Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-06-11
THE GREAT SPEECH JUDGE WELLS UNDER
THE AUSPICES LAW AND ORDER LEAGUE

is such thing as honorable warfare
and dishonorable warfare. Besides,
no such conditions existed as to war
rant such proceedings. The assoc =
alton had practically won the fgR
along legal lines. Those farmers
who were out would have come in in
another year, in my opinion, with
out violence. All reforms are made
gradually. Even if there was a
small per cent who were so fixed in
mind as to have never joined it was
not the province of any citizen or
band of citizens in or out to have re-
sorted to violence to have forced
them in. There was once a civil war
and principles were fought for.
see before me the Blue and the Gray.
/ do not see any sock legs. LetNit be
remembered that the best interests
of the association and the best inter-
terests of law and order are along
the same lines. There may be those
in or out of it, who have zeal not ac-
cording to knowledge who cherish
the idea that sock leg campaign
will prove great blessing-this is
the very idea which must be remov-
ed, right here lies the work of the
Law and Order League. An appeal
must be made to those who have:
been captivated for the moment by
such sophistry. The seeds of discord
must be supplanted by an appeal to
reason. The work before. the league
is to see to it that the strong arm of
the law is enforced against those
who would take the law into their
own hands. Every law abiding mem
Der of the association should be q
member of the Law and Order
League. If the mission of the Law
and Order League is to use all law
full means to put an end to violence
then there is perfect harmony be-
tween its objects and purposes and
the objects and purposes of the greaS
hosts of law abiding members of III
association. Let the edict go forth
from judges courts, juries, leagues
and citizens that the law will be en-
forced at all hazards and that too
without fear or favor. Somebody is
guilty. A far reaching conspiracy
exists somewhere. That there ex-
lists right here among US band of
lawless men bound together with
bloody oath with signs, passwords
and bent on midnight mischief is
now a matter established beyond
question or cavil. That the same
band or bands have gone forth and
burned property, killed citizens,
cruelty beat and bruised others and
terrorized whole communities is as
much matter Of history as the as
.sassinations of Garfield or Mckinley.
That a part of the plan of the con-
spirators is to corrupt courts and ju-
ries is attested by the fact that they
have administered their bloody oath
to men and as parting admonition
have said to them:
I'VE may not call upon you to ride
in raids but may need you for jury
service" Indeed there is a certain
sign to be given member on the
jury by the defendant or some one
acting for him to which he responds
by sign and this determines whether
he is to be retained or not. This is
no guess work or maybe, it is a mat
ter of sworn evidence of those who
know. How far reaching is such a
conspiracy! How awful to contem-
plate! The elimination is anarchy
pure and simple. If such a conspir-
acy is to continue its unbridled
course no man il safe. Not even
those who are in it. Those timid
citizens who are afraid to speak will
later find out that they have only in
creased the danger to themselves
and others by their silence. If ev-
cry man who is at heart in favor of
law and order would speak out and
tell what he knows we could put an
end to it all.
Oh, fear not in a world like this,
And thou shalt know ere long;
Know how sublime thing it is.
To suffer and be strong.
-Longfell9fw.
The brave man seeks not popular s,bs