The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-04-07

interesting manuscript from the pen OF
the worlds greatest personality.
Two righteous decisions in favor OF the
people have just been handed down by
Judge Gibbons, OF Chicago, in the whis-
ky trust case and by Judge Caldwell ir
the Union Pacific employees wage case.
In the former, the different liquor deal
ers had formed q trust by the formation
OF a large combination or stock company,
stock being issued to the smaller concers
to the value OF their property and the
large corporation controlling the sales
and prices for all. The defendant cor
poration admitted their part In the trust
but claimed IL was only a partnership
and legally effected to which "the court
held that 90 Tar as the state was con-
cerned il wa difficult to see what diff
ference there was whether the combina-
ton had been effected by purchase Of
stock or in any other way. The purpose
OF the law was to protect the public
interests, and wheE the purpose II p
combination az in this instance was to
annihilate individual interests it was inn
material what methods were employed.
This was an age of trusts. There were
trusts to control the books used in
schools. There were actually trusts to
control collins and the furnishings of the
dead. Some of them existed in the tol.
Grafton of the public, but there were
times when it was necessary TO resort TO
the courts for protection. Trusts and
combinations should not exist contrary
to the spirit OF the republic. They were
dangerous corporations aud should fall
under the ban OF outlawry."
In the case of the employees OF the
Union Pacific against the receivers OF the
company who are operating the road and
wished to reduce the wages contrary to
the rules formerly laid down for this by
the company. Judge Caldwell held
shat when q court takes upon itself the
operation of q great line OF railroad, the
men engaged dong its work become the
employees of the court and are entitled to
its protection. Sober. intelligent, ex-
~perienced men are an indispensable re-
quisite for the safe aud successful opera
tlon of the road. In view of this the
court will not on light or trivial grounds
dispense with there services or refuse
their wages, especially il the schedule of
wages is a mutual one and, therefore,
presumably reasonable"
Judge Caldwell said he was anxious to
preserve the investments OF the owners
of the road, but to do this the wages OF
the men must not be u-nreasonably re-
duced, sven though nc dividends should
be paid on stock or interest on bonds.
Ii the men had broken this contract
the receivers would have had no recourse
because the court could not have en
joined employees TO continue IN service.
Specific performance of o contract To-.
render service cannot be enforced by in
junction, by pains, penalties or any other
means. The period of compulsory SER
vice, the judge said, save as a punish
ment for crime, had passed in this
country. 1t was not unlawful for the
employees to confer and associate to
gether to maintain OF increase their
wages peacefully any more than it was
Unlawful for the receivers 10 confer TO-
gether TO reduce them. The corpora
ton was organized capital; the employees
represent organized labor. What was
lawful for n was lawful for the other
These are deci ions which have the
true ring, and will have a healthfai In
faence IN deterring futher usurpations
on the part OF corporations, and will also
remove in great measure the occasion of
strikes by giving employees a guaranty
OF the more peaeeable means OF redress
through the courts.