Willmar tribune., 1909-09-22
III rs GREA
SPEECH BEFORE
FEDERAL COUR|]
Continued from foregoing pase)

Srict from Los Angeles that gentleman
turned It over to the District attorney.
The district attorney returned the en-
velope to the postodice inspector with
the opinion that there was no ground
for action. The Inspector In making
report to the department at Washing
ton marked the case Closed" He
later explained to ME that this meant
that 90. far as the district Of Kansas
was concerned no further action would
be taken. But soon thereafter word
was received from Washington. 90 the
assistant district attorney announced
IN the presence Of this court, that there
had been a violation Of the law and
that the case must be reopened and
vigorously prosecuted.
I'VE Are After the Appeal"
The district attorneys Office at To-
peka, however, revised it's decision
after hearing from Washington that
there was no ground for action against
me. One Of my attorneys journeyed
to Washington and laid before the de-
partment thousands Of reward cards
similar to the Taylor reward which
had been mailed from nearly every
city in the Union. When my attorney
inquired why the Appeal was singled
out for prosecution on. this 6imsy
charge. while all the senders Of these
other cards. who were equally culpa-
BILE, were not molested, the representa-
tive Of the government opened q
drawer in his desk and produced an
armload Of marked copies Of the Ap.
peal.
Blue pencil marks designating GER
tain articles in the Appeal indicated
that this paper is pretty closely read
by high government officials. The gov.
ernment official shrugged his shoul.
ders in reply to Darrow's question and
remarked, I'VE are after the Appeal
This case has dragged It's weary way
through this court for over two years
continued from time to time at the in.
stance Of the government. submit
from these facts that am not prose.
cuted for having violated any federal
law, but purely because Of my political
opinions and my work In behalf Of the
working class Of this nation.
This prosecution is not unexpected
to us. As plainly stated by the govern.
ment official to whom our attorney
talked while In Washington, it is evi
dent that secret service agents Of the
government have been camping on the
trail Of the Appeal for, 10. these many
years.
Is It not pretty conclusive evidence
that we have observed re1igiously the
laws and regulations governing the
conduct Of newspaper when after
ten years Of effort the government is
able to find only this lone and paltry
alleged violation?
Personally l feel proud Of this rec
ord. l feel no sense Of guilt. nor will
the world approve this conviction
when the truth prevails and the facts
are known.
Submitted Copy to Postmaster.
The governments witnesses testified
here on the stand that submitted tc
them copy Of the matter I expected te
mail and asked whether in the post
masters judgment it constituted VIC
lation Of the federal law. That official
after looking the matter up said 1t did
not, and I want to say here that dur
ing the ten years of my connection
with the Appeal to Reason I have had
frequent occasion to consult with the
postmaster at Girard on matters re-
lating to the postal laws, and in no III
stance was his Judgment ever at fault
He assured me that in his judgment
the matter I proposed mailing was
identical In character with the thou
sands Of postal cards mailed at his Of
fee by the sheriff. the marshal and
the officers Of the Anti Horse Thief as