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Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday October 19, 1909
Missoula, Montana – City Wages Brutal War on Free Speech, Part I
From the Montana News of October 14, 1909:
[Part I of II.]
The city government of Missoula, the police the authorities, are making first-class fools of themselves in their efforts to violate the United States constitution, turn the American government upside down, become censors of public speech and keep the I. W. W. doctrine’s from being proclaimed.
In other words, the capitalist government of Missoula has plunged into the trap of forcibly controlling the protest and activity of the workers, and of upsetting all the guarantees of democracy to do so.
Campaign for Industrialism.
The Industrial Workers of the World brought their speakers into Missoula and began a campaign for the industrial form of unionism, such a as they hate been pushing with much vigor in various parts of the country. Elizabeth Gurley Flynn of New York, a most devoted promoter of this cause, has been touring the northwest all summer, pushing the I. W. W. doctrines with great vigor. Miss Flynn is an able speaker, has good organising ability and an immense amount of determination. Her husband, J. A. Jones, and other organizers and workers are with her.
The Industrial Workers do not mince words. They say what they have to say, and they say it on the street, and they keep on saying it. They talk the language of revolt against capitalism, they urge consolidation of the workers in order to get hold of all the means of industry, push the drones out of the way and have the product of their toll for themselves.
Free Speech Constitutional.
They know that the American constitution gives them the right to talk on the street. Free speech is one of the rocks on which the American government is founded. People have a right to express what opinions they please. If anyone feels injured by the opinions that another expresses he has the right to appeal to a court of adjudication, but he has no right to take the law into his own hands.
