"THE LAND OF THE FREE."

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1417, 29 November 1904, Page 6

"THE LAND OF THE FREE."

HOW AMERICAN MONOPOI7IICS WORK. The following New York tclcgrum. dated July -1 (the day on which, V2S years ago, all men were declared to have been born free and equal), was published in the American Press. It uxplairis itself, and is so typical of how things arc done in the land of brag and "bunkum that comment is unnecessary:—"Prize-fighters and recruits from Hell's Kitchen, Cherry Hill, and other strenuous sections of Xcw York- were pressed -into service to-day by the Urooklyn Rapid Transit Company to intimidate and, if necessary, assault passengers who refused to pay two fares to ride to und from Coney Island. Men and women of refinement, who stood on what they believed to be their rights as travellers, were handled roughly liy such persons as big Ed Uunkhorst, the prize fighter, who, because of his size, is known to the sporting fraternity as "The Human Freight Car.' More than one thousand were dragged from cars, and many were brutally abused by the Transit Company's bouncers, who were officially designated as inspectors. There was serious rioting at many points, and in one instance (he reserves of the Coney Island police station, under command of Captain Dooley, were called out to save the passengers from the brutality of the company's agents. By far the most brutal attack on women that attended these riots was committed )|y Die bouncers. They dragged three men aa.l three women off a ear, und when one of the women begged two s|iecial policemen to n-leaso her husband, one of the ganir grabbed her by the throat, choked her until her tongue protruded, and then struck her repeatedly in the face. This woman was Mrs Alexander Potruch. Other

incidents not quite f . bad as tbi» marked the day s proceeding*. Tlio •tally papers, anticipating serious : trouble, in, view of yesterday'„ distmfbancos, liad many reporter on the scene. Tlio bouncers tried to keep the reporters from interviewing: the bounced passenger*, but the rc,iortew invoked I'obcc aid and got it." After tins practical illustration of the \wcricnn way, the glowing rhetoric of a National Convention rattier palls