New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1919-02-12
Mob Rule Superseded.


tons, and of the re-establishment OF
law and order as opposed to mob rule,
is to be found in a seven page article
in the current issue Of The Atlantic
lNonthlu, entitled "Prussianizing Wis
consin." 1t was written by Charles D.
Stewart, formerly secretary to Governor
Philip of Wisconsin, and relates in de
tail many instances Of mob activities
against farmers.
In summarizing this article by Mr..
Stewart and commenting upon 1t, the
editor of the "Wisconsin Former says:
Glow many farmers were there in
Wisconsin who were unable, through
ignorance or fear, to demand justice IN
a similar situation? How many loyal,
patriotic citizens were reused from their
beds at night by a mob, assailed in the
sancity Of their homes by rufflans, and
denounced with curses as traitors? How
many were attacked in their fields While
blowing and ordered to sign checks or
subscription blanks, or else hailed be-
fore mock court without any authority
whatever, whose only sin was that they
had refused to let men who knew nothing
Of their circumstances, dictate the exact
amount they should subscribe to what
was supposed to be voluntary aid Tor
the government. Many OF them doubt
less thought that such "Klu-klux-
Khan" methods were approved by the
government, and that the criminals who
used them spoke with the voice OF legal
suthority. They feared to resist, both
lecause of the dread Of social ostraclsm,
Il at would follow their being branded
as traitors, or having their houses painted
yellow, or for some vague fear that they
themselves might be violating the law
by doing so. The latter belief was care
fully. cultivated in ways that border
closely upon criminal acts. Letters
were sent out bearing the designation
CT the Federal Reserve District" !;
Of hers had the words 's.White House
On them, to make it appear as though
Il ey had. President Wilson's sanction;
others used the name of the United
States Treasury or the State Council
Of Defense.
"And one of the most disheartening
things about it all was the failure OF the
legal authorities, whose sworn duty 1T
was to protect individuals in their con-
stitutional rights, to take any action
to end this reign Of terror and mob
violence. Prosecuting attorneys re-
fused to act when called upon. Al
though standing for the majesty OF the
law. thew tlouted the law and sanctioned,
by their inactivity and TACT consent,
the NEST fragrant outrages OF the vlgl-
lantes. I say that these things are to
the eternal shame of Wisconsin, and l
can think Of them as nothing but the
results. Of war hysteria, which is now
fortunately giving way once more to
sober second sense, when mad passion
passes, and calm reason resumes its
sway.
s:Nor was Wisconsin alone in the odlum
Of such shameful conditions. In the
neighboring state OF Iowa the same or
worse practices were INDUCED in by
corrupt big business and politics, and
fhe foulest crimes perpetrated IN the
name Of patriotism.
II wrote the United States attorney
generals office at Washington, D. c.,
regarding these outrages and have re-
ceived an answer, which reads in part:
"'Of course, that which the law
leaves voluntary no person has the law
full right, directly or indirectly, to make
compulsory. Where lawless methods
are pursued the violated laws are almost
always state and local laws, as distin-
guished from federal laws. I'm
doubtedly the Treasury Department has
never authorized or encouraged any law
IS practices, or any practice which,
ling short of lawlessness, might rea-
S rably be considered objectionable.
F., ne lCLLEI- tllCll 6OSo ~ " S>>~AA ~
, tention to the following quotation from
tie annual report OF the attorney general
vii h, it states summarizes the attitude
CT the department Of justice on these
matters:
cit has been the view Of this depart
me t, consistently adhered to Throughout
the war, that every act OF arbitrary
and unnecessary interference with the
life, habits and occupation OF the citizen,
would lessen efficiency, disturb order,
and weaken public confidence in the
Amer an standards Of justice.
1.-THE above quotation states the most
serious thing about the reign OF terror
in this country during the war. Serious
as were the mental and physical suffer
ings caused by the unjust humiliation,
80 Z
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