The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1920-02-13
AuToCRACY IS
RED" BREEDER
Loss of Old Freedom and Growth
of Intolerance Causes Most
of Our Unrest.

In letter to the st. Paul Daltv
News, which appeared in the issue of
January Z, Win. +. Markoe sets forth
some well known facts In such start
ling array as to be well worth the
attention of every true American. The
letter is as follows:
Autoeracy Mother Of Monstrosities.
THE startling stories carried by the
daily press just now recording such
items as thousands nabbed in great
est U. S. raid on reds Many suspects
seized,' Prisoners held without
charge ETC., read exactly like those
we used to hear some 40 years ago
from Russia, whose penal colonies in
frigid Siberia were always crowded
with political prisoners. But in those
days we regarded socialism, anurclh-
ism and bolshevism as the legitimate
progeny of Imperialism, czarism and
despotism. We considered autocracy
as the fruitful mother Of such mon
strosities. How, then, explain the fact
that similar spawn Is being Matched in
democratic America? Has the law
that like causes produce like effects
ceased to function accurately? Or has
autocracy secretly stolen into America
under the guise Of democracy?
Our Rights 40 Years Ago.
"NOW, universal unrest and diScOn-
tent are unfailng evidences of some
thing radically wrong somewhere, and
great changes have taken place in
America in 40 years. Forty years ago
we had no trusts, no combines, no
'sOulless' corporations, no monopolies
Of the neceSSaries Of life, no protiteers,
no multimillonaires, no refrigerator
cars and no cold storage to StranSle
the natural law Of supply and demand,
no big business no stupendouS I'M
mems souls. we, the people were
still sovereign We We're not COM
PEELED to prove our loyalty to our own
rulers by constant kotowing and
salamming to the powers that be- at
every tack and turn. If our public
servants failed to perform the duties
to which we had elected them. it was
still ours to openly criticize their con.
duct without fear of being arrested for
'ese majeste'-a crime not found on
our statute books at that time. We
exercised the same right from presi
dent down to village postmaster.
Free Speech Prevents Abuses.
Free speech, free press and liberty
Of conscience proved much more faith
full and efficient guardians Of ou1
lights than policemen armed witt
clubs. Ave still held these truths tt
be self-evident, that all men are Great
| ed equal, that they are endowed by tn
Creator with certain inalienable right
that to secure these rights govern
ments were instituted among men, de
irving their just powers from the con
sent Of the governed and (dare w
say it?) that when any form Of gov
eminent becomes destructive of thes
ends, it is the right of the people t.
alter or abolish it, How could all thi
be accomplished without criticism, dis
cussion, argument, controversy AM
free expression of the views of all pal
ties on all phases Of the question
How prevent abuses and 'usurpations
Of power and authority if all thes
rights are muzzled?
Answer the Arguments!
"Years ago when Chicago anarchist
committed q specific crime in Hay
market square, they were prompt
convicted and hanged like any othe
criminals, and the lesson proved sui
ficient for many years. But, today,
new crime seems to have been invent
ed though never clearly defined. It
called Red and a popularity is tha
one does not need to be Red but onl
to be called Red to forfeit all hi
rights under the Constitution! Hav
these new apostles been preaching p.
litical heresy? II so, why not CORE,
! them and show them the error of the
ways? Has the pen lost its power
Are their arguments unanswerable
If so, what Is wrong with our boaste
educational system? Must we need
revive the Spanish inquisition
America to supplement the teaching {
our schools? Good Lord, deliver u.
Treat Projectors the Same.
, Heretofore the law has been thu
everyone should he presumed innocel
until proved guilty. In the case Of
Red exactly the reverse seems to /
the rule! But it Is poor rule tn
will not work both ways II the san
! drastic measures were applied
stamp out crime in high places, to raj
. monopolistic 'plotters' against the pc
pie, and imprison or deport heartle'
'proflteers,' things would not be .
L. q
reduced to that equality before IL
law in which the Creator placed then
But such spectacular raids serve
divert public attention monlentarh
: from the H. c. L., the paramoul
l crime Of the century, though they al.
make it difficult for some minds
, distinguish between true democrat
| and unauthorized autOcracy"