The Labor enquirer., 1886-08-28
THE Law AND ITs OFFICERS.

We are pretty thoroughly dosed Just
now by the capitalist press with heavy
editorials upon "the supremacy of the
law" and the power of legal methods"
to suppress lawlessness." All this
twaddle may be balm In Gilead, DUR
ing these stirring times, to the aristo-
=, Gratis and money and land sharks, and 1t
NAV be very reassuring to the despoller
of labor. who cannot fail to become un-
easy occasionally at the intelligence and
earnestness displayed BY those who
have taken hold of "the labor problem"
in a spirit which makes it appear that
its serious consideration cannot be put
off. But to the man of sense who ID not
blinded by self-interest or prejudice,
whounderstands and appreciates equity,
and who can apply principle to every
case, all such assurances or protestations
are the merest rot and hog-wash.
For any informed man to say that the
law is administered with equal fairness
to all classes, or that the law itself recog-
nizes all as equal is, to say the least, to
brand himself as one who dares not
speak with that degree Of accuracy
which becometh truthful man. In
law-making the principle of equity has
been lost sight of; and in its admins
tration justice cuts less and less figure.
It is not my intention to here enter
into an exhaustive consideration of this
question, nor do think 1t necessary, to
prove the assertions made, to cite more
than a few examples, out of the thou
sands at hand. To prove that the laws
as they stand do not afford equal protec-
ton to all will cell attention, in gen
eral way, to the necessity for money to
secure their application. Herein lies
the superiority of the rich over the poor
man in the administration of law. Take
two murder trials, for instance: In one
case the defendant is rich man, and in
the other pennlless man. At the first
trial verdict of guilty is returned in
both cases. To appeal the cases, or to
secure new trial a certain sum OF
money is required, by law The rich
man is able to paw, and thereby gets a
new l.ase on life, if he does not finally
20 scot free. The poor man cannot pay,
and he is hanged without further cere-
mony. The records of Arapahoe county
furnish practical illustrate ons of this.
The perpetrator of one of the coldest-
bloode1 murders IN the criminal records
of Colorado is to-day a free man, with
all the rights of a good citizen, and a
lair prospect of cheating the gallows"
in tie end simply because he had
wealthy friends who secured for him,
with their money, an appeal and, with
money again, furnished bail.
In the case of Green, who was hanged
few weeks since, it was for a time be-
lieved that he would secure new trial
if he could put up sufficient amount of
money. 1t is true that the appeal was
set aside after enough money had been
gotten together; but it would not be en-
tertained until certain sum was put
up. The judge had nothing to do with
that phase of the question; the law re-
quired deposit of the amount. And
this is why l say the law itself discrlmi-
mates between a man with money and
Cne without 1t.
Every reader can call to mind scores
of cases, of greater or less Importance
where the poor man could not secure an
application Of the law because he had
not the requisite funds to start the ma
chine going; and it is common ex-
preston to say: Keep out Of the courts
unless you have barrel of money, no
matter how just your cause"
There is one more phase of this ques'
ton to which want to call attention
before leaving it, and in dealing with it
shall "call spade spade" In be-
ginning this article l referred to the
boast of the supremacy of the, law" and
the all sufficiencY of its minions; l
want you, reader, to remember these
things while l direct your attention to
the blacklist spot upon the escutcheon oi
this nation. the foulest, most blighting
curse put upon its people. refer to the
Pinkerton and like detective agencies u
What is the character of these organi.
zations, and why are they permitted
They were originally, as their names
imply, private associations for the pur-
pose of gathering information through
intrigue, deception, betrayal or any
other slick" method, for pay. But dur
ing the past six years they have added
another branch TO their business, and
the branch now far over sizes the trunk
The object of this new department is tc
furnish guards" for the property of in
dividuals, and corporations during
strikes and lockouts; and shooters fol
railroad and other corporations during
contests for rights-of-way or disputes
over the possession of any property.
Plnkerton's "agencv" will furnish
from l to 10000 men," armed to the
teeth, to any individual, at any time, for
any purpose and under any clrcum-
stances, for so much head per diem