The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-07-18

thing about the trial now in pro-
gr.,> ia Idaho from the working
cas- ,Oint of view is that 80 few
understand its true meaning, its
rr.. significance, its full import.
1t is one of the strange freaks of
history that it makers are not to
be understood by their comtem-
porarieS, but that they, especially
the greatest among them, must
die Iguominiously and wait for
succs eding generations to iterpert
their words and do them justice,
When John Brown was put up
on trial in Charlestown, Va. As
years ago, few people, eXtremel V
few, understood its meaning. and
although half Il century has passed
and the iicrceSt civil warm history
of which that trial was but the
prelude, has been fought, the
great mass of people has not yet
awakened to its Significance and
another century or more will be re-
puircd before the strike at Harper's
Ferry and the trial at Charlcstown
will be understood in their larger
meaning, rs written in subsequent
events, by the American people
and the world.
Ralph Waldo Emerson was one
of the few who understood that
historic trial of half Il century ago
the trial OF a despised agitator and
hated insurrcctionist. His prop
hctic eye pierced the future as he
said: John Brown will make the
galiows as glorious as Jesus Christ
made the crosS.'' The coming
centuries will vindicate the pre-
science of the sage Of Concord and
the gallows upon which John
Brown, the liberator perished will
b" Kept green with wreathS Of i'm
mcrtilcS hy the countless children
of freedom.
The outcome o. the pending trial
Is awaited with equal concern by
the Gar Of Russia and the .Presi-
dent Of the United States. They
at least understand in some meas
urr The vital issue that is involved
and the widespread influence the
outcome will have upon their re-
>P"ctIvc countries.
" hen the Gar of Russia eN-
pressed his imperial approval of
PRESIDENT RooSevelt's characteri-
"a''"n of Meyer and Haywood us
"undcSilable citizcns,' he not only
added his testimony to the world
wide interest in the trial, but un-
"l'tlmgly recognized the inter
national class struggle of which
tlc trial in itself is but the merest
Incident.
II Is this very fact-a fact of the
N"pfcmeSt import;lnce-that the
capltaiIst powers are striving by
an conceivable means to conceal
from the working class; upon their
success III so doing depends the
v"iNummation OF the conspiracy to
U'Nlr"N e. ganized labor and rule
IN" wage slaves of the western
miles and Smelters with a rod of
IRON Tor years to come.
Ihe trial now going on, viewed
rom amy comprehensive stand
point, IS anything but murder
uIaI- In the war between labor
ana capitol in the Rocky Noun
'alhS during the last 80 years
sometimes in pitched battles and
again IN guerilla fashion-hund
reds have been slaughtered, but
''oe ali of them combined have
created a tithe of the furore arous-
Iu 10y the taking off of Frank
'e"henberg, the particular mur.
,tei which lies at the foundation OF
In'S prosecution and which must
'e understood in at least its essen.
1Ihi features to account for the
Worldwide interest it has awak
encd
Hundreds of mineIs have beer
NlIied under Circumstances quite as
cruel as the assassination of Steu,
ri'perg, but who can pronounce th,
name OF even one of them.
An: that is the pointl Why
were the hundreds of workingmeL
%lalh so lnconsequeptial and easily
torSotten, while the killing o
1teunenberg has aroused the Who'll,
universe?
ne answer comes of itself
frank Steunenberg belonged to th,
Iuilns class As governor o
Idaho he had served that clas