The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-06-23
CHARGES FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF
RIGHTS IN IDAHO.
Only Brief Synopsis Of Majority Re-
port can he Secureil-The Minority
Report Charges the Military Au-
able Arbitrary POWer-Thnt the
Law was Violated by the GOvern-
or Of Idaho and General Merriam.

cure but a brief synopsis of the ma jor-
ity report by reason of their refusal
to make the same public until ap-
proved by the house military commit
tee. 1t is understood, however, that
the majority report maintains that the
district had been in a state of insurrec-
ton since 1892, and the conditions in
1899 eliminated in the violent state of
insurrection and riot. The Legislature
could not have been convened to meet
the emergency and the committee holds
that under the circumstances the
Governor was warranted~inca on
the President for troops"
1.-The United States army and it's Of
ficers acted strictly within their in
structions of the law. President Nc
Kinley and the war department exer-
cised every precaution to have the mil
itary act solely within the constitution
and did not enroach in the distinct
sphere Of the civil authorities"
The minority report as given out by
Representatives Lentz, of Ohio, ana
Hay. Of Virginia, who drafted it, is as
follows:
THE minority point out that the ev-
idence taken during the investigation
shows that there was absolutely no RI
oting in Shoshone county. Idaho. after
April 20, 1899: that when the United
States troops arrived upon the scene
quiet was restored and no resistance
Cfo To tot
who were arresting as rapidly as pos
Sible those who were suspected of be-
ing implicated in the crime of April
20. 1899.
1T is maintained by the minority
that the troops sent to Idaho by the
President of the United States contin-
ued to be under the control of the
President, and the military commander
could only use the troops to preserve
peace and order and prevent resis-
tance being made by the lawless per-
sons to the process Of the courts and
the proper civil authorities of the state
The President, of the United States has
kept and is still keeping, soldiers in
1t tlaatcnlnnnl1nitss4a DOING .is
upholdfng a tyrannicals course of con-
duct pursued by the Governor Of Idaho.
''The minority point out five fragrant
instances of abuse of power and VIOLA
tion of law by General Merriam, the
commander of the troops.
Il. General Merriam sent on May 3
about $50 troops to the town of Burke
and arrested without warrant the en-
tire male population of that town, con-
sisting of about 300 persons. It was an
outrage upon the liberty Of the cti-
zens which has no parallel in the an
nails Of this country.
"2. General Merriam sent a detach-
ment Of troops into the state of Mon
tana for the purpose of arresting fugi-
tives from Idaho, an inexcusable exer-
else of arbitrary power by General
Merriam.
%. Lieutenant Lyon, acting under
the orders of his superior officer, by
threats of violence forced certain citi-
zens to work in the Tiger-Poorman
mine against their will. No such fla
grant invasion of the right of the cit
iZen can be cited in the history of this
country.
a. Major Smith suppressed the
Mullan Mirror, newspaper published
at Mullan, thus denying free speech
and free press. This was a gross Vio-
lation Of the law which can not be de-
Tended"
In summing up the minority say they
ARE satisfied from the evidence ad-
duced before the committee that Gen.
eral Merriam was wholly mistaken as
to his powers and duties; that his con-
duct has resulted in the gravest injur-
les to the liberty of the citizen and the
rights of Individuals Innocent men
have been kept in prison for months
without trial and have been finally dis
charged without any charges being
preferred against them.
AT one time or another there were
over LOO men in the prison at Ward
ner. known as the Bull PEN They
were kept there many months. They
were not tried. They were not charged
with any crime; they were held and
guarded by the United States troops
1t was the duty Of General Merriam
and of the President of the United
States to inquire into the causes and
reasons for the detention of so many
American citizens. No such inquiry
hard to understand and harder to ex
plain.
THE plea that General Merriam wa:
acting at the request of the Governor
of Idaho and his state Representatives
Bartlett Sinclair, Is not good. Neithe
the Governor nor Sinclair had the righ
to violate the law. And General Mer
riam knew it, or should have known it
although the governor of Idaho ha
for year and more been governin,
Shoshone county by martial law, h,
has never called the legislature togeth
er; the laws of Idaho provide that
session of the Legislature can be Gale,
on twenty days notice." The minorit,
hold that the President Is not justife,
In keeping United States soldiers in
definitely in Shoshone county at tn
mere will of one man. when the legis
lature. representatives OF the people
@ could have and ought to have bee
4, GanYsnad and thsix Hishsa aaGaytainsds