The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1907-06-28
TRIAL AFFECTS
ALL CLASSES
Haywood, Meyer and PeltibOne
Upheld by the Masses
WEWSOF OLAF OLSEN
Socialists View Steunenburg Murder Trial
as Battle Between Capital and Labor
Socialist Vote Is Increasing
White City, Fla, June q, 1907

Whlte llty, fIa., June II, l9O'.
Editor TRIBUNE:
No other event in the history Of the
American labor movement has had as
far reaching influence as the Haywood
trial. The press is filled with the start
ling confessions" of Orchard, who
tries to implicate the officers of the
Western Federation of Miners in his
"selfconfessed" career Of crime, that
might furnish stuff for dozens Of dime
novels. This sensational feature of the
trial may obscure its Importance to the
working class movement, which is des-
tined to have vital influence in the his
tory of our country The kidnapping
of Meyer, Haywood and Pettibone by
the authorities of the states of Idaho
and Colorado, the public declaration of
Gov. Gooding: They shall never leave
Idaho alive and the denial of Habeas
Corpus rights to the prisoners in viola
ton of the constitution of the United
States, called forth storm OF indlgna-
ton which eliminated in the united pro-
test of two million workers. President
Ro0sevelts announcement of the men
ON trial for their life, and presumably
innocent, resulted in another protest
from the working class, Never before
has New York City seen such an inn
mense and significant demonstration as
that of May 4th, when $1,000 workers
marched the streets carrying red BAN
ners with such inscriptions as: 1--WE are
fighting for Meyer, Haywood and Petit
bone. they fought for us. !" "Undesira-
BILE citizens because they are true to their
class" "A square deal from the man
who talks morality and accepts corrup-
ton funds from labor's dastardly foes.
The high-handed, illegal and unfair
acts whereby the capitalist mine owners
have sought to destroy the organization
of the Western Federation of Miners
have not only defeated their own ends
AS tyranny always wil--but they
have resulted in uniting the workers OF
the United States n,o solid, class.con-
scious body. The Meyer Haywood
Pettibone case has historical Importance
because it has crystalizsd the American
labor movement into unified action, and
shown the working class its strength.
And this is the beginning of the end of
capitalism,
From other parts of the world rises the
voice of the proletariat against injustice
and oppression of the capitalist system
AT the recent election in Austr
where the Socialists had only II legis-
lators, no less than 81 seats were cap
tured by SocM lists. Finland elects SO
Socialists out of possible POO, and IL
of these are women. Thanks to social
list agitation, Finland is the first coun-
try in the world to grant woman equal
political rights with man. The last
election in Germany was hailed as a de-
feat for Socialism because the Socialists
lost several seats due to political gerry
Wandering. But the Socialist vote in
creased from 5000 600 to 3,250,oOO.
Following steps with the growth of
modern industrial development and
ever present like its shadow is the mod
ern labor movement Socialism. The
enormous growth Of our industrial sy8-
TEN in the last few years accounts for
the rise of this movement in the United
States. The Meyer, Haywood Petit
bone outrage has given this movement
unexpected impetus, and revealed to
the world the terceness of the class
struggle an unavoidable consequence
of the capitalist system, a struggle in
which sooner or later every man or wo-
man will have to take side.
Our industries are fast outstripping
those of other countries, Will the
American workers lead the world in es-
tablishing industrial democracy as once
they lead in establishing political dem
ocracy? If so-and the coming of great
historical events have seldom been re-
allied beforehand may soon reap
the glorious fruits of Marks inspired
words, "Workers of the world, unite,
YOU have nothing to lose but your chains
and you have world to VIM"
OLAF OLSEN.