Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-18
EDITOR MILLER ON COURTS.
THE TROY CHIEF MAN DIPS HIS PEN
IN YITRIOI..
Upholds the Injunction Plank in the
Chicago Platform and AssRils
the Courts as "Instruments of
Fraud and Oppression"

Topeka, Kas., Dec. 17.-(Special) Re-
publican leaders gathered at the state
capital to-day We're greatly amazed and
chagrined when they learned that in this
weeks issue of his paper Sol Miller of
Troy, had made a vigorous attack on
courts in general and practically upheld
the platform of the Chicago convention.
They say that it is simply giving the Pop
ulists ammunition for the next campaign
and that Miller should have exercised bet
ter judgment.
SOL has just got another spell on said
one. "He will soon recover his equilibri-
um and get back into the lines. But while
he is out of gear it is pretty hard on the
Republican party of the state, as he IS re-
garded as one of its leaders, and every foo!
remark he makes in his paper is widely
quoted by the opposition.
The article in question is headed, 'Sa-
credness of the Courts" and says, among
other things:
THE election being over, one may clearly
speak his mind on questions on which it
was policy to keep quiet before. We were
all Mortified at the declarations of the Chi
cago platform relative to courts-in hog s
eye. The declaration in that platform was
a sop to those who engage in such outlaw
ry as the Chicago strike But had it been
on general principles 1t would meet with
wide approval. Courts have got to be
grand humbugs and impositions. They have
been expanding their power and jurisdc-
tion and encroaching upon the rights of
the people until they have become instru-
ments of fraud and oppression. Pervert-
ing their province of deciding the validity
of laws they have become virtually the
lawmaking power. No law OF congress can
stand against the supreme court. Laws
against trusts are rendered imperative by
the courts. Criminals are protected. COM
panies and individuals are robbed and
property is confiscated by the courts.
Witness the robberies in the way of
fees to receivers of railroads, and to as
signees and lawyers in cases of assign
ments. IL man is SO unfortunate as to
become involved in litigation, or a wealthy
man die and the lawyers can manage to
get the heirs into lawsuit robbery is the
outcome. Courts allow fees to lawyers in
trivial cases that are almost confiscation.
Courts are no longe: n refuge for the
people seeking justice. They are dens into
which men are enticed to be held up and
robbed. Judges were once supposed to be
incorruptible. But what are they now as
a rule? Common shysterS; up for sale or
so swayed by interests or prejudice that
they lose sight of justice. Some of the
judges never even looked into a law book
until after they were elected. The Chicago
platform was correct in saying that they
become the law-amking power by injunc-
ton. The liberty of every citizen is at the
mercy of the judge. He Is above every
body else. and if he is by nature tyrant
the private citizen can do nothing but sub
nit. With his power of injunction, habeas
corpus and whims relative to contempt, he
can turn loose any criminal. imprison any
citizen. or prevent the execution of any
law. If anything needs reorganizing, it is
the courts, and their powers need con-
tracing"