The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1908-06-05

the people is with the farmers In rneR
effort to force the trust to pay rea-
sonable and remunerative price for to-
bacco. Defeat means starvation prices
and continued scarcity Of money. VIC
tory means prosperity for grower ana
merchant alike. For this reason the
merchants are straining every resource
to carry their tobacco growing custom
ers on their books and the farmers are
cutting expenditures to the lowest pos
sible limit. 1t is a struggle IN whlcn'
practically all of Kentucky has a vital
interest. Everywhere one goes he hears
word of commendation for the Equity; ;:
the only condemnation Is for the ex-
cesses to which the night riders have
gone.
But there is an excuse for the night
riders Their mildest action Is, OF
course, Illegal. but it is understand
able. The law is slow. In every COM
munity in which there is great strug-
,le for betterment with consequent de-
Drivation and sacrifice, there are al
ways those whose cupidity prompts
them to take advantage of the situa-
lion and reap a personal benefit, even
ut the cost Of aiding the common enc
my. These individuals, though strict
ly within their legal rights, are neces-
sarily not popular with their neigh
bors, and to an extent these neighbours
are excusable when, persuasion failing,
an appeal is made to coercion. There
is the law of the statute books; there
is also the law Of the community. In
fraction of the one may be punished IN
the courts; defiance of the other In
more difficult of correction.
So long as the night riders cpnfined
themselves to the raking Of tobacco
beds there was little criticism. When
valuable warehouses were burned there
was general expression Of indigna-
ton and condemnation. When murder
| was resorted to the manhood and de-
cency of Kentucky were reused to a
height which demanded that all night
| riding must cease and that the crimi-
nails who had gone to such terrible ex-
cesses must be discovered and pun.
ished.
| 1t is not difficult to account for night
riding in it's incipiency. And from this
basis perhaps 1t is easy to understand
how irresponsible, daredevil young
men, prompted by love Of rough adj
venture and occasionally by PERSONAL
spite, took advantage Of conditions to
commit excuses and outrages.
Accompanying the night riding which,
has been such an unfortunate feature
of the tobacco producers fight against
the trust there has been more than ons
tragedy, but the one which attracted
the most attention and created the
greatest Indignation was the killing of
Hiram Hedges by some member Of 9
masked mob.
Hedges was a Woodworking, honest
man for whom 1t has been long strug-
gle to support his numerous family. He
was man of decent morals was count
ed a good neighbor and was not known
to have had an enemy. Like all farm
ers in his part Of the State, he was q
tobacco grower, but in small way. Ir
his immaculate HclSuDoIuou lHeIe udU
been very little organizing among the
farmers and he was not an Equity man
One night he was visited by mob OF
about seventy-five men, called to thu
door, accused Of planting tobacco, ant
in the presence of his family was rio
died with shot.
The murder Of Hedges was about a!
unprovoked and cold-blooded Grim,
as could be committed. 1t was result
of night riding. Nevertheless neithe
this nor other outrages should be attrib
I uted either to the organized farmers O.
D to their officers. They condemn sucl
: criminality heartily and, outside of til
. immediate sufferers, are the creates
losers.
q Don't Fold Your Arms.
: BY folding your arms you pull tn