Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-09-24
JUDICIAL DESPOTISM.
A FIGHT MUST BE MADE
AGAINST 1T.
Government by Injunction Has Super
seeded Government by the People Be-
cause the People Neglected Their
interests.

1t is reported that in Kansas the
Peoples party is to make the encroach-
ments of the judiciary upon the liber-
ties of the people d leading issue in
judges are chiefly of plutocratic ex-
traction, and, naturally decide cases in
the interest of those of their own class.
This is not the fault of the judges;
1t is the fault of the people who vote
for them. Our party judges would not
institute tyranny by injunction, and
this fact it will certainly be we'll to ex-
plain to the present and future suf-
ferers from judge-made law.
The Twentieth Century says that
the labor leaders also have reached the
conclusion that government by in
junction ought to be made an issue
in the congressional elections of next
year. In this decision they display
great wisdom. If there Is any political
question that is vital to the welfare
OF labor on the American continent,
and 1t may be said without exaggera-
ton to the welfare of the human race,
1t is this one Of government by injunc-
ton. The federal judiciary have, since
the gigantic strike of 1894, completely
changed the nature of our institutions
by their usurpation of power. The
most eminent heritage of the Anglo
Saxton race, that of freedom of speech
and assemblage, has been reduced to
mere nullity. In no other country
on the globe has liberty been converted
into so monstrous a sham. 1t is to
John P. Altgeld that we owe the first
intimation of the danger we incur In
this regard, and the events of the last
few months have vindicated the JUS
tice of his position. The laboring
classes of the country owe it to them
selves to take up this question and
push it to final settlement. Until
this is done it is useless to expect any
true freedom for the masses.
The plans of the labor leaders have
not been made public in full as yet,
says the Twentieth century, but they
are known to comprise an appeal to
the country against the policy Of the
judges in uniting to break up every
strike in which great corporation is
involved. The scenes and incidents,
connected with the present coal mine
strike, are in themselves a sufficient
argument for the men. The SYM
pathies of the people have been
aroused as they never were before,
and 1t is safe to say that government
by Injunction would be abolished to-
morrow if the people had voice with
reference to it. The congressional cleo
tions are the proper occasion to make
the sentiment against judicial corrup-
tion felt.
Every candidate for congress should
be sounded on this issue, and il he
fails to explain himself satisfactorily
he ought not to get the vote of any
workingman. 1t Is true that the lower
branch of congress can not do any
thing of any great matter. If 1t passes
law against government by injunc-
ton and 1t goes through the senate and
is signed by the president, the judges
can declare it null and void, and since
1t concerns themselves they probably
will. Or the house of representatives
may impeach the more grossly corrupt
OF the federal Judiciary, but the senate
is so capitalistic and monopoly ridden
that it would be impossible to get the
necessary two-thirds vote to convict
them. Here we have another evidence
OF the manner in which our constitu-
tion works. It's mechanism is such
that abuses cannot be corrected If they
operate in favor of the rich and DOW
erful. But, in spite of these draw
backs, a vigorous assertion in congress
of the rights of the Anglo-Saxon race
to freedom of speech will do much to
check the usurpations of the Judges.
But the way to get at the root of
the trouble is to carry the fight into
every judicial election, and get the
state judges on the side of the people;
then elect president who will ap-
point real Americans to the federal
judgeships.
Elevation of Gold,
There are reports of gold strikes and
discoveries all over the world. This
Is but the natural outcome of the policy