New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-05-01
BUTLER on LABOR IROUBLEg
TIE BEGINNING OF TIE END NOT sErv
BRINGING LAW INTO CONTEMPT 70 Ycorriya
WHOLLY UNJTSIfTIAgfF.

= III z
BRINGING LAW INTO CONTEMPT - BoYcorrlxa
WHOLLY UNJCsIirIABLP.
General Benjamin r. Butler who was her, f.,
several days this week engaged IN the Pare, VIII cao
in Brooklyn. taxing a rest at the Flth Ayean,
Hotel 1hursiay evening when TRBUSg reporter
called on him. lie b,camc Thoughtful in mood Wa,
the reporter suggested the labor qies'ion AMI m,
strikes. When that topic dropped he n1otoaed
the pencil and note book away and dropped into a
sparkling conversation which many bril- iaqt p,
marks we're made about men end things which the n
porter j. not permitted TO make public They showed
that the General keeps keen eye on all public aft ir
and Las all his od-time zest and fire IN di.cnssn,
them. He asked il he had made any EXPIRE sion
with reference to the strikes was willing 70 do co.
aud replied
$50 far have refraned from speaking publicly
about thm. II is a subject that requires ii ou .ht
and to discuss,
What do YOU see in the present situation p
q do not zee even the beginning OF the end. re-
volt OF the -ses. of course is always dangerous
thing. The two rebelon- that came 10 anything in
this country brought about by the actions of inc
courts They were ia fact the only in.urrccion. thi,
country has experienced except the great cbelon Of
1860 | refer to Shay's Rebellion in Massacnu-etts
and the Whisky Rebellion in Pennsylvania in l79J
The courts being dragged INTO the present con-
troyerses. But the OF the court, must be tenn
Dorary, because If the organization OF labor
tends much further the organization will tako
possession of the jury box. That il to say, their
bers will get To bc jurors and convictions would be I'M
possible. large portion OF the judiciary OF the
try is elective and subject 10 tie same control Ii
mistake for Jud Pardce to attempt to deal with the
Texas Paciic strike as a contempt OF court btcau.s
the railroad happened bs in the hands Of receiver
and punish the arrai gned by fac and mprisOn
ment a. If Tor contempt
I. a.
a mistake ~
Because in the first place. the strikers never had
idea in their minds OF interfering Ia any way with
the court its officials. No part 81 tuelr action
based the fact that the road was IN the hands I.
receiver. Probably OF them ever thought of Il.
While the orders OF Judge Paree aud the gi0Gnds on
which they were based were moderate and cxpIessed
in moderate terms judging his action Itself, 1t ga5
wholly unwarranted Nothing shows II more clearly
than his own statement OF the affairs leading up 10
these arrests and punlshments. Tie said in substance
that the actions of the strikers were in contempt Of
law. That may have been. Bat conteDpts OF law
not COntempts OF court necessarily Judge Paidee sid
further that the actions Of the strikers stopped BIT
little short OF lcOnies. BE il So IL feODies. they
would have been any less contcmpts, but rather
more. lie could only punish such acts ~ contcmpts
OF court by fines and Imprisonment IN lails. rs
ieonies The law would punish by imprisonment in tho
pcnitcDtlarv Now, having been punished once Tor
those crimes IA contempts OF court by this Judge can
those who committed the ieones charged be punished
second time that l.. be twice put ia jeopardy Tor tho
ofence by criminal court under the law
The Latter proceeding must be uncOnstituiDD II the
first legal Tor man can be twice punished TOR
the offence by any body. That proceeding We ld
seen stamp the ieglIy of the first pero nance of
the Judge in taking jurisdiction OF these crimes n
emps Of court 1t is such proceedings as these that
bring the law into contempt In the eyes OF those ho
intended to Interfere with the courts IN whIt
the, dong il makes the courts contempuble and
therefore futile indicators OF law ahi order"
Have you formulated any plan by which the labor
troubles might be permanently abatedT asked tue
reporter.
be General shook his head and kept MS great eyes
closed.
government prOit-sharng the adoption OF the hour
unit the measure OF labor help solve the problem
Again the General shook his head, but presently
opened his eyes say with caustc ring his woes
You must excuse me Oh that branch Alter the
action OF Congress and the OF the President
that subject must be held to be entirely exhausted
" How do You regard boycottngV
1t is utterly unjustifable and should not DO
adopted by labosing men, especially because II u
weapon of capital used by capital from lime beyond
memory. That Is to say, whoever IN all the world
history has stood forth advocate OF the rights Of
labor, whether III the forum a. politician IN tho
legislative nall statesman IN the courts A. lawyer
in the press journalist, has always been boy
cotted by capitalists. Now, when the abOrcr by legal
means and org anizatOn through the bauOi-bOx can
control capt al and make the laws as labor Deases.
why resort partial, Illegal aud almost always un-
just remedy such a. Doycottng when i the nlseFape
invention OF oppressed people who have 10 power
voice in making the laws which govern them
Boycotting Is confession OF weakness, not an ex-
hibition OF strength Ii cannot be dropped too
1t is a two-edged sword. more dangerous Ia tic hands
of unskifu wieders to themselves tnan to Others
" General. yOn stu keep an eye on politics =
" have nothing TO Say that subject. have been
particularly careful say Dythng respecting tho
present head of the Government. 1t il not his fault,
but his misfortune not to have had a wider public
experience
"You will have the America in commission this
SUMNER
al expect to take cruise. That my summer
delight"