Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-17
"A CASE FOB THE couRrA
Legal Methods which Should Have Entirely
Averted tho Trouble at Homestead.

Legal Methods Which Should Have Entirely
Averted tho Trouble at Homestead.
Philadelphia Public Ledger.l
Under the provisions of the act of June 16,
1885, power ts conferred upon the Courts Of
Common Pleas for "the prevention or re-
stra1nt OF the commission or continuance Of
acts contrary to law and prejndicial to the
interests of the community OF the rights of
individuals" Under this act the remedy is
plain, simple and direct. The Homestead
workmen, contrary to law, were preventing
the owners from access to their property
with such new men as they might wish to
introduce. This was prejudicial to the IN
terests of the community and also to the
rights OF the owners as individuals. If the
owners had filed a bill In the Allegheny
County Common Pleas alleging the unlawful
acts, and showing that they were preju-
d1cial to their rights as individuals, and
makfug the leaders OF the workmen par.
ties defendants, the Court must have
entertained the Jurisdiction, and,
upon the facts being established, must have
granted the Injunction restraining the de-
PENDANTS and their confederates from their
unlawful acts. This could have been done
promptly. A preliminary injunction could
nave been granted upon presentation of tho
ward, for hearing a motion to dissolve, and.
II the injunction had been continued, the
Court could have issued the necessary proc
ess to compel obedience to its orders. II
the Defendants and their confederates per-
sisted in their unlawful acts, the Court could
have attached and imprisoned them for con-
tempt, and, ii need be, could have com-
manded the whole force OF the county to en-
further, If required, the Governor could
have been called upon to aid with the whole
armed force OF the State.
with such movement as this, the angry
oa f0nf nfV,nx r. Ia -
would have been disintegrated and broken
up. There is power in the majesty of the
law, when enforced through the processes Of
the court with intelligence, dignity and firm
ness, that strikes awe into wrong.doers.
THESE men would soon have realized how
powerless they were. They would have
given up the unequal contest and abandoned
sne iawless struggle Had some such course
as this been promptly taken. the terrible
scenes of the 9Th instant would have been
averted, ana the mill owners would now
have been well on their way in the vindi-
cation and successful establishments of their
rights and control OF their property
Precfpftate and hysterical action seldom
achieves success, and often creates and IN
tens1fies difficulties which could have been
and taken after due thought and delibera-
ton.
We have faith in the law-abiding character
OF all classes of American citizens. The
leaders OF the Homestead operatives nre
men OF intelligence. and many of them men
of properly. They could not have afforded
to stand out in defiance OF the orders OF the
Court or in open resistance OF its authority.
A resolute Judge could have brought these
men into subsection to the orders of the
Court with the employment of no more
force than is ordinarily required in attach
ing ordinary offenders against its decrees.
Aagain, it Is to be remembered that the
troops now at Homestead cannot be kept
there always. and when they withdraw
there is danger of revival of the angry and
threatening attitude Of the workingmen.
II q bill were filed and an injunction OBJ
tatned this would be continuous, and it's
process could be put into force at
any time, whether one or six months hence.