Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-12-01
will circumvent or repeal the law. And
neither will strictly adhere to abstract
right.
DenourSs \ Treatment of Wardner
People.

A few t+srs ago, in Cincinnati, Ohio, |
mongtAa public demonstration was
held in dsn,inciation of the treatment
OF the men confined in the "bull pen"
at Wardner, Idaho. President Gompers
of the Federation of Labor, President
Edward Boyce of the Western Fedora
ton Of Miners, and many other men
prominent in labor circles made ad-
dresses, and strong condemnatory res
olutions were adopted. l here repro
duce parts of an article recently print
ed in the Idaho State Tribune, which
show how well-informed men on the
spot look at this thing: at was gener-
ally believed that the age Of barbarlsm
and persecution had been swept away
by the march of Christian civilization,
but the savagery and brutality OF man
continues and the narrowing persecu-
ton and torture now being inflicted
upon the inmates of the bull pen CRATE
upon the hearts and consciences OF all
Christendom. About week ago the
inmates of the bull pen were discovered
in the act of tunneling out, and while
it must be generally admitted that the
persons imprisoned on charge OF crime
forfeit in great measure their stand
ing and responsibility by attempting
to escape from the officers OF the law
nevertheless self-preservation is the
first law of nature, and to escape is the
natural inclination, and after remain
ing in the bull pen for five long,weary
months without charge or trial, whlle
two sessions of the District court OF
Shoshone county have been held, ana
with the further knowledge that the
civil courts have been barrlcaded
against them with the Krag-Jorgensen
rifles of Gov. Steunenberg, the attempt
to escape was but natural, and we DOUBT
If in all Idaho there can be found ten
persons who would not make a similar
attempt under like circumstances, Out
for this attempted escape punishment
is imposed upon them. They were or
dered to dig a ditch nine feet deep
around the entire prison, which oruer
they stubbornly refused to obey. Ihelr
refusal was not only human, but just.
The prisoners in the bull pen are con-
victed of no crime, and under the law
of this country are presumed innocent
until proved guilty, and no ofncer'no"-
ever great, has any moral or legai
right to compel them to do manual
labor against their will. They are en-
titled to wholesome food, comfortapie
beds and decent treatment, and can IN
no sense be rightfully treated as felons
until judgment has been passed upon
them by the courts of the county. But
1t appears that the authorities have no
regard for law and decency, and when
the prisoners refused to work at man
ual labor at the command Of Captain
Edwards, and without remuneration
they were placed on bread and water
diet. All the straw was taken from
their hunks and they were compelled
to sleep on the hard boards. Refresh
ments of every kind are denied Them
Those addicted to the use of tobacco
are refused it. They are compelled
to stand up in line seven hours per day
and denied the right to take step or
move a limb under pain Of death. Such
cruelty is without parallel in this age
of Christian civilization. Reliable in
formation states that many OF the
men are becoming raving maniacs, and
many others are reduced to skeletons
and broken down in health. These re-
voting outrages are rousing the peo-
ple TO a condition of desperation. This
attempt to set up Spanish inquisition
on the free soil of America for the tor
ture and persecution Of men against
whom no criminal charges have ever
been made and against men whom the
courts have refused to try is intoler-
able in the sight Of all Christian peo-
pie. Gov. Steunenberg, Bartlett Sin
clair and Capt. Edwards are making
history faster than ever before, and II
they continue in their hellish designs
they will give birth to spirit or re-
volt. The Tribune, in the name OF
common humanity and Christian JUS
tice, appeals to the people everywhere
to rise I'D and demand respectable and
humane consideration for the men In
the bull pen at Wardner. We ask this
to the end that the black stain already
on the escutcheon of Idaho be made
no blacker than it already is by the
heartless cruelty of martial law author
tiles.