Arizona republican., 1903-12-08
PHoENIX. ARIZONA. DEC !, 1902.
IdiotIe PERFORMANCES at Cripple Creek

when a fool becomes clothed Will
authority 20 the extent Of enforcing
martial law. his FIST thought is of a
press censorship. And II he can fine
a bigger IDIOT than himself he appoint:
that IDIOT press censor" And the
dwellings ana struttings OF that press
censor and the high caporings OF him
make the angels weep. \ fairly gen
cral kuovIcge of these facts prevented
any surprise when il was announced
that the placing C Cripple Creek un-
der martial law had resulted. Satur-
day. In the appointment OF a press
censor"
Major Naylor called At the office OF
the Victor Daily Record" the dispatch
says. and reminded i,s editor and pro-
IIictor that a censorship had been
placed upon the columns Of the Rec
ord. Editor Nyncr was told that he
must not publish anything but ordin-
AIRY news matter. and ne vii be COM
PEELED 20 show his proofs. Major
Nayior prohibited the publication Of
the leading editorial Eyner had writ
ton commenting on the situation. He
hk0wiye forbade the editor 10 print
the official statement Of the miners
executive committee Foil wing the
suspension Of the Victor Record edi-
torial. Provost Marshal McClelland
threatened to cut off Cripple Creek
from the outside world by locking up
the correspondents OF the Denver pa
perg and Ceneoying all matter sent to
the Beaver rcwspa pcrs. Mai. Naylor.
commanding officer I'm the absence or
col FcrdcCkberC stated today that a
Ucws censor from Denver would ar
rive 600 the district and be in charge
% all news To be published in the fu-
turo."
Ne have had occasion heretofore to
allIie 20 the fooHshperformance Of
tho militia officers at Cripple Creek
tho futile effort Of Adjutant General
Bon 90 DEFY the process OF the district
court. Tor example, but this censorship
business so far exceeds in idocy all
IN" acts that have gone before that il
viii stand alcne as the monumental
piece OF folly perpetrated by the swell
ed heads IN CoIorado's national guard.
The Victor Record is not on our ex-
change list. and we do net know what
Its editorial policy has been. Possibly
90 has been trouble breeding. and even
9narchIstic. But paper which Of
tends Ia that direction is not best dealt
with by a dude OF q press censor. The
laws OF the land are amply sufficient
for handling such cases. Abs lutte
freedom OF tho press is guaranteed by
IA" federal and STATE constitutions. but
the law properly holds every newspa-
per man strictly accountable for an
abuse % that freedom. II the editor
ct the Victor Record was melting the
strikers TO riot ana violence. there were
tw" ways Of dealing with him. He
could have been arrested and tried for
inoitiuE anarchy and crime. Just as
spies and his fellow anaro hists were
tried and hanged In Chicago. or. If ali |
tho functions OF the civil courts were
suspended the military authorities
could have waited until an unlawful
act had been committed in the publi- |
cation of CTimc-inciting editorial |
and then the editor could have been
fairly and openly tried by court-mar-
iial aad punished. That would have (
amounted TO a successful suppression I
n his pen. ana 10 would have been
strictly in accordance with Justice ana
public policy assuming that he was
guilty.
Ihat Governor Peabody was wise iu I.
T"'lHimirC martial law at Cripple
'rcck does not seem open to question. |
Murder had been committed i'm the
riHes. and all the proof goes to show |
hat tho murders were committed un- |
Ter orders from the striking miners. /
IFc evidence ddduccd further shows /
he existence of "a widespread con-
piracy 20 destroy property and muir /
Ter uou-uuion miners and their en- 1
'loy"rs. \ reign Of anarchy had be-
;uu. Iu short, and the necessity for
he restoration OF law and order bv
900 iron hand was clear. But the very
10 b'H'l o the Situation-its gravity /
md the disastrous consequences sure
% flow from any ill-considered action
'i the authoriucs-made il plain that
he situation called for men Of brains
md balance II Governor Peabody
oald not ina these qualities i'm the
Ia'ioHal guard hc should have calico
IUoU the federal troops. Army officers
iTc accustomed to act with judgment.
The installation Of censorship in
uy civilized country is "a mark OF weak
less and lack of sense on the part
II the authorities. In land where
public opinion rules and the people
onstitute the court of final appeal.
'othing is gained by the suppression
Il the truth or the curtailment of the