The Louisiana populist., 1895-06-21
GOV. JOHNP. ALTGELD.
HIS VIEWS ONRE REMINDING DEBS
TO JAIL.
Injuction, for Government by the Con-
stitution and Laws" and Is a Precedent
Frau.ht With Danger

Gov. John P. Altgeld OF Illinois is
OF the belief that the United States
supreme court has established a dan
gerous precedent in remanding +. Y.
Debs and his friends to Jail. 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 establishes
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
De deprived OF his liberty without a
trial by an impartial jury is practi-
cally wiped out by this decision of
the United States supreme court, and
the theory that ours was exclusively
a government of law is at an end, for
every community is now subject TO
obey any whim or prejudice which
any federal judge may propagate.
And if federal judges can do this,
then it will not be long until state
judges will follow this example.
''Eor over century our govern
ment marched along the lines OF the
constitution ana We became great
and powerful-life and property were
protected and the law was enforced.
Now, we have made a departure, the
bulwark of liberty has been under
minded, trial by jury has been stricken
down.
''For a number Of years it has been
remarked that the decisions of the
United States court were nearly al
ways in favor of corporations. Then
1t was noticed that no man could be
appointed to a federal judgeship un-
less he was satisfactory to these in
terests. Over year ago the New
York World talked about a packed
supreme court and that court has
within few days rendered two de-
cisions which unfortunately tend TO
confirm this charge. A week ago it
did violence to the constitution and
laws of the land by holding that the
government had no power to tax the
rich of this country. Now it has
stricken down trial by jury and has
established government by injunc-
tion.
"Forty years ago the slave power
predominated; to-day it is the money
power. The American people crushed
the slave power and saved our insti-
tutions. Can they rescue themselves
again? Many say yes, but they have
not reflected that the crushing force
which now confronts them is greater
than was ever the slave power. Cap
ital sits in the white house and legis-
latcs in the capitol. The courts OF
justice are its ministers and legis-
latures are its lackeys. And the
whole machinery Of fashionable soci-
ETY. is its handmade. Just see what
broad list Of evils has sprung from
the power Of capitalism since 1890.
"Eirst, 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 cor
rupt use o. wealth which is under
mining our institutions, debauching
public officials. shaping legislation
and creating judges who do its bid
ding.
Third, the exemption OF the rich
from taxation.
Fourth, the substitution of gov
ernment by injunction for government
by the constitution and laws.
Fifth, the striking down of trial
by jury.
'.Never has there been so much
patriotic talk as in the last twenty
five years, and never were there so
many influences at work strangling