The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-20
THE wALLA wALLA BOYCOTT.

Printed circulars were scattered about
Walla Walla last Wednesday signed "Mu-
tuaI Aid Society" notifying all persons
employing or patronizing Cinnamon that
they must stop so doing within two weeks
from the date of this notice, that they will
cease to receive the support of the Mutual
Aid Society of Walla Walla."
This is not the first time that notices of
a kindred sort have been issued in this
state, and it is a good time to say
that their issue is a disgrace to our
civilization. If it is proper to threaten a
man with a loss of business, because he
hires such labor as he likes, or sends his
linen to laundry of his own selection, or
buys his vegetables of whom he pleases,
then it is proper to threaten man with
loss of business or some other form of
persecution because he selects his own
church, and votes his own party ticket in
preference to any other ticket.
All this business is clearly in line with
the spirit of lynch law, spirit that dafk-
ems the face of society and politics in the
most ignorant and lawless regions of the
old slave states, but has no excuse for ex-
istence in any of the states of the free
North. To threaten feliow-man with
persecution, because he minds and man
ages his own private affairs in his own
way peacefully and lawfully, is the act of
coward, knave, bigot and fool.
When an actual majority in numbers,
or practical majority procured through
the influence of organized turbulence and
lawlessness is able to rob man of his
right of personal liberty to mind his own
affairs under law in his own way, then
free government is at an end, and lynch
law or the capricious. irresponsible will of
mob law has taken its place. OF what
use are laws enacted to protect the
rights of the individual against the incur
sions of any lawless combination of per-
sons, if such laws can be safely nullifed
by the published threats of such illegal
combinations? 1t has come to a pretty
pass in a free state of the North, if law
abiding citizen must ask permission of his
lawless neighbors to live, move and have
his being without disturbance or persecu-
ton on their part.
The walking delegate" is expected to
control the members of his own labor Or
ganization, but "the walking delegate"
who expects to bulldoze and place under
durance everybody by threatening persecu-
ton and business hardship to all who do
and go as they please under law, is most
intolerable nuisance and social tyrant,
who ought to be hunted into prison and
punishment as 4 conspirator against the
sacred right of all men TO manage their
private affairs in their own wav with no
one to modest them or make them afraid.
The only difference between the Mutual
Aid Society,"" Of Walla Walla, and the
Indiana white Caps" or the Kuklux
Khan of the South is one of degree. All
such organizations that threaten the life.
liberty or property and happiness of the
individual in order to bend him to their
sweet will are gross outrage upon social
and civic freedom of individual action nm
der law. Sometimes it is q court that
is threatened; or jury admon-
ished or trader threatened
with persecution and loss of business:
sometimes silence is enjoined by threat of
mob violence. Wherever We find it or in
whatever form it is always the same
thing: 1t is lynch law; the tyranny of
lawless might over all the rights and
privileges Of the individual for which he
is guaranteed protection under our repub-
lican form of government. both state and
federal.
The political methods of the South are
spreading slowly like a pestilence over
the land, SO that we are threatened with
civilization of lawless might as opposed to
legal, lawful right; civilization which is
not far from that bloated and brutal bar
barism which brandishes the slave whir.
and replaces human right, a constitutional
monarch Of limited domain. with human
might, an absolute, capricious tyrant, who
rules by that law of natural selection
which regards the biggest brute as the
best fellow.
In land like Ireland under coercion
ten years ago there may be some pallia-
ton for the boycott, but in free America,
where We frame our own laws, elect our
own executives, lawmakers and Judges.
there is not only no palliation for boy
colt, but il is resort to the weapon of
coward, bigo!, . fool or an unprincipled