The Wichita daily eagle., 1895-06-04
ANOTHER THING HE DIDN'T LIKE.
Altgeld Believes That Debs' Sentence Il .
Very Dangerous Precedent.

Springfield, ILL.,, June 3.-Governor
John P. Altgeld is Of the belief that the
United States supreme court has es-
tablished a dangerous precedent in re-
manding Eugene V. Debs and his
friends to Jail. He expressed himself
in very caustic manner today regard
ing the decision: accuses the court of
trampling the rights of the people and
being the tool OF monopoly. He gives
his views for publication in a signed
article. in which he says in part:
This decision marks a turning point
in our history, for it estab ablishes a new
form OF government never before
heard Of among men, that is, govern
ment by injunction. The provisions OF
the constitution that no man shall be
deprived OF his liberty without trial
by an impartial jury is practically
wiped out by this decision OF the
United States supreme court. and the
theory that ours Is a government of
law is now at an end, for every COM
munity is now subject TO any whim or
caprice which any federal judge may
promulgate. And II federal judges can
do this. then il will not be long until
state Judges will follow this example.
For over a century our government
moved along the lines of the constitu-
ton and We became great and power
full. Life and property were protected
and the law was enforced. Now We
have made a departure; the bulwark
OF liberty has been undermined; trial
by jury has been stricken down.
For a number of years il has been
remarked that the decision OF the
United States courts were nearly al
ways in favor of corporations Then
IL was noticed that no man could be
appointed to federal judgeship unless
he was satisfactory to those interests.
over a year ago a New York paper
talked about a packed supreme court,
and that court has. within Few days.
rendered two decisions which unfort-
unately tend to confirm this charge. \
week ago il did violence 20 the cOnSti-
tuition and laws OF the land by holding
that the government had no power 10
tax the rich of this country. Now IL has
stricken down trial BY jury and has
esta ablished government by injunction
Forty years ago the slave power
predominated: today il Is capitalists.
The American people crushed the slave
power and saved our institutions. Can
they rescue them again? Many say
yes, but they have not reflected that
them is greater than was ever the slave
power.
Capital sits In The White House and
lesislates in the capitol. Tne courts %
justice are its ministers ard iegisla-
lures are its isckeys. and The whole
machinery OF fashionable society Is its
handmade
Just see what a brood evils have
sprung form the power II capitalism
since 1890. First. stricking down -
over one-thiri % the money of the
world. thus crushing the debtor class
and paraiyZing industry: second. the
growing OF that corrupt Use of wealth
which is undermining our institutions.
debauching public officials. shs sping
IssS Ssfs ton and creating t..igsz EbD do
it, bidding. third. the exemption of the
rich from taxation. fourth. the su5sti
tuition OF government injunction for
government by he constitution and
laws nth. the striking down of trial
by Jury Never has there been 50 much