Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-05-16
LIBERTY In THE Mines
Press Opinion Of West Virginia Trea.
son Case.
LONG STANDING ABUSES In The LIGHT
Where Employers Hold That Unless a
Man is Willing to Accept and be
Contented With Slavery, He Must
Be Treated as a Criminal.

Treason, an overt act OF betrayal,
treachery, or breach of allegiance or
obedience toward the Government;
levying war against the States. or Civ
ing their enemies aid and comfort.
(Standard Dictionary
Such is the most serious charge
the first to be brought since the Home
stead, Pa, riots of thirty years ago
on which several hundred West Vir-
ginia United Mine Worker officials
and miners are to be triel in the list!e
red courthouse at Charles Towa, w
Va, where John Brown was sentenced
to die some sixty years ago for the
same cffense. The charge is not a
Federal one, but is founded on an ac-
cusation OF treason against the State
of West Virginia. There are other
charges against the miners, ranging
from assault to conspiracy and MUIR
der-the outgrowth of the miners
armed march in August and Septem-
Der, 1921, from Marmet, Kanawha
county through Boone and Logan
counties to Mingo, which the Governor
of West Virginia had declared under
martial law. There are twenty-four
test cases. and more than five hundred
to follow if convictions are obtained in
these. Nothing like it is recalled in
history" writes Roy P. Roberts in the
Charleston (W. Va.) Gazette.
1t is the contention Of the state at
torneys that the march of the miners
last year, and the assistance given
them by officials of the United Mine
Workers, amounted to "levying war
against the State; murder, they say,
was in the killing of three deputy
sheriffs and mine guards. The district
officers of the union, backed by the
international organization Of miners,
are in charge of the defense. They
hold that the uprising was in no sense
an act of war either against the State
or the people Of West Virginia, but
that it was a revolt against the acts
of West Virginia coal operators in TAX
ing over the political power into their
hands, and their suppression of free
speech, free assemblage, ard the liber-
ties guaranteed American citizens by
-the.C Consultation ga
The specific provisions in the indict-
ment against the miners and their Of
fcials as summarized by Circuit Judge
Woods, before whom the men are be-
ing tried, are as follows:
"First-That the defendants, with
their confederates, intended to invade
Logan and Mingo counties, and by
force, violence, murder and open war
fare to deprive the people residing in
said counties and members and citi-
zens' of the State Of West Virginia OF
the protection afforded them by the
laws of the State of West Virginia.
"Second-To destroy and nullify by
force of arms, violence, murder and
open warfare, martial law in said
Mingo County, and the military occu-
patton in said county, which martial
law had been duly proclaimed by the
Governor of the State of West Vir-
ginia.
"Third-TO release from imprison-
ment persons who had been duly and
legally arrested and incarcerated in
the jails Of Mingo County for viola
ton of the law and violation of the
martial law proclamation of the Gov
ernOr.
"Fourth-To take possession Of the
counties of Logan and Mingo in the
said State and to prevent the eXecu-
ton of the laws of the said State in
said counties and to deprive the peo-
pie of said counties of the protection
afforded by the laws of the said State.
"Firth-Especially to destroy and
nullify martial law in said Mingo
County, and to nullify the proclama-
ton of the Chief Executive of the
State.
"Sixth-The release Of prisoners duly
held in Jail in Mingo County as also
stated in the first count"
Certainly, asserts the New York
Times,
such a demonstration of wild dis
order and sedition could not be allow
ed to pass without action by the courts
to vindicate the law. Examples must
be made of the leaders of the mob and
of those who conspired against the
raoca Or the State How shall inSur-
rection be defended? How shall al
legged wrongs be redressed by defying
the police of the State? Can a labor
organization be a law unto itself?
What provocation and mitigation, If
any. were there fol such rising, for
such destruction of property, for such
license and disorder and the taking or
life?"
That armed march of miners was
rebellion, and men convicted of rebel
lion deserve punishment" admits the
Newark News, but those who marched
claimed the desire to liberate the
slaves of the nom union coal regions
from a rule which has no place in free
America" Moreover" adds The News
"t may seriously be questioned
whether the march ever would have
started had there not been reasonable
| or,o,,pJ tbnt tho State Government