Graham guardian., 1917-07-20
AN UNLAWFUL. ACT

Wheeler, of Cochise county, in
organizing n armed body of men
to corral al d drive out of Bisbee
a large number OF men into an
other state, was lawful or even
necessary.
IL would have been better for
the valiant sheriff to have pre-
vented I, reatened trouble by the
leaders of the |. w. w., includ-
ing Wild Bill Cleary, to have ar
rested them and held them in
Jail or other quarters under
charges of sedition and let the
courts decide their fate, rather
than to send them into another
state and burden its people with
their care.
The people of Arizona would
not stand for minute such ac-
ton on the part of New Mexico
in getting rid of undesirable peo-
pie, and why should Sheriff
Wheeler impose such an outrage
on a sister state.
There is no doubt but that the
leaders of the l. w. w. were
fomenting trouble in Bisbee, that
is what they are in business for
and that is their real reason for
organization. They are COM
bined force of direct actionists
organized to fan the flames of
discomfort, and, at this time,
when our country is at war, every
member of the /. w. w. who, by
his action is an inciter of sedi-
ton, is practically guilty of trea-
son and should be arrested and
held for trial by the proper au-
thorities- the Federal govern
ment.
When the sheriff of Cochise
county took upon himself the au-
thority to organize an armed
body of men to arrest and then
to drive out of Bisbee 1,186 men,
including with the l. w. W. lead
ers, good citizens as well, he was
adopting the tactics of the |. w.
w. and was as much direct ac-
tionist as any member of this
reasonable organization, and
every man under his command
was in the same category.
If Sheriff Wheeler believed
that the /. w. W. leaders were
melting sedition, it was his duty
to arrest them and place them in
jail or any other place of deten-
ton, until the courts could try
them for their unlawful acts. He
certainly had no authority under
law to do what he did and the
chances are that his action in
driving these men out of Bisbee
is going to result in the people OF
Arizona paying a large sum Of
money in damages.
We have no use for the direct
actionist or any other specie of
anarchism in our State or coun-
try and they should be arrested
and placed where they cannot
foment trouble. Gila county,
through Sheriff Armer, is doing
its proper duty in arresting and
holding for trial men who have
been engaged in melting sedition
by their infammatory speeches.
Loyalty Leagues are being or
ganized in cities and towns thru
out the State for the purpose of
home protection and helping the
officers to suppress any uprising
as the result of the work of the
l. w. w. or traitors of any other
class.
Sheriff Wheeler went beyond
his duty as an officer, even though
it was satisfactory to the mining
companies to drive out all work
ers, whether they were members
of the I. W. w. or not. A min
ing company or corporation that
counsels such action is no better
than the l. w. w., and after all
1t Is the mining companies OF
this State who are to blame for
the foreign element in mine lab
or. the kind of labor that falls
for the l. W. w. 1t was there
policy in the beginning to hire
the foreigner because he was