The Chipley banner. (Chipley, Washington County, Fla.) 1893-1943, 1897-09-11
LABOR LEADERS ACT.
Adopt Platform wherein Federal JUDI.
ciary 10 Strongly Denounced.


The labor leaders Of the country met
OF st. Louis, No., Monday pursuant
to call. After organizing and appoint
ing committee on resolutions ad-
jurnment was taken until Tuesday.
Shortly after re.assembling Tuesday
morning the committee on resolutions
reported q platform to the convention
which in part is as follows:
"The fear of the more watchful
fathers of the republic has been justi-
fed. The judiciary has become su-
preme. We witness political pheno.
menon absolutely new in the history
of the world, republic PROSTATE at
the feet Of judges appointed to admin
lister the laws. They acknowledge no
superior on earth.
"Having 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, so that unless check
is soon put upon the progress of
usurpation, in short time no gov
eminent but the absolute despotism
of federal judges will exist anywhere
over any portion Of American soil.
"Whereas, The present strike Of the
coal miners has again demonstrated
the fact that our so-called liberty is
not freedom, but is stupendous
sham, under which millions are de-
generating, while hundreds Of thous-
ands of men, women and children are
starving in novels and on the public
highways.
"Whereas, This condition has be-
come permanent for large and ever
increasing number of our population,
as long as we permit comparatively
small class OF legalized exploiters to
monopolize the means OF production
and distribution for their private ben
eft, o fact again obvious in the case Of
miners;
"whereas, Appeals to congress and
to the courts for relief are fruitless,
since the Legislature as well as the ex-
ecutive and judicial powers are under
the control of the capitalist class, so
that it has come to pass in this free
country that while cattle and swine
have right to the public highway,
Americans, so-called free men, have
not.
"Whereas, our capitalistic class, as
is again shown in the present strike, is
armed, and has not only policeman,
marshals, sheriffs and deputies, but
also a regular army and militia, in Or
order to enforce government by in
junction, suppressing lawful assem-
blage, free speech and the right to the
public highway, while on the other
hand, the laboring men of the country
are unarmed and efenseless, contrary
to the words and spirit of the constitu-
ton of the United States; therefore,
be il
"Resolved, first, That we hereby set
apart Friday, the Sd day of Septem-
Der, 1897, as a Good Friday for the
cause of suffering labor in America
and contribute the earnings OF that
day to the support OF our struggling
brothers, the miners, and appeal to
every union man and friend Of labor
throughout the country to do likewise.
"Resolved, second, II the strike Of
the miners is not settled by September
20, 1897, and announcement made to
that effect, a general convention be
held at Chicago on Monday, Septem-
Der 81, 1897, by the Representatives Of
all unions, sections, branches, lodges
and kindred organizations OF laboring
men and friends OF the striking min
ers and laboring men.
"Resolved, third, That we consider
the use of the ballot as a means for
mediation Of the hardships which the
laboring class suffers.
Resolved, fourth, That the public
ownership Of railroads and telegraphs
is one of the most necessary reforms
for our body polite.
"Resolved, fifth, That we most en-
phatically protest against government
BY Injunction, which plays havoc with
even such political liberty as working.
men have saved from the steady en-
croschment OF capitalists, and be it
finally
"Resolved, sixth, That no nation in
which the people are totally disarmed
can long remain a free nation, and
therefore we urge upon all liberty
loving citizens to remember and obey
article 2 Of the constitution Of the
United States, which reads as follows:
1.-THE right OF people to keep and
bear arms shall not be infringed.'
twas agreed that the basis Of repre-
sentation at the Chicago con- sntion
should be one delegate to each labor
and two from each con-