The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-06-27
RICH GRAFTERS
ARE PROTECTED
In the San Francisco Investigation Says Chief
Prosecutor Heney---But the Working
man Gets the Limit.

AS showing who are the real law
breakers and supporters of law
IcssneSs in San Francisco saws the
Mine Workers journal, a remark
able statement was issued to the
public last week by Francis j.
lleney, the chief prosecutor in the
graft cases. At the commences
ment he states: $50 many wealthy
men in this community are in
terested i'll protecting rich friends
or business associates from tho
penalties of their crimes that it has
become absolutely essential for the
prosecutors to take the public into
their confidence to Il sufficient ex
tent, ut least, to Offset the false
statements which arc being circu
lated" When Ruef and Schmitz
were first charged with their crimes
and there was a suspicion on the
part of many of the graft invcstiga-
tors were cndcaverine TO disrupt
the Labor Union party and over
throw the unions the merchants
and the wealthy class in general
were loud in thesr praises. They
wanted to see "all grafters sent to
the penitentiary." But, as Heney
says, "thc moment we began to
uncover rich criminals and to
demonstrate that our motto would
be, "No man is above the law,n
the attitude of many of the mer-
chants, bankers and predoriat rich
changed. Now the fears of mer-
chants and business men of the
city are worked upon by bankers
who suggest that "the proSecu-
tions are injuring the fair name
and destroying the financial credit
OF the community Heney further
states: '"The representatives of
nearly all the banks in the CITY
met in conference with Patrick
Calhoun short time ago and pledg-
ed him their support.n Again ::
'Some of these bankers and our
merchants have gone so far as to
preach the doctrine of anarchy. /
personally have heard some of our
wealthleSt citizens insist that this
is the time to bring on a war be-
tween capital and labor in this
city; that now was the time to ami
hllate one or the other; and that
it would better to have the streets
of San Francisco run with blood
than have the present carmcn's
strlke compromised on any terms
that would recognize the right of
any man to belong TO Il union.
One highly respectable merchant
declared yesterday that 'the mer-
chants will not permit Mr.. Cal
| noun TO be c0nvicted.'' Mr..
Heney's letter is full of just such
strong statements, but enough has
been quoted to show just where
many of the wealthy class of San
Francisco stand and how much re-
spect they have for the law when
their interests are effected. On
the other hand, it is interesting to
note the attitude of union i'll re-
gard to the law. AS to the graft
disclosures the labor union desired
to see the accused get Il fair trial,
but beyond that they did not go.
They were willing TO await the re-
suit of such trial before forming n
final opinion. And as to the
casual outbreaks of lawlessness in
connection with the c:trmen's
strike by some hotheaded union
sympathizers, it can be stated
wIthoU fear of successful CONTRA
diction That the attitude of the
labor le sd"Ts of the city did more
TO mainI:in peace and to restrain
those who had "A tendency to throw
bricks than all other influences
put together. Even a prejudicei
governor was finally compelled to
reluctantly admit that he believed
the labor leaders really desired to
have peace. Unionism stands for
law and order and under these
conditions it always does its best
work. When the wealthy people
OF this country take the same
stand and realize that they are
under the law az much as the
( laboring class we may begin to
hope for a better condition of
things and a fairer and mora in,