
movers and expectant benefciaries of all
this communistic deYilment. When men
organize to starve and torture people
into a compliance with their one-sided
demands, they are common enemies of
mankind, and deserve to be treated as
such. No people or government
can afford to treat with incendiarIss,
assassins and pIunderers, while they
hold in their hands the blazing
torch, the dynamite bomb and the
fruits of their robberies. Surrender,
unconditional and complete, should
be first demanded, and after this
will be time to discuss their claims. Tn
til they do surrender, let such force as
will compel it to be brought down upon
them, and let the contest be short, sharp
and decisive. The knights of Labor
cannot shirk the consequences they, and
they alone, have brought about.
Not drop OF blood has been shed; not a
groan has been, wrung; not pang has
been suffered, in all this miserable BUSH
ness for. which the knights of Labor are
not directly and immediately responsible.
=" If knights of Labor have not
done these devilish deedsi then who
have? This cowardly disavowal
of the responsibility is a. travesty upon
the title they have filched from honor
and chivalry. They have stolen the
livery of heaven to serve the devil in. "