The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-09-01
THE PLATFORM.
The platform as presented. read.

THE PLATFORM.
The platform as presented. reads:
The fear OF the more watchful faith
ers of the republic .havc been justified
The judiciary has become supreme. We
witness political phenomenon abso-
lutely new in the history of the world
a republic proStratc at the feet of
judges appointed to administer the
laws. They acknowledge no superior on
earth, and their deSpOtic deeds recalls
Milton's warning 10 his countrymcn:
Who bids Il man rule over him above
law, may bid as we'll as savage best
Under the cunning form Of injunc-
lions. courts have assumed to enact
criminal laws, and after thus drawing
to themselves the power OF legislation,
have repealed the bill OF rights and for
violation Of those court made laws have
denied the accused the right of trial by
jury.
Tine exercise of the commonest rights
of free mcn-thc right Of assembly, the
right of free speech, the right of tray
cling the public highways-have, by leg
islation, under the form of linjunctions
been made n crime. and armed forces
dispersed as mobs people daring in COM
pany to exercise their rights. AT Its
last term, the Supreme Court of tn"
United States decided that the thir.
teenth amendment, forbidding 'involun-
tary Scrvitudc,' is not violated by arrest
ing n seaman, imprisoning him in his
vessel until 1t is ready to leave port
and then forcihly putting him on board
TO serve out the term of his contract:
n decision under which the old fugitive
slave laws may yet be revived and
striking laborers be seized and returned
to the service of their masters.
Having drawn to themselves all the
| powers of the Federal government, un-
ETH Congress and Presidents may net on
fly by judicial permission, the Federal
judges have begun the subjugation Of
sovereign States, so that, unless n
check Is soon put upon the progress of
usurpation OF Federal judges will exist
anywhere over any portion Of American
soil.
THE pending strike Of coal miners
starved to fcebleness by their scant wa
Ses and by arduous and dangerous toll
the pending strike for their right to be
fed to make labor possible, has been
prolific Of judicial usurpation, showing
the willingness OF judicial despots to re-
sort to the most shameless defiance OF
deCency as we'll as OF law and humanity
i'll order to enable heartless averice to
drive Its hungry serfs back to the mines
to faint and die at their drudgcry. and
teed right of American citizens the ex-
ercise Of which an injunction has not
somewhere made n crime started by
these subversions OF constitutional lihcr-
ty. We have met to counsel together
and have come 10 the following conch-
sions. that,
whereas, the present strike OF the
coal miners has again demonstrated the
fact that our so-called liberty is not
freedom. but Is a stupendous sham, IN
der which millions are degcnerating.
while hundreds of thousands-men, wo-
men and childrcn-are starving in how
els and on the public highway.
Whereas. this condition has become
permanent for n large and ever In
creasing number of our population,
long as we permit a comparatively small
class OF lcgaliZcd cXploiterS to monopo-
lize the means of production and dlstri-
button for their private benefit-a fact
again obvious In the case of miners:
Whereas, appeals to Congress and to
the courts for relief are frhltless. since
the legislative as well as the executive
and judicial powers are under the con-
troll Of the capitalist class. so that 1t
has come to pass In this free coun-
try" that while cattle and swine have
right to the public highway. Americans,
so-called free men, have not
Whereas, our capftalisHc class as is
again shown In the present strike, Is
armed, and has not only policemen, mar
shals, shcriffs and deputies, but also n
regular army and militia. In order to
enforce government by injunction. sup
pressing lawful assemblage, free
speech. and the right 10 the public high
way, while on the other hand the la
boring men of the country are unarmed
and defcnselcss. contrary to the words
and spirit of the constitution of the
United States; therefore. be Il
Resolved. FIRST that we hereby set
apart Friday the 3rd day of September,
1897. as good Friday" for the cause OF
suffering labor in America, and contrib.
ute the earnings of that day to the sup.
port of our struggling brothers., the
miners. and appeal to every union man
and every friend of labor throughout
the country to do likewise.
Resolved second. if the strike of the
miners Is not settled by September Goth,
1897, an announcement made to the effect
by the president of the United Mine
Workers. n general convention be held
at Chicago on Monday, September 27th
1897. by the representatives of al unions
sections, branches, lodges and kindred
organizations of laboriny man and
friends of their cause. for the purpose
Of considering further measures i'm the
interests of the striking miners and la
Dor In general
Resolved. third, that ve consider the
use OF the ballot as the best and safes.
means for the amelioration OF the hard.