The Detroit times., 1911-03-20

pulpits, threatened many times by
word and by letter. He has seen tar
heating for his own feathering, has
been assaulted twice. waylaid once,
chased by a mob and shot at on his
own doorstep. But
The Weekly Independent continues
to appear II maintains its indepen.
dence and tells that which Saunders
believes to be the truth.
Saunders is plain and simple as an
old boot. He wears wide-brim hat,
a Roycroft tie; and goes vestless all
winter He's 81. but looks 40. He
was born near Elizabeth City, but
wandered deal. Finally. discover
ing in himself gift for writing. he
came back home with a little money,
some type. a west pocket press, a
wife and two babies, and started the
Independent.
The first issue won for the editor a
chat with L. F. Aydlett. who said that
he hoped Mr. Saunders wouldn't talk
about him in his paper, and added
that he was sure that Saunders
wouldn't do such thing.
That listened like a challenge to
Saunders. He looked up Aydlett and
charges that he found that he was
the righshand man of one Mack Saw
yer, owner of the electric light and
water plant and head of the crowd
that ruled Elizabeth City from out
side the municipal building.
The next issue OF the Independent
had something to say about Sawyer
and Aydlett. So has every Issue since.
The war was on. Merchants with
drew their advertisements. Saunders
had a hard row to hoe.
But he stuck to his guns and this
is what he has done
Forced three members of the gang
to quit under fire; forced the fire
chief TO quit; defeated the gang in a
county election, and cut its city ma
jority to narrow margin.
He has walked up the plain people
and now they are. backing him up.
Last summer he missed the nom
ination for the state legislature by
only four votes
All this time the gang had been
making every endeavor to drive Saun-
ders from the town. Among other
things done to this end they mobbed
ulI1. hC fihOb hOilOWCu nm hOihC
and fred at him while he was stand
ing in the doorway Of his cottage.
The incident increased Saunders
popularity with the plain people.
His unexpected show Of political
strength scared Sawyer's gang. They
hurried to make another attempt to
get rid of their Nemesis.
A friend of Saunders held q mort
gage on the Independent plant. The
gang promised this friend" politi-
cal Job II he would agree to sell this
mortgage to the enemy in case the
Independent ever again mentioned
Sawyer, the gang or a church that
had been drawn into the row.
For a week Saunders. broken In
spirit, thought the battle lost. Then
he came to himself and wrote an edi-
torial. II began this way:
II have my choice of living a lie
and holding bit Of property. or pro-
claiming the truth and losing all the
little that have gained by my uphill
work In this community In three
years | am going TO be honest with
myself and with my friends and take
the consequences. II | am .impov.
erished thereby shall take my medl-
cine like a man. What profits II a
man to gain print shope and lose his
own soui?"
He told the whole story in plain
words.
Next day after the publication OF
this editorial, Saunders friends
fiocked TO him and told him they
would back him. The rumor got
abroad that somebody had pledged
$4,000 TO buy Saunders new plant
II he was sold out. This killed the
agreement" and the Independent
was again free.
The fight is still on. They say in
sober earnestness that the gang has
decided to defeat" the Independent
by reforming. Some OF the sub
gangsters are organizing TO ditch
Sawyer.
But Saunders won't care much IL
the Independent is defeated" that
way. He is printing little maya
zine called THE Down Homer" II
nrnrotaaa ao we'll that he can see his