The Montana nonpartisan. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1918-192?, 1918-12-07
MONTANA FARMERS LOSE ON HAIL INSURANCE
UNCONSTITUTIONAL EARz OPINION
S, OPINION

GGI[fY'fREE ;GR}YlF !8 1HR|i H|h
GOVERNOR STEPHENS TARDY
AND INSULTING TREATMENT
OF MOONEY CASE RESENTED
BY LABOR THE WORLD OVER
THREAT TO STRIKE NO IDLE
ONE. MOONEY IS INNOCENT
AND MUST BE FREED SPITE
OF TECHNICALTTIES OR LE-
GAL HIGHBINDERISM.
Sacrcmento, Nov. 28.-The doom of
Thomas J. Mooney, sentenced to
be hanged December 13, in connec-
tion with deaths Of 10 persons from
a bomb explosion in San Francisco
on Preparedness day, July %, 1916,
was cOmmuted by Governor William
D. Stephens, today, to imprisonment
for life.
Thus in a few words does the gov
ernor knowing the innocence of Tom
Mooney slowly spell out more Bit
ter doom than death because there
stands at his back swinging the club
of coercion those terrible organiza-
tions which are known as Chambers
of Commerce and Employers Asso-
Citations. Mooney has been and will
continue to be, if his health be not
entirely broken by prison fare and
stalwart fighter in the ranks of la
Dor. Always was Tom Mooney at
hand when the forces which seek to
hold back the spread of intelligence
and culture by driving down the stan
dard of living were bounding their
unfortunate employees, and always
Tom Mooney fought them. His elo-
quent forceful speech, his integrity.
his skill, and his dogged resistance
gave rise to the most bitter opposi-
tion from the bosses.
Tom was "framed" in all manner
Of ways and the black record of the
guilty prosecution is pne Of the most
terrible pages in the history of jur-
isprudence. The office of the District
Attorney seems to have been used
for the most fragrant prosecution
of private revenges, amongst which
the Mooney case figured prominently.
The character of the witnesses was
of the most detestable; perjury was
openly indulged in, dope-fiends, gun
men, prostitutes, professional jury
men, in fact all the machinery which
the public is familiar with through
the ''crook-play' was used. Winberg
was marked for victim because he
would not come in on the plot and
also because he was a member Of
successful competing line Of jitneys
which took some Of the fares away
from the great San Francisco trac-
ton company. Mrs. Mooney was
dragged into court on charge Of
murder or rather many charges of
murder and after going through ut
ter misery for many months, was fin
ally set free and pronounced not
guilty on one Of the counts. The re-
cord is terrible and should be read
by all.
International Labor Takes Hand.
The case was so flagrant that Ia
Dor men throughout the world have
resolved to strike until Mooney is
free. They have been wonderfully
patient, they have used the courts
to a limit and although the trial
judge says that he feels convinced
that Mooney is innocent and should
have another trial. nevertheless, the
law is such in California that it can
not be done. Labor feels that since
a man is innocent and has been con-
victed of crime not because he
perpetrated it, but because the Cham
bers of Commerce and labor haters
generally wanted it, that no tcchni-
caity shall stand in the way of that
mans release and vindication. So
strong has been the pressure, that
President Wilson sent the following
letters to the governor of California:
"rhe White House, Washington,
u. G., March u. 1918.
"EOvernor William D. Stephens.
Sacramento, California.
with very great respect | take
the liberty of saying to you that, if
commute the sentence of Mooney, it
would have most heartfelt effect
upon certain international affairs
which his execution would greatly
cOmpiicate.
"WOODROW WILSON"
In June the governor received this
additional message:
"The White House, Washington,
d. c., June !. 1918.
Honorable William d. Stephens.
Sacramento, California.
II beg that you will believe that
| am moved only by a sense of pub
lie duty and of consciousness of the
many and complicated interests in
VOWED when again must respect
tuiiy suggest Il com mutation of the
death sentence imposed upon Mooney.
| would not venture again to cali your
attention to this case, did ! not know
the international significance which
attaches to it.
'WOODROW WILSON," )"
Meanwhile the department of labor
) had had man at work carrying on
: a thorough investigation secretly.