The copper era and Morenci leader., 1918-05-24
AN OPEN LETTER TO
 GOVERNOR HUNT
(Continued from Page 1.)

breakers, why are they unlawfully compelled to be refugees under your administration of the laws of Ari- zona? Is not the refugee camp at Duncan, a greater reflection on your administration than anything your traducers in the state can say or do?"
 And what answer did you make? Echo answers "what?"
 It is true that these iniquities, which your language depicts with such Dante-like realism, were not brought into such national prominence as that to which you refer, not be- cause they did not deserve it, but be cause of the period over which these depredations were spread and be- l cause the number of victims in each | case to captors was relatively small and the victims were as rule not lawyers of notoriety, Socialists or able-bodied malcontents with votes in their pockets, but poor, helpless and friendless Mexicans, whose very right to live appeared to be question ed under the mob law obtaining in the county at that time, although many of them had been living in the district for over twenty years in peace and quietness, earning an hon. est livelihood.
 It is also fact that the entire dis trict was captured and held by an or ganiZed gang of thugs and gunmen, to use your favorite expression, who, without semblance of law restrained peaceable citizens from coming into or leaving the district without their permission, who molested people go- ing about their lawful business, who waylaid in the dark those whom they had reason to believe were out of sympathy with them and beat them up or otherwise terroized them; one man being taken from his home, tied in chair, a rope put around his neck till he was nearly strangled, was jab- bed in the body with knives and was discovered three days later wander ing over the hills in a half crazed condition. These and many other such atrocities were committed, which are matters of record and make one blush for the fair name of Ari- zona You were Governor of Arizona at that time, and you may very prop erly be asked why did you not put a stop toe the perpertration of such out rages, at time when the police powers of your administration were recruited to their fullest, instantly available and powerful within the most plenary scope of the laws of this State?
 And, Governor, the excuse was even denied you that the telegraph wires were cut, and that you could not know that such things were going on. Widely different were the circuIn- stances, for time and time again were these outrageous proceedings brought to your notice, but with what re- suit? An inquiry through your own henchmen, perhaps, and the world was assured by you that all was peace and quietness, but were it pos sible to roll into one the ninety days in 1915, during which your brand of peace ragged" in the Clifton-M Morenci district, the atrocities committed at Risbee on July 18th last would pale into utter insignificance in compari- son, and it is significant, that the T very officer, who, while in direct com munication with you personally and by wire ali the time, was responsible for the enforcement of all State and Federal rights during the contihu- ance of these conditions of savagery. is today receiving preferment at your hands.
 I would also ask you why you did not go before the Third State Legis' : lature on January Sth, 1917, and in the clarion tones of your present mes sage let fall your righteous indigna- tion upon the perpetrators of these outrages which had but short tnne previously shocked and disgusted all true lovers o1 liberty and which had made so so1ry blot upon the pages Of the history of this State; was it be- cause it was not your OK that was being gored?
 Had you then defended the right against the wrong, the cause of the weak against his opporessor, your sincerity could not now be called in question nor your consistency i'm pugned.
 The public of Arizona have not such short memories that these do ings have already been forgotten and it would seem to me that the in telligent portion of the community will feel in view of your failure tc maintain the peace of this neighbor hood, so grossly outraged, and of youl failure to protest the illegal deporta tions which were being continually and systematically carried out during that period under the very nose o1 your own officers, and militia whose ceivably without your knowledge, thai silence would have been golden in the present instance.
 Your message scintilates with "a triotic utterances, commenable in the highest degree. They should be en dorsed and applauded by every loyal hearted citizen in Arizona, and they will certainly read we'll in Washing ton, but if, instead of impugning the patriotic motives of men who believe that Arizona should not be made a happy hunting ground for the enc mics of our Government, and if, in stead of attempting at every oppor tunity in season and out of season to besmirch the characters of the em ployers of labor and of holding them