Bisbee daily review., 1913-03-22
RYAN,s REFLECTION.

NJ AN . HE-EAES ttSN
Organized labor is seeking the sym
patty and endorsement OF the people
generally. 1t is a worthy thing to
do. To receive il they should endeav,
OF to make themselves worthy of il
1t cannot be done in any other way,
There is one way IN which they will
fan every time to impress upon the
average honest citizen their worth
mess, and that is by endorsing Grim.
inal acts or the people who COMM,
them 0 fthose who even ccuntenapce
them.
These thoughts nave been sug-
gested by the recent election of Frank
NJ Ryan as president of the Interna-
tional Association Of Bridge ana
Structural Ironworkers. 1t differs some
what from the case of the trio who
were tried for the murder Of Governor
syeunherg, in that they we.e not
convicted, but Immediately one OF
the number was elected to a position
which he had held prior 10 his trial
In the case Of Ryan. though, an en-
tirely different case is. presented, as
he stands convicted Of a crime
which involved murder and destruc-
ton of private property-convictel
after as fair and impartial trial as
ever a man had in this or any other
country. He wac convicted and sen
fenced, and only now enjoys freedom
under the heaviest sort OF Ionds.
In the face of all these facts, the
action of the union of which he was
the head, prior to conviction, in
eiecting him can only have one con-
struction. That is. that they virtually
endorse every act of his, or of which
he stands convicted. The judge in
pronouncing sentence took occasioB
to announce from the bench that the
testimony against some Of those who
were convicted was sufficient to con-
Wet them of murder. Tie Newark
News OF New Jersey, commenting on
the circumstance says:
The reelection Of Frank N. Ryan
as president of the International As
ISOLATION of Bridge and Structural
Ironworkers savorg altogether too
much Of brayado. No organization can
long carry denantiy upon its shoulders
the intoIerable weight o. an admin.
istrative chief who has been con.
yicted By a jury Of his peers and sen
fenced 10 a seyen-year term in prison
for a criminal offense the inevitable
consequence of which was death to
enemies Of that organization In such
a case, pending the appeal which al
ready has been instituted a vote Of
confidence would have been a fitting
expression Of his fellows belief in lie
innocence. To exalt him 10 the high
est Office in their gift is an act Of
defiance.
Frank n. Ryan Elay b an abused
and misrepresented man. His sen
teuce may never be puJ INTO eject.
He may obtain q retrial and emerge
from the court room acquitted Of the
charges, not only a free nan, but.
in the eyes Of the law. even an limo
cent man. 1t is proper for his com
Tades to insist upon this possibility
TO hope for it, to work for it. II can
not be proper for them to flauHt a
convicted evil doer as a nan worthy
tie honor Of representing them in bis
person.
1T Is impossible 20 avoid the infer
eaee that the reelection Of RYAN is
an expression Of shat has recently
been wen described as the law % the
gang; that the bridge and ironwork
ers have their own gang standards o;
right and wrong or crime and limo
cence. and they mean TO enforce their
private code as the code Of the fsud