The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1908-01-03
bind The VI.
CIOUS animal,
1.-THE Mob" But Stop His En-
emieS From Jabbing Him.
American Farmer Amply Able
To Cope With Organized
Wealth.


ial in your issue of December 9th
you say, evidently referring to Judge
O'Rears speech at the Frankfort con-
ference, 1T is refreshing to see q
man who can look beneath the sur.
face wrongs into the deepseated evils
from which the lesser one sprang."
Allow me to add that it is refreshing
to see a newspaper fearless enough to
become the advocate of the cause OF
the eKntucky tobacco planter in his
contest with the trust that robs him
Of the just earnings of his labor. AS
I a law abiding citizen, / recognize that
extreme necessity may demand the
service of soldiers 10 preserve the
peace, but at the same time l heart
lily endorse Judge O'Rear's declaration
that he did not believe in soldiers.
Loose hangs that social compact sus-
zDended from the straps of soldiers.
M The trust system is natural pro-
@lhct of Industrial evolution and its
tusefulness, under proper restraints. to
cheaper production and distribution
of the comforts and conveniences of
mankind is now we'll understood, but
its introduction has been attended by
fierce conflicts between the laborer
on one side and the capitalist on the
other. But of the universal selfish
ness OF mankind the trust has TOO
often abused its power by taking ex-
cessive profits from the product OF
labor. The wage earners by reason
of their close personal association were
first able by organized efforts to force
from the trust "a fair, distribution OF
the profits of their mutual efforts,
but the farmers by reason of their is
olation from each other came last as
the claimants for a fair share of the
aggregate wealth, and coming last
they bore the burden not only of the
capital trust but also OF the labor
trust. When the farmers at last awoke
to the magnitude of their oppression
and the potency of their power they
set about fighting the devil with fire.
Not being skilled in diplomacy nor
schooled in patience, they obeyed
law as old as that governing the
movement of the Stars and struck
back with such weapons as they had.
without wishing TO encourage lawless-
ness / think 1t fair to say that the
barn burning in Western Kentucky is
akin to that kind of outlawery that
becomes patriotism with success. The
Boston Tea Party were outlaws in the
eyes of British patriots. If l were
Governor of the commonwealth l would
put the tobacco districts under mar
tial law If necessary to suppress the
reign of the mob, but while | was
binding the vicious animal | would
command his enemies to quit jabbing
him in the flank lest be become I'M
manageable. 1t is manifesuy unfair
to assume that large body of farm
ers, additionally the most conserva-
tive class of citizens, has suddenly
turned outlaw at heart. No foreign
element not in sympathy with or un-
derstanding our free institution are
charged with these raids but Ameri-
can citizens large per cent. OF whom
have led honorable and useful lives
In their community.
1t is to be regretted that no man
with asroice loud enough to be heard
has dared to tell the truth about
the character of men who have
INDUCED in these excesses. Were &C
tual conditions known to those in au-
thority they would see the necessity
for applying a permanent remedy for
a disturbance for which at best SOL
diers can be but a temporary expedi-
ent. 1t may be instructive to re-
call that, imperative as it was, shoot
! ing organized labor has never been
&1opular in this country.
n Harrison shot organized labor at
Homestead and lost the Presidency
and Cleveland shot labor at Chicago
with similar results. Perhaps Judge
O'Rear had these incident in recollec-
ton when he declared Il do not be-
lieve In soldiers" have faith In the
American farmers integrity and good
sense to fight out his battle with or
ganized wealth unaided by government
tai Intervention, but an occasional
outburst of violence would only veri-
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