Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-09-03
COURTS SCORED.
Government by Injunction De-
Y. nounced at St Louis
THE LABOR CONFERENCE PLATFORM.
Another Meeting to BE Held In Chi
cago, September 27-Debs Makes
. Characteristic Speech and
Receives an Ovation.


st. Louis, Sept. 1.-The delegates to
the convention of labor leaders were
slow in assembling Tuesday morning,
and it was nearly an hour after the time
set for the meeting before the body
was called to order.
1t was ten o'clock when the commit
tee on resolutions filed into the hall and
the delegates were called to order to
hear its report.
Mr.. Berger, in presenting the resolu-
tions; spoke of the great task the COM
mittee had before it. He said the report
about to be submitted was the best the
committee could do under the circum-
stances. Whether it would suit was the
question. The platform as presented
reads:
The Platform.
1.-THE fear of the more watchful fathers
OF the republic has been justified. The
judiciary has become supreme. We wit
ness political phenomenon absolutely
new In the history Of the world; a republic
prostrate at the feet OF Judges appointed
to administer Its laws.
'"rhey acknowledge no superior on earth.
and their despotic deeds recall Milton's
warning to his countrymen: Who bids
man rule over him above law, may bid as
well a savage beast Under the cunning form
of ip5unctions. courts have assumed to
enact criminal laws, and after thus draw
ing to themselves the power of legislation.
have repealed the bill of rights. and for
violation Of these court-made laws have de-
MED the accused the right OF trial by jury.
THE exercise Of the commonest rights
of freemen-the right to assemble, the
right of free speech. the right Of travelling
the public highways. have by legislation,
under the form of injunctions, been made a
crime, and armed forces dispense as mobs
people daring in company to exercise these
rights. At Its last term the supreme
court of the United states decided that the
thirteenth amendment, forbidding invoi-
untary servitude, is not violated by ar
resting seaman. imprisoning him until
his vessel Is ready to leave port, and then
forcibly putting him on board to serve out
the term Of his contract: a decision under
which the old fugitive slave laws may yet
be revived, and striking laborers be seized
and returned to the service Of their mas
&ers.
Federal Judges Arraigned.
'rHaving drawn to themselves all the
powers Of the federal government, until
congress and presidents may act only by
judicial permission, the federal Judges
have begun the subjugation of sovereign
states, 30 that. unless check is soon put
upon the progress of usurpation, In short
time no government but the absolute des-
potism Of federal courts will exist any
where over any portion of American soil
The pending strike of coal miners. starved
to feebleness by their scant wages. by
arduous and dangerous toll the pending
strike for the right to be fed enough to
make labor possible, has been prolific of
judicial usurpation, showing the willing
ness Of judicial despots to resort to the
well as Of law and humanity, in order to
enable heartless avarice to drive Its hungry
SORTS back to the mines to faint and die al
their drudgery, and there remains to-day
not one guaranteed right of American cit
liens, the exercise of which an injunc-
started by these subversions OF constitu-
tional liberty. We have met to counsel to-
gether, and have come to the following
clusions that,
Liberty Which IL Not Freedom.
whereas, the present strike Of the coal
miners has again demonstrated the fact
that our ap-called liberty is not freedom
but Is stupendous sham, under which
millions are degenerated, while hundreds
of thousands of men, women and chill
dren are starving in novels on the public
highways,
F"Whereas, this condition has become
permanent for large and ever increasing
number of our population, as long as w
permit 9. comparatively small class OF le
salized exploiters to monopolize the mean can,
private beneft-a fact again obvious II
the case Of the miners;
t"Whereas, appeals to congress and the
courts for relief are fruitless. since thu
legislative as well as the executive ant
judicial powers are under the control O
the capitalistic class, 80 that it has come t.
pass in this free country that while
cattle and swine have right to the public
highways. Americas so-called freemel
have not;
= UUharaa. our On nita1istfc class aa
again shows In the present strike, is armed
not only by policemen. marshals. sheriff
and deputies, but also by regular arm!
and militia. in order to enforce govern
temblage. free speech. and the right t.
the public highway. while on the othe
hand. the laboring men of the country ar
unarmed and defenseless. contrary to tn
word and spirit Of the constitution of tn
United States. Therefore, be 1t
The Plans Proposed.
Resolved. No. THAT we hereby se
apart Friday, the third day Of Septem
Der, 1897. as Good Friday for the caus
OF suffering labor in America. and con
support of our struggling brothers. TIL
miners. and appeal to every union man ant
every friend Of labor throughout the coun
try to do likewise
n Resolved, No. 2.-That II the strike Of tn
miners Is not settled by the goth day Of Sep
tember. 1897, and announcement made t
that effect by the president Of the Unite'
Mine Workers, a general convention be hell
at Chicago. on Monday. September q
BY the representatives Of all unions. sec
lions, branches. lodges and kindred or
CARNATIONS Of laboring men and friends o
their cause, for the purpose Of considering
further measures in the interests of tn
striking miners and labor in general.
SS''Resolved, No. 3.-That we consider tn
use Of the ballot as the best and safes
means for the amelioration OF the hard
ships under which the laboring class sui
kers.
Resolved, No. 4-That the public own
srship of railroads and telegraphs is on
of the most necessary reforms for on
body polite.
Resolved, No. 5.-That we most emphat
ically protest against government by ir
function. which plays havoc with eve
such political liberties as workingme
have saved from the steady encroachmeni
Of capitalism, and be 1t finally
Resolved, No. 6.-That no nation
which the people are totally disarmed ca
long remain free nation, and therefor
I'VE urge upon all liberty-loving citizens
remember and obey article two Of til
constitution of the United States, whic
reads as follows:
The right Of the people to keep an
bear arms shall not be infringed.'"
After many amendments had bee
presented and voted down the CONVEX
lion adjourned without taking actio
bn the platform until two o'clock.
Afternoon Session.
The delegates were eager for wor
and the afternoon session was set
motion promptly at two o'clock. ATT
considerable talk, in which Mr.. WI
hiams, st. Louis delegate, endeavore
to have the coming convention held