Evening star., 1906-04-08
A VIGOROUS PROTEST
Mr.. PoWderIy Writes to the
Governor of Idaho.
OPPOSES METHODS USED
Treatment of Haywood, Meyer and
Pettibone.
OPPOSES METHODS USED
THEY ARE ACCUSED OF MURDER
Suspected of Completely IN the As
sassination of Gov. Steunenberg-
Apprehension Criticised.

Apprehension Criticised.
In protest against the treatment of Hay
wood Meyer and PettIbone, the men ac-
cused of the murder of Gov. Steunenberg OF
Idaho 7. V. Powderly. former head Of the
Knights Of Labor and now a resident OF
Washington, has addressed a letter to Gov
Frank Good!ng Of Idaho.
Mr. PowderIy prefaces his letter with a
reference to his own career, saying that he
knows what it Is to have a bad name given
one and no chance to set the matter right
lie remarks that there were four big strikes
called while he was chief of the X of l.
and eleven hundred cases settled by mutual
agreement that might have developed into
serious strikes. The four strikes, he said
were described at length in long primer and
the eleven hundred cases settled without
strike were dismissed with scanty para
graph Of nonpareil. He says that he has
been called an anarchist and an agitator,
SO he knows how IL is, and, with this fellow
feeling for the men under discussion, he
asks the governor to insure them their
trial by fair and lawful means. He says
In part:
Agitation Among Labor Men.
Last week you telegraphed Samuel
Federation of Labor. asking him to CO.
operate with John Mitchell. president OF
the United Mine Workers, in appointing a
committee to investigate the conditions
incident to the Imprisonment Of Haywood
Meyer and Pettibone of the Western Fed
GRAFTON of Miners. In your dispatch you
said:
% Great agitation caused by the arrest
of Meyer, Haywood and Pettibone of the
Western Federation Of Miners, among
labor unions OF the United States, and
cnarges OF conspiracy between state OIL
cials and mine owners of west to punish
innocent men for assassination OF Gov
Steuuenburg has induced me to invite
you and John Mitchell to appoint com
mittee to investigate the conditions here
etc
Mr.. Gompers very properly, and with
becoming dignity, declined to accede to
your request, for the duty you solicit at
his hands should be exercised by a trial
court. The appointment of "a committee
such as you suggest would. it seems to
me, be travelling as far out of the path of
the law as the officers OF the law Travelled
In Colorado when they resorted to such
primitive methods of securing the attend
ance of Haywood Meyer and Pettiboue
before the courts OF Idaho.
Haywood and Meyer may be guilty of
the crime charged against them. If they
are they should be tried by true process OF
law, but fairly tried. If convicted they
should pay the penalty OF their offenses
as by law required. They may be innocent
T.,
nocent or guilty, they should receive fair
play, Justice requires 1t; the whole cOun-
try demands it; they are entitled to it. If
what has been so far published of the pro-
ceedings in their cases Is true they have
not had fair play. The great agitation to
which you refer IN your dispatch to Mr..
Gompers was caused, not by the arrest or
Imprisonment of these men. but by the
manner in which these results were ac-
complished.
Legal Usages Disregarded
An assassin seeks his victim by stealth
and takes him ct a disadvantage. No hon
orable, square man can emulate such prac-
tices and continue TO be either honorable
or square. II through error such O man
does violence TO another, or to the law, his
Is the duty OF righting that wrong; he
cannot delegate that duty to another. or to
committee appointed by another Hay
wood ct al. are charged with the practices
or the assassin, and they In turn were
taken at disadvantage and removed from
their lawful place OF residence to a foreign
jurisdiction without resort to the forms of
law. That was wrong; It was violation
OF law; IL was blow at the constitutional
Tight or, not Haywood and Meyer alone,
but of all OF US
The manner Of their taking off betrays
weakness or cowardjCe on the part of the
officers OF the law, and, regardless of the
gullt or innocence OF the accused, this will
not be overlooked by American lovers of
fair play. This. let me direct your atten-
uon 70 #, is what has caused the great
agitation throughout this country, an aei-
tation that VIII not cease until 1t shall be-
come impossible for a law officer to become
Il lawbreaker.
Course Pursued Condemned
Il have discussed this question with la
boringmen. professional men of all kinds.
merchants and manufacturers. 1 found not
one who favored bomb throwing or an
archy, murder or destruction OF property.