The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-12

The Occur d'Aiene Investigation,

50
The Occur d'Aiene Investigation.
James II. Sovereign. labor agitator,
has been one Of the prominent wit
nesses before the Occur dAlene inves-
tigating committee at Washington. Mr..
Sovereign. having outlived his useful
ness az master workman OF the Knights
OF Labor and travelling breeder Of dis
content, finally settled down at Wal
lace. Idaho, and began the publication
OF the Idaho state Tribune. the recog-
nixed organ Of the so-called union min
era OF the Occur d'Alene district II
was iawiess community. and he found
himself amid congenial surroundings.
There had been reign Of intimidation
for nearly six years, and he had an au-
dience that was greedy to listen to the
doctrines OF coercion and disorder. He
was fully In sympathy with all the
plans formed by reckless bandits for
the destruction OF property. even IL he
was not taken In az a confidential adj
wiser as to details; and when In April.
1889. the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mill
was destroyed. he rejoiced AS heartily
ms any Of the miscreants who were con-
nectesi with the outrage.
Immediately following the crime his
paper came out with the announcement
that zone thousand determined men
wreaked vengeance on the .scab' mine.
and that the work OF destruction was
complete" He declared that the OUT
rage was the work OF the organized
miners OF the Occur dAlenes, and said
that II the company would not pay the
wages demanded by the miners union
II would need military protection con-
tinuousiy for forty years after the new
min IL completed" To this pitch were
the people hts paper represented
wrought up, and vet the ex-master
workman had the assurance the other
day while testifying before the commit
tea TO say that there was no excite
ment. and that quiet prevailed through
out the entire district. He had been In
stilling vicious doctrines into the minds
Of men for two years. ana In spite OF
his present avowal that there was no
necessity for the use Of federal soldiers.
the fact remains that It was either
peace under the rule OF the military or
disorder under the rule OF dynamite.
One Of two courses had TO be follow
ed. IL was necessary either 60 surreu-
der the district 10 the control Of des-
peradoss who had stolen the name ot
the miners anton. and who were blow
ing np mills. shooting down men
and terrorixinz the whole country.
or protection must be sought from the
national government The state au-
thoritses wisely decided upon the lat
ter alternative. and 1T che same time u
was determined BY them that insurree-
ttcU shsufs be ssampess cat fcr an time.
Local officials wers either in league with
the outlaw element or afraid % II. and
no dependence eonia ee put upon them.
With the military on the ground Il was
possible 90 h0gin the work Of cleansing
the district of the vilalnaas characters
thst had been haisgrg IL o, their mercy.
ana the officials pursued Il 10 compile.
ton. unmlndfui ~ che protests 81 Sow
ereign. who was roaming over the COIN.
try attempting 70 enlist sympathy by
malicious stories and trying to thwar'
the Efforts u the state authorities hs
his appeals 20 those high IN power.
The present Investigation has prob.
ably grown out Of his last years tou,
In the interest Of the Occur d'Ateue az.
namiters. II has been brought about
largely for demagoSic purposes, bat Il
will do no harm TO let the whole tratl
be told. II win be we'll 10 let the work
know that the state OF Idaho does no
propose that any section within its Dor
ders Is to be tyranniEed by a band q
outlaws such as that whach' reisHed n
the Occur d'Alenes for SO many years
It, will be we'll 10 have Il understoo'
that peace and order prevail there. an,
that the federal government stand
ready. as II is legally bound to do &
aid any commonwealth that needs as