The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-03
A Patriot From HeSse-NaSSau
Sounds the TocSin.
HERR AlTGElD ON THE JUDGES
supreme Court Decision in the Debs
Case Dangerous. He Says.
He Accuses the Court of Trampling on
the Rights of the People and OF Be-
ing the Tool of Monopoly. and SAYS
We Live Under a Government by
Injunction.

Springfield. Ill. June Gov. Altgeld IS
or The belief that the supreme court has
established a dangerous precedent IN re-
manding Eugene Y. Debs and his n r.
L associates 10 jail He expressed him
self ia a very caustic manner today re-
gardlng the decision, and accuses the
court OF trampling on the rights of the
people and being the tool Of monopoly.
lie gives his views for publication IN a
signed article in which he says in part:
This decision marks a turning point in
our history. fo- it establishes a new form
Of government; that is. gevern.nenl by
injunction. The provision Of the consti-
tuition that no man shall be deprived of
his liberty without a trial by an impartial
jury is practically wiped out by this de-
Cision of the supreme court of lhe United
States. and the theory that ours is gov
ernment of law is now at an end for
every community is now subject 10 any
whim or caprice which any Federal judge
may promulgate. And If 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 constitution and
We became great and powerful. Life and
property were protected. and the law was
enforced. Now we have made a depar-
ture: the bulwark of liberty has been un-
dermined: trial by jury has been stricken
down.
For a number Of years IL has been re-
marked that the decisions of the United
Safes court were nearly always in favor
Of .1e corporations. Then il was noticed
that no man could be appointed 70 Fed
eral iudseship unless he was satisfactory
TO those interests. over a year ago the
New York World talked about a packed
supreme court and that court has within
a few days rendered two decisions which
unfortunately tend 70 confirm this charge.
-esss{< to f-s
tuition and laws of the land by holding
that the government had no power to tax
the riches of this country. Now Il has
stricken down trial by Jury and has es-
tablished government by injunction
Forty years ago the slave power pre-
dominated: today il is capitalists. The
American people crushed the slave power
and saved our institutions. Can they res
cue them again? Many say yes. but they
have not reflected that the crushing force
W1loh now confTonts them is greater than
was ever the slave power.
Capital sits IN the White house and
legislates in the capitol. The courts Of
Justice are its ministers and legislators
are it's lacl1eys. The whole machinery Of
fashionable society is it's handmade.
just see what a brood OF evils have
sprung from the power OF capitalism
since 1890.
.'First-The striking down of over one
third of the money OF the world, thus
crushing the debtor class and paralyzing
industry.
''Second-The growing OF that corrupt
use OF wealth which is undermining our
institutions, debauching public officials.
shaping legislation and creating judges
who do it's bidding
"Third-The exemption Of the rich from
taxation.
"Fourth-The substitution Of govern
ment by injunction for government by
the constitution and laws.
"Fifth-The striking down OF trial by
jury.
Never has there been so much patrio-
tic talk as in the last twenty-five years.
and never were there so many influences
at work strangling Republican institu-
tions."