People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-03-02
The King can Do no Harm.

lJy and business OF their decisions is
not only wrong, but tinctured of
treason. The appointment or elec-
ton of a person to the judgeship does
not render him immaculate. neither
does it remove or lessen his dOgmaS or
render less powerful the influence Of
wealth or Of the great corporations.
We should remember that judges are
but mOrtalS and will commit errors
and wrongs as other humans do.
An examination of recent decis-
siOns must not only satisfy rational
mind that the judiciary is often
not only wrong, but that it is tres
passing upon the rights Of individ-
uals and states, not only without the
authority Of law, but at times con-
trary to and in open violation of law.
Courts sometimes apparently regard
themselves as greater than the gov
ernment that created them. Refer
ence to a few decisions will, in a
measure, illustrate the extraordinary
authority uSurped by judges.
What is known as the Ann Arbor
ruling rendered last spring at Toledo,
Ohio, by Judge Kicks to the effect
that railroad employees could not quit
work unless by the consent of the
company for the reason that an in
reference with the carrying trade is
an inconvenience to the public. II
that decision is correct, why will it
not apply with equal force to fac
tories and mines and prevent them
frem shutting down and throwing
thousands out of employment to the
great inconvenience and damage of
thepublic?
So with the ruling of Judge Bill.
ingS Of the L. S. district court. OF
Louisiana, to the effect that a foT
a number of workmen to quit work
without the consent of their employ.
crs is a crime to be punished by fines
and imprisonments.
Also Judge Bakers decision cover
ing about the same ground.
Then comes the ruling made al
Omaha by Judge Dundy that Union
Pacific employees wages should be re.
duced, and they should be compelled
to continue work, and again Judge
jenkins enjOinS the Northern Pacific
employees from quitting work.
Prize fighting is prohibited by the
laws of Florida, yet when Governor
Mitchell attempted to enforce the
law, Judge Call steps in and prohib
its, not only the governor, but mill
tia, sheriffs and other officers from ex
ecuting the law.
Then Judge SherwOod's decision
that a bequeSt to an anti-christiar
society is null and void. A man car
give his property to whom he like.
while living, and by will may dispose
Of it after death and when no law pre-
vents, why should a Judge presume Il
say that the will of the deceased
shall not be respected.
The dispensary law of South Caro-
lima renders all intoxicating liquor:
brought into the state contrary t
law subject to seizure and cOn1sca
tion and by act of congress all sucf
liquors, after reaching any state, be
come subject to the operations ant
effect of the laws of such state, yet
in violation of both state and ma
tiOnal laws, United States Judg,
SimOnton fined and imprisoned stat,
officials that attempted to enforc,
the law, although it had been held Il
be constitutional by the court of last
resort.
The railroad companies in Soutl
Carolina claimed an excessive assess
ment of their property and procured
an injunction from the United State.
court preventing the collection O
taxes in dispute. The question o.
Jurisdiction Of the court was raised
J in cases where the amount involved
was less than 5000 and denied tn,
, right Of the court to lump tn,
, amounts in the different counties s.
! as to bring the sum up to the require
ment IOr obtaining jurisdiction
Upon appeal the position assumed b.
the state was sustained by the su
preme court.
This ended the fight so far as al
, roads not in the hands Of receiver
were concerned and those roads paiC
the taxes due. But over half tn
l mileage of the roads in the state wer
in the hands Of receivers and they re
} fused to pay.
Tax executions were issued and lev
e led upon the property, but Judge
Goff and SimOnton fined the sheriff
/. 500 each and imprisoned them unit
the fines we're paid for attempting I
, collect the tax. Those taxes hav
run from 1889 and now amount {
-. oaoo 900