The National tribune., 1906-12-06
pEps, MoYER AND HAYWARD.

EOitOT Ndtiofldi ITlDuNe WISH
mildly to protest against your so-called
answer to Cornelius Rightmire. in an
article under the title of 'Debs's Vicious
Manifesto" In your reply you say.
"Debs was guilty in the Chicago insur-
rection.' How do you know he was
guilty? What right have you to de-
eide that case? Debs has not yet been
tried, and altho he has demanded al
trial. the Government does not dare to-
try him.
1t is true Debs was put in Jail and a
trial was commenced. but was stopped.
and he was turned out of Jail. Why
Because the evidence tended to prove
that the Chicago riot was melted tol
discredit the labor unions. There was
no riot until after the troops arrived,
and Mr.. Cleveland said in his letter.
some two years ago that the troops
were sent to compel labor to so to work.
Great God, Just think of it! I'M
Free America" Compel labor to G"I
to work"
The guilt of that riot does not rest
upon Dcbs. and the Government does
not dare to give him trial.
Again. You assume the guilt of
Meyer and Hayward. in the murder of
Ex-Gov. Stunenberg. BY what right?I
They have not been tried. nor dare their
accusers bring them to trial. They
were kidnapped. contrary to law, and
taken from one State to another with
out due process of law. They want a.
trial. 1t is the opinion of many that
the mine owners have conspired to1
break down the Federation of Labor
in the West, and have taken this un-
lawful course to do il. and many are
coming to the conclusion that the laws
are made by the rich for the rich.
Little Dinkey Paul Morton. self
confessed criminal. was promoted to q
Cabinet position: the Rcef Trust man
ayers are given an immunity bath by
the President; Senator Burton is al
lowed to go out of Jail to take his meals
at home: old pious John d. Rookie
feIler cannot be found by Government
officers when wanted as witness.
though he was at home. The people
cannot always be fooled.
In conclusion | will say: / cast my
first vote for Fremont and my last one
for Roosevelt, and for every Republi-
can President up to date. I took part
in the Kansas war in SO, and served
in the civil war four years and two
months, and I want n square dear for
rich and poor alike.-John NJ. Foliett.
Co. n, 33d ILL.,, 243O r St, Lincoln.
Neb.
Our correspondent. who is evidently
thinking veteran, and whose services
for the Union deserve calm reasoning
with him, makes, we think, many in
correct statements. Whether Debs vio-
lated any statute law or not we will not
now stop to discuss. The real facts
are that. assuming himself and his par
ticular class to be injured by somebody.
he broke out into open rebellion, which
was not directed merely against the
people with whom he had quarreled,
but against hundreds of thousands of
innocent persons whom he subjected to
unspeakable annoyance and loss. He
nterfered with all the business of the
country; stopt people travelling on busi-
ness, pleasure or necessity. and gener-
ally melted to open rebellion. The po>
sition of The National Tribune upon
these disputes is clear and unmistak-
able. If any man or set of men in this
country have grievances their first duty
is to make them public and invite the
consideration and sympathy of their
fellow -citiZens. They should appeal to
the courts to right their wrongs. and
unless this is done they stand outside
the operations of. law and justice. Our
whole social system is based upon the
abolition of private revenge. This is
what makes us differ from barbarians.
NO man or set of men has the right to
IA Va 1aw info his their hands
and endeavor by violence to right real
or fancied wrongs. We have provided
the most elaborate system of justice for
the service of men who think them
selves injured. We think that the laws
and courts are sufficient for all these
purposes, but where they are found
insufficient law abiding citizens ought
to exert themselves in fair. legal way
to extend the laws and correct the prac-
tees of the courts to the end in view.
Il is wicked and it is senseless to abuse
the courts and the officers of justice.
because these are the agents selected
by the whole people for the purposA.
If bad and inefficient men are elected.
it is the fault of those who voted for
them. A lawful remedy is in their
hands. 1t is their duty as citizens, n
duty that they owe not only to them
selves. but to their felIow-citizens, to
elect good men to every office, and to
hold them to a strict accountability for
the performance of their duties. The
talk against courts and officials is main
Iy the clamor of vicious demagogs,
who feel the restraint of the laws and
would break them down in order to
carry out their wicked purposes.
So far as Meyer and Haywood are
concerned, if only small fraction of
what our correspondent alleges is true.
it would so violate the sense of justice
of the people of those States that they
would rise in Indignation, and by their
votes at the polls send everyone con-
cerned into obscurity or punish him
criminally. We know that it is not
true, because the people by their votes
have Overwhelmingly approved of the
officials against whom these offenses
are alleged. The claim that the mine
owners and other corporations are car
rying the elections by the use of money
is too baseless for serious considera-
ton. If voters are bought up in suffi-