El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-05-31
TEXANS ARE LOYAL AND THEY
DETEST THESE CONSPIRATORS
n 6 ~

4 SITUATION meriting the most severe condemnation
has been revealed in western and northwestern Texas
= - where it appears there is organization for the
purpose OF defyng the government and making armed
the seecive draft Members of the Organza-
on have prepared and secretly circulated literature
e reasonable nature have armed themselves for what
ever purposes they had in mind and have threatened
wholesale destruction OF property in various towns though
what connection that has with opposition to the federal
At any rate the dispatches state that merchants in one
town have armed watchmen in each block protecting lives
and property; that arrests have been made another
and that 40 alleged conspirstOrs have been appr
hended third of whom about 80 have turned tail and
revealed the nature conspiracy the cath of its
beTship and the called literature it was engaged In
circulating.
to provide himself with high powered rifle and 100 rounds
Of ammunon pledge opposition to CONSUMPTION in any
form TO pledge intent shoot CONSUMPTION officers; to
aid members Of the society under arrest going far
kill officers of the law, dynamite the ja etc; to
seek jury service when member was called to tral and
to return verdies Of aequta regardless OF the evidence
and TO kill any member Of the organization revealing any
Of the secrets of the order.
The seven men whom reference has been made the
above have been indicted Dallas and placed under bond
The Herald has intention of trying their in these
columns preudcng their where they
win be tried. Whether these guilty of
sedious conspiracy, charged in the indictments this
paper does know. The defendants entitled at this
time to 3 presumption Of innocence.
is plain however, that sort Of plot along certain
reasonable lines has existed and deserves all the de-
nunciation which be heaped upon it 1t may be the
who at the bottom of it Germans German
sympathzer Or it may be they pacfiss of violent
type VINO bound to have their even to the
extent Of fighting the government which shelters and pro
teets them
The great Of the people Of this state attuned
to the beef that the United States going into
battle in order that the high principles of humanity and
civilization may be crushed by ruthless enemy They
hate profoundly do other Americans Never
theess realizing very limited extent and limited
Influence this TeacheTous movement Texans might not
regard it with much seriousness It not for the effect
Of the public opinion elsewhere. Hurried readers
noting In their haste that several towns In Texas
tened apt to fall into the Of thinking all Texas
is hotbed of sedition-
@Ah yes" such readers may be imagined saying, 81
have heard IN the past few years there patriotism
IN the border district They may recall certain recent
magazine articles which referred prominent people along
the border breaking the laws Of the United States and fur
nisng and ammunition for border raids when not
gagged in actually plotting those raids True untrue as
to their allegations these articles did not mention the great
body Of residents who scrupuously obeyed the neutrality
law confored the embargo order and had interest
Mexican affairs way another ferTenty to
hope that Panho Villa might meet speedily the punishment
his atrocities meTited.
Thus bad impression of the border district has been
spread broadcast and it Is with this anti CONSUMPTION
plot Every Texan knows the plot unmpoant that
dscloses the existence of reasonable intent The pro-
posed armed opposition to the draft is idea harebrained
and udcrous 1t could succeed while United States
soldier loyal Texas civilian remained alive But that
could exist at ALL and existing bring the state and its
citizenship into measure of dsrepute Is CALLING
It is be hoped the department of justice agents
making thorough cleanup of this affair It is to be hoped
they finding possible gather conclusive evidence
tht every guilty individual may find his traitor
self confined in prison for good, long term