Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-08-07
THE SHAME OF SEATTLE
10y FRANS# ROSTRoM.l


navy. Under the stimulating influence
of luxurious viands, congenial compan.
ionship and a glass or two of cham
payne, the said Mr. Daniels made a
valiant attack on the red flag and its
worshippers. About the same time IN
the evening a street meeting was held
in the lower part ofsthe city. A wo-
man was speaking to an audience con-
sisting to a sreat extent of l. vi. WIS.
couple OF drunken man OF war" men
undertook to break I'D the meeting and
were handled rather roughly i'll the
skirmish that ensued. The next even
ing little before s O'clock an attack
was made upon the |. w: w. head
quarters. under the Supervision of the
police half dozen Of which held the
civilians back from the scene of action
while soldiers and sailors wrecked the
meeting hall, dragging furniture and
books into the street where a bonfire
soon consumed it.
Having successfully perpetrated this
stunt the uniformed hoodlums, led by
quite few petty officers and accom-
panied by the outpourings from the
Seattle sIums, to the number of several
thousands, marched over a mills
through the heart of the city without
the slightest interruption from any
of the Socialists of King county and
Being temporarily 5baffied by brave
Seattle, 1909. Fifth avenue
Being temporarily ibafhed by brave
little woman, Comrade Mrs. Mary
Jervis, Who resolutely told the ruff
fans that she proposed to fight them
70 death, the mob departed or another
headquarters (SociaHsD on Seventh
and Olive street, which was demol-
lshed, Another bonfire was lit around
which war dances &Were performed.
The braves then returned to Social
list headquarters and ound the woman
comrade gone. All danger removed,
the work 0 destruction became a pic
mic. In few moments the gatherings
Of years of patient work of the Seattle
comrades was but smoldering heap
of rubbish. A $500 piano, $500 of
books, a new 500 typewriter, innumer-
able little conveniences, furniture etc,
property valued at not less than $1,000
in all, and all bought by the nickels
contributed by the enthusiastic COM
rades, all gone.
The mayor and chief of police were
undoubtedly honest in their attempt to
stif1e the riot, but the police force to
a man complacently failed to respond.
There can be no questioning the fact
that the whole thing was premediated.
The Seattle Times was blamed by the
Socialists and the mayor for RESPONSE
bflity. That anthchistic sheet has for
against labor unions and the Socialists.
years advocated violence and bloodshed
And no one doubts that it supplied the
funds for the whiskey which served to
endow the mob with the necessary
courage.
That the I. w. W. organization has
invited trouble with thei rfncessant
and idiotic preaching Of Sabotage and
direct action is undeniable.
But that doesn't excuse the law and
order element in permitting mob law.
Nor does it explain the treatment of
the Socialists. May we learn from this
that We have nothing to expect from
the justice and fairnessof our adver-
saries and that nothing will protect US
from physical violence except fear of
of Seattle has added another leaf to
our strength. In the meantime the city
the laurel it wears for being the most
vicious city on the continent, the home
OF Colonel Blethen, the editor of the
Seattle Times"
I'VE affirm as fundamental prin-
ciple that labor, the creator of wealth,
is entitled to all it creates.
/ Affirming this, we avow ourselves
willing to accept the final results OF
the operation of principle so radical;
such as the overthrow of the whole
profit-making system the extinction of
all monOpolies the abolition of priv
LEGGED classes, universal education and
fraternity, perfect freedom of exchange
and, best and grandest of all, the final
obiteration OF that foul stigma upon
our sO-called ciYilization-th poverty
of the masses.
eve declare war with the wage-sXs-
tenn, which demoralizes alike the hirer
and, the hired, cheats both, and en-
slaves the Workingman; war with the
present system Of finance, which robs
labor, gorges capital, makes the rich
richer and the poor poorer and turns
republic into an aristocracy of CAPT
tai"
"If any man asks me what value |
place upon this movement. l say it is
the movement of humanity to protect
ITSELF. it is the grandest and most
compromising ulOF0L4SuI Ol Lu0 dye.
1T is shame to our civilization for
our social system to provide and ex-
pect that any man atiseventy years of
age snail belord Of many thousands of
dollars, while hundreds of other men.
who have made. as good use of their
talents and opportunities, lean. upon
charity for their daily bread.
The best minds and hearts Of the
land should give themselves to the
work of changing this gross injustice;
this appalling iniquity.
Il feel sure that the freadiest way to
turn public thought and effort into this
channel, is for the workingman to or
ganize political party"