Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-30
IN THE COEUR D'ALENES.

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With a view to getting at the exacr
situation in the Occur d'Alene country
now under martial law, the San Fran.
cisco sent a man to Shoshone
county with instructions to report i'm
partially upon the facts. His statements
concerning the condition of affairs are
of more than passing interest, as the
American public, irrespective of personal
views and sympathies. is nxiou to ac-
quire unbiased information. Mr.. Ham
llton, the Examiners representative, was
not long in satisfying himself tina the
local authorities were alone unable to
cope with the situation. and that martial
law was perhaps temporarily required to
meet the conditions that prevailed. But
he discovered hat martial law, in this
case. had degenerated into tyranny, and
was exceeding it's legitimate scope. AS
to his final conclusions, Mr.. Hamilton
says:
was Il IlCSGSSlly vi liz
establishment of martial law; second,
that martial law is administered with all
the harshness of military tyranny. GRAY
crimes nave been committed by the min
ers. and in retaliation there have been
gross invasions of the rights of individual
liberty.
While MI. Hamilton states at some
length the reasons why, in his opinion, it
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most expeditions means of reaching the
parties actually guilty of the crime OF
blowing up the Bunker Hill mill, he has
no h~esitancy in condemning the manner
in which it is applied. He Y
Martial law was declared. There seems |
reason why martial law should not be
as equitable, as paternal and as humane |
as civil law. and it has the advantage of
Under martial law the rights
OF the individual may be protected as
carefully as under civil law. Admins
tered in that way. martial law would ex-
actly have fitted this case. But the mar
tlal law of the Occur d'Alene has gone
far beyond that. 1t has inflicted punish
ment on innocent men; it has trampled
upon the right of free speech and of a
free press. 1t has been made the instru-
ment OF capital to coerce labor. In short.
instead of martial law, it is military des-
pOtism.
Following along these lines of impair
tial investigation, however, the Examiner
man takes occasion to correct a popular
impression that imputes to General Mer-
the sole responsibility for this con-
iition of affairs. In an effort to shield the
governor of Idaho, for politi-
'al reasons, the press of hat party has
endeavored to divert attention to Mer-
lam as the chief offender. Mr.. Hamilton
makes candid reference to this phase of
he question as follows:
And right here an apology is due Cen
Merriam. | cannot find that he in
tlated any or the actions taken here, but
vas merely the instrument for CARRYING
tut the orders of Governor SteunenberS
ma the state authorities. He was a ready
ND willing instrument to be sure. He
'penly declared against labor unions and
n faVof OF a law for their suppression.
in denouncing his acts the indigna-
ION meetings and the writer's, myself
mong the number have had the wrong
lg by the ear. 1t is the governor of
N"h' LIN MS representatives ana not
General Merriam who are to be praised
L blamed for making the trouble Of
neSe tangled nils a matter of national
General Merriam and the
foops came in at the presidents order.
on the governors request, and the
OvernOr took hold.
The foregoing statements are in accord
18th the position all along maintained nv
ne inter Mountain, namely, that the
overnor of Idaho is responsible for the -,
buses that have taken place in the name :
{ martial law. 1t was Steunenberg who :
litiated the scheme to prevent miners t
ON going to work without a permit. .
nd who has caused the arrest of a mul.
tude of innocent men by deputy mar
lals, while the soldiers have merely l
God by and preserved order. The abuses g
'e not charged up to the soldiers, whose a
lsslon IS TO preserve peace, but to the n
en- acting under the directions of the t
vii authorities of that state. Referring c
the action of these men, Mr.. Hamil. s
n draws the following conclusions: Z
In the first place, something like 1.0Oo
rests have been made. 1t is not pre-
nded that that number of men were t,
gagged in the murders and explosions :
April 29th, so some innocent men were y
st into that bull-pen prison. OF the c.
ousand arrested, all but about $40 have 70
discharged. No charge ever. was
ed against the liberated men. No bail In
er was demanded. Under the moral n,