The Labor Enquirer

A MURDER
In the Far Northwest, and
Who Is Responsible for
the Crime?

PLAIN WORDS OF COMRADES
The Tacoma Branch of the Interna-
tional Speaks Out on Some of
the Results of Greed.

Tacoma, W. T., May 10, 1887.

A cruel murder has been committed.
Who is responsible? A fellow-being in
seeking employment, by drinking intox-
icating liquors, that delusive mockery,
that social cancer that destroys the
intellect, absorbs the wealth, divorces
the family ties, and is the fountain head
of oceans of tears, the well-spring of mis-
ery, poverty and degradation.
An honest, hard-working laborer, a
stranger in our city, finds our score and
ten gilded palaces to welcome him, inhab-
ited by smiling attendants, who appear so
solicitous for his welfare.
The blear-eyed, bloated victim in his
drunken stupor, arrests his attention but
for a moment, and offers no warning
to stay those fatal steps. Why should he,
so young, so full of the desire to be
congenial, fear the result of a few hours
amusement? The die was cast. In the
exuberance of a generous heart, in the
kindly feelings of fellowship, he rushed
to his destruction.
Crushed, mangled, his corpse cries for
vengeance; against whom? Against the
men who robbed him of his reason, who
in exchange for his hard-earned dollars
gave him a poisonous fluid that fired his
brain with demoniac insanity. Look at
your hands, you find not only the stain of
his blood, but also that of thousands of
other victims of your infamous traffic.
But, say you: It matters not though so-
ciety perish: though human intelligence
and Christian civilization sink in this
valley of horrors! The Almighty Dollar is
your master, and though it leads you
through a sea of blood, you will still re-
main its slave. We envy you not your
blood money.
Are they alone responsible for this
cruel murder? Is not society at large re-
sponsible, which by public opinion forms
the laws of our country? Are not our
lawmakers responsible? Is not every
minister of the gospel responsible, who
does not lift up his voice in no uncertain
tone against this legalized infamy? And
is not every person responsible, who has
intelligence enough to discern the evils
but remains silent!
Then awake from this lethargy and do
not let this blot upon Tacoma's fair his-
tory be again repeated!
Remember, though only a workingman
a mother's hand once caressed him; a
mother's heart, loving and appreciative,
once beat in hope and joyful anticipation
for the welfare of her generous-hearted
boy; perhaps a sister's love may have fol-
lowed him to the grave.
Let us draw the veil, and drop a tear of
repentance, in the name of society for its
sins and follies, that now masquerade in
the name of the Law.

Published by order of the
International Workingmen's Association
of Tacoma, Washington Territory.