Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1918-10-10

officers under tho impression that to
have filed as a candidate on h farm
.er-labor independent ticket constitutes
one an outalw? 1t would almost seem
that they do. At any rate, it is signif-
icant that, in each recent case of mob
interference with political meetings,
the victims nave been those who stand
on the platform for the candidates
Of the organized farmers and workers.
Flow County Councils Defend
on September %, Thomas Ayres, the
farmer.labor candidate for congress
in the third congressional district, and
Abraham Lincoln Putnam, candidate
on the same ticket for lieutenant gov
error, were refused the right to hold
a meeting at Fort Pierre in Stanley
county. The sheriff, who had offered
the courtroom in the court house for
this meeting was forbidden, by the
Stanley county defense council, to allow
the meeting to be held there or any
where else III tic county. At least so
he Informed the candidates. And bye
the-bye Mr.. Putnam has two sons, vol
unteers, in the military service of our
country. His loyalty and that of Tom
Ayres are beyond question.
A few days later, Mr.. Ayres and Mr..
Earl Gray attempted to hold a meeting
which had been advertised at Witten,
in Tripp county. When the owner
learned that the speakers We're Non
partisan League men, he refused the
hall. 4 garage was secured and the
meeting was begun when the owner of
the garage informed the speakers that
he had been notified over the telephone
that the town authorities had for
hidden to allow the meeting on his
premises. When the meeting adjourn
ed to the street, the town marshall
forbade it again. and ordered the
i speakers to leave the town. Mr.. Ayres
refused to yield except to q warrant,
and the assembled farmers having raj.
lied to the support of the speakers
the marshal permitted Mr.. Ayres to
finish his speech.
Subjected to Acid Test.
After the meeting, when the speakers
had retired to their rooms, Mr.. Gray
| discovered that some kind of acid which
| burned his flesh had been put in his
4urned. This time he was accompanied
by a mob of towns-folk who had been
100 cowardly to risk a set-to with the
| husky farmers. The marshal ordered
| Messre Ayres and Gray TO dress and
| get out of the town as quickly as
| possible. They did 50, and came to
The end of d perfect day, at the town
IF Winner, in their own native land,
the glorious and free United States
Of America where all citizens are equal
before the law, even il not in the court
of judge Lynch.
Is 1t a Republican Plot?
Turn to something more h a mere
coincidence In these successive ex-
~oeriences of farmer-labor Independent
candidates, at The very opening ct
heir campaign. 1t looks suspiciously
like a concerted plot to ifitiinidate, If
possible, and to cast suspicion and dis
credit on the aforementioned cam
didaest. This suspicion deepens when
Us at Britton and Fort Pierre and Wit
ten. the authorities involved in the
violations of citizens rights by mob
action are either members Of or claim
to he acting under orders from the
respective county councils of defense,
II is going to take more than discus,
sions on the part of state officers,
members OF defense councils and reDub;
lean party managers and candidates
20 convince the farmers and wage earn
ars, whose candidates have been thus
outraged, that the councils of defense
are not being used as an inquisitorial
organization TO prevent, wherever
possible. the campaign Of the league
endorsed candidates.
NorbecIt's Heap Big Talk
The suspicion that such is the case
deenens, asaonarecalis the significant
Inactivity DC Governor Norbeck hereto
fore when such miraculous OF the
law have been brought to his notice
true fe has deflored, has proclaimed
the riggnts of farmers TO assemble, he's
PROMISED that league meetings should
be nrotectedWords, plenty. III fact
100 plenty but, Of actions, not tining
And this has been his official pose