The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-04
WEDNESDAY JULY 4, 1894.
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The Constitution OF the United states
provides that Congress shall have power
TO regulate commerce between the states
We have not the slightest doubt that t"'S
would authorize Congress to pass an az.
placing railroad trains, both trelSht anu
passenger, under the superintendent u
United States agents and of1ciais "hen
ever a case arises. like the present stFlKe'
that causes interference with their Tree
and uninterrupted passage across the 'e
ritory of one State into another Gdcn
and every citizen of the United states Is
deeply interested that trade and uaVei
from one end of this country to another
shall be perfectly free and untrammeileu
Indeed IL was TO secure this iden'lcdl
thing that the Union was chiefly formed
Ii is very clear TO us that Congress hau
no such condition as now exists before
its mind when ii enacted the interstate
commerce act and the national trust act
of 1890 Nevertheless, if IT has used Ian
guage IN those acts broad enough TO
cover the present case, that part of them
will certainly be sound and valid legisla-
ton. however unsound and Objectionable
the other parts Of the acts may be. we
shall. accordingly, assume that the two
United States judges who have issued the
Injunction Of the United States Circuit
Court for the States of Illinois. Indiana
\ and Wisconsin, forbidding strikers to in
\erfere In any way whatever with the
Nee and uninterrupted passage of railroad
trains back and forth in those States
are fully authorized by the act of Con-
gress TO award the injunction, since Con-
IL. t,a- tla to
a law, and they find that this has been
done.
IL must not be understood that The
Times intends to endorse the injunction
that has been granted in all it's particu-
lars The provision OF the order forbid
ding men TO persuade other men to quit
work appears to us indefensibe. since
we can conceive of no case that would
Justify this. The Times has always con-
tended and always will contend, that
worklngmen have a right TO peaceably
quit work when they choose, and by argu-
ment 10 persuade others TO do the same.
But The Times is not dealing witA the
particulars of this injunction. 1t issdeal-
ing with the broad proposition that the
United States Government is clothed with
the power TO prevent any interference
with travel and traffic between the
States.
1t will prove a most fortunate and
happy solution Of the present difficulty
II this injunction, upon full considera-
ton. is maintained. The same injunction
will, of course, be awarded in each OF
the other circuits of the United States
where the situation calls for II, and we
shall thus have the issue made between
the Government representing all the peo-
pie Of the United States who do not
back the labor organizations in their pres
ent position. upon one side, and the labor
organizations, which claim the right 10
coerce people not members Of them, upon
the other side, We have no fear OF what
the result of that issue Will be. We be
lieve that the people of the United States
who believe in the principle that every
man has the right TO do just as he pleases
80 long as he does not trespass upon the
rights of another are as ten to one who
denies this right and asserts a right to
coerce the will Of another and make him
conform his conduct to what the irst one
wishes 1t Will be a most fortunate cir
cumstance, therefore II II shall turn
out that the two acts Of Congress men
toned above confer upon the United
States courts the power now asserted for
them. II makes the fight for order the
nations fight and concentrates at the
back OF 1t all the power and influence
which each individual In that nation who
loves peace and order can contribute
This new phase Of the case turns these
acts of Congress into a veritabie boom
erang. They were passed in obedience TO
Populistic demands of the income tax
order, by which IL was expected that
accumulated wealth would be brought I'M
der unfair assessments. AT the very time
when the United States judges were con-
sidering the question whether they could
issue the injunction the Populist Sena-
tor Kyle was offering a resolution In the
United States Senate\forbidding the jul
dietary of the United States to interfere
In any way whatever with the mob when
deranglng travel and blocking the trans
portation Of freight The simultaneous
awarding OF this injunction by the United
States judges under authority conferred
upon them by those same Populst legis- |
iators is the very irony Of fate. II is a |
striking Illustration of the curious fact |
'n". whenever Wild men get possession !
Oh legislative powers and pass wild and |
'"uo"ai statutes those statutes inyaria-
Dry recoi upon them In the end.
lhat part OF the resolution which Sem
a'or can offered at the same time that
fopuhst Kyle uttered his note of woe.
"h,eh demands an investigation OF this
outbreak. Is one which should be prompt
adopted. Congress should appoint com.
m'''ees to look into this matter and
frame such broad legislation In the in
Tres' OF commerce between the States as
WIN make II clearly unlawful 10 have
s"as commerce interfered with hereafter
~ 'sn any pretext whatever. The subject
800 winch the trainers OF the consti-
$3.50. 'n'enaed that the Federal Govern
~ '"'u'a nave complete control of,