Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1912-05-20
Attorney for |. W. W. Mails
Number of Sympathy
Pleading Letters
FACTS ARE DISTORTED
The Anarchist Agitators Seek
to Gain a Fresh Foot
hold in Aberdeen

Several hundred citizens of Aber.
deem received a copy of the letter
printed below in Fridays mail, dated
at Aberdeen, May IA, and mailed in
Seattle. Even without the signature
of Bruce Rogers, the pen of the skill
ed pettifogger is easily discernible.
The plausibility with which facts are
distorted and suppressed show the at
tOrney who could with equal facility
argue for the opposite side of the
question. Read the letter:
Mr. Citizen and Tax Payer:
Suppose that you were suddenly
confronted with the truth about oc
currences in your city for the last
two months; could you look it in the
face? Could you make up your mind
to do something in your own interest?
In the interest of your property and
your present and future welfare?
Suppose that as a matter Of actual
truth you We're to learn that the |.
w. w., instead of being a lawless and
violent organization as you have been
;misled to believe, is perfectly law
fui and peaceful organization, both
Individually and collectively, and that
our entire program is contemplated
within our legal rights. Don't you
know that if we were violators of the
law that we would speedily be brought
to punishment under its penalties?
We are and always have been anx-
ious voluntarily to submit ourselves
to the laws and to the courts. If the
laws are changed, we propose to con-
form to them. Now don't you know
that If We were lawless and violent
that under the provocation, the beat
ings we have endured, and thousand
lawless acts committed against US,
that we could long ago have burned
the city to ashes? AS man to man
don't you think We have shown great
:self-restraint, even for perfectly law
abiding workingmen who are deter
mined simply upon getting better con-
ditiOns and better wages?
Everybody knows and practically
everybody says the laborers should
get better wages, and our methods for
getting them are perfectly lawful.
What does it mean to you when we get
good wages? Does it not spell pros
perity for you and increase in the
value of your property? 1t certainly
does, for if the workers were given
Just their board and clothes would
you be in business or would your
property be worth anything?
Now let us look at the other side.
Do you know that you, with the 700
other taxpayers to whom this letter
is addressed have been subjected to an
expense of approximately $4,000 in
an unlawful effort to prevent us doing
a perfectly lawful thing? Now the
blame for this expense is on those
who violate the laws; not on us who
abide by them. Do you know tnat
this fight will never. never end, until
we have organized the workers to bet
ter their conditions? And that If the
methods of the mill owners, and your
officials whom you trusted with the
duty of enforcing the laws and not
themselves to break them, are kept
M. you will continually be subjected
to this expense. But the expense is
really the least part of 1t, for in the
meantime your business doesn't pros
Der and your property depreciates In
value. Bear in mind that so long
as this struggle keeps up. we shall
continually work to have the facts
made known to people, for is has been
our experience. the public will swiftly
condemn lawless methods against
us Bear in mind when you
are thinking of this, that it is WE who
are ready and anxious to answer to
you for all our acts. You are inter-
ested in this thing, not against us,
but with us, and you will find this out
il YOU will take the trouble. Organize
a committee from among yourselves
of men. not connected with the law
nessness and inhumanity that has
transpired-a committee not to beat
and slug, but to hear and consider the
facts. Act act in your own true and
genuine interest. Go after all the facts
for yourself, bearing in mind that you
cannot depend upon the newspapers,
who are with gigantic interests who
are throttling the people and nullify-
ing the laws.
Yours for justice,
BRUCE ROGERS,
Acting for the Industrial Workers OF
the World.
Approved:
w. A. Thorn, Sec,
Local Union No. 354, w. w. W., Alb
erdeen,
F. H. Allison. Sec. N. I. U. of F,
& l.. w.
Thomas Halcro, for the General EN-
ecutiye Board of the If w. W..
ma