The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-01
SUNFLOWER'S INVITATION
His Audience Asked to Attend
His Trial in the Police
Court.
Tie Alleged ObStr uctor of the Streets
Addresses a Large Open-Air
Meeting.

81 invite you all to come and see free
man in free country tried like criminal
for exercising his inalienable right OF free
speech.
Thus did Charles D. Sunfiower address
a crowded open-air audience last night on
Pine street, just below it's intersection
with Kearny. The sidewalks were kept
clear, but the middle of the street was
closely packed. Though applause was fire.
Quent and enthusiasm manifest the throng
was at least as orderly as the average
audience in any theater or lecture hall.
Now and then 8 policeman would glance
al the assem- blage from an adjacent street
corner, but the meeting was not disturbed
nor the speaker in any way molested by
the minions of the law.
Eyes, gentlemen" went on Sunfower.
81 am a prisoner at large, so to speak,
simply because | am a Socialist, and be-
cause ! did what l had a right to do. If
free speech be a crime, then | am a Grim
inal. and self-confessed one; but if such
be the case, then let all lovers of freedom
seek some other land where tt ey can be
free in fact as well as in name. Come on
Thursday, all OF you, and see a free man
tried for saying what he thought-or
rather for thinking alone, since / was ar
rested at the silent meeting last Satur-
day near the ODD Fellows hall. Oh that
this land were truly free"
A BILE addresses were also delivered by E.
I. Kingsley, the Socialist nominee for
Congress, George Speed and Mark Leites.
The last named speaker took occasion to
dwell at some length upon THE CALLS inn
partial treatment of the recent conflict
between the Socialists and the police au-
thorities.
foil 10 Il nd IL
other papers," he observed. THE CALL
alone has handled our late difficulty with
courtesy and consideration. Its reports OF
the various phases of the affair have been
full and accurate, and | have reason and
authority for fsaying that the Socialist
Labor party, while not surprised at The
CALLS dignified and fair treatment is
m ost grateful for it.
Yesterday morning the five Socialists
arrested on Saturday night came up fol-
trial in Judge Conlan's court. The first
case was that of Sunfower, who de-
handed a jury trial. His attorney, Mr..
Haskell, gave as reason for this demand
the fact that his client feared that If tried
by the Judge alone he might be acquitted
to the Supreme Court for final adiudica.
ton. The demand was allowed and the
cases continued until Thursday of this
week.
The campaign committee has made ar
engagements for meetings every evening
during each week, IS follows: Sundays,
corner of Market and Dupont and at the
Pythian Castle; Mondays, corner of Pine
and Kearny streets; Tuesdays and Thurs
days, Sixth and Folsom streets and Ninth
and Howard streets; Wednesdays, Fourth
and Jessie streets and at the Turk street
Temple; Fridays, corner of Franklin and
Page streets; Saturdays, corner of Seventh
ana Market streets.
Reports from the various sections
throughout the City and State are most
encoura ging. Several thousand sigma
lures have been obtained 10 the petition
asking that the names of the Socialist can.
dldates be placed on the official ballots
and the party's prospects seem to be
bright