The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-05

MaSon's Injunction decision Is good law,
then the law does not permit free
speech and annuls the right of assem-
blage AS these are guaranteed by the
constitution, It follows that no decision
which prohibits them can be good law.
The publication broadcast OF Judge Ma
sons decision has accomplished ono
good thing, namely, created great deal
OF sympathy for the strikers, whose
common rights are annulled by It; and
heaven knows these striking miners,w who
are fighting hard battle for a bare
livelihood for themselves and their fam
lies are entitled to all the sympathy
they can get,"-Wheellng Register.
The above is an editorial in the Wheel
ing Register of Monday, and shows
how little information that journal pos
sesses on the subject OF the injunction
issued by Judge Mason, The Register
has had the fullest opportunity to OBJ
tain correct information as 10 the stu
alton OF affairs In the Fairmont region,
hut II shows, in discussing It, either the
grOssest ignorance or the most pur-
poseless and shameful mendaclty In
dealing with the attempted strike here.
The criticism OF Judge Mason's decls-
ion is In keeping with all It's other utter
ances on the subject. Let us examine
the facts connected with the issuing OF
this Injunction and see how far Judge
Mason has laid himself liable 10 just
criticism in his action.
We have no particular interest In
Judge Mason, especially political; but
we believe him 10 be an honest, capable,
upright and conservative lawyer, who
would not knowingly violate the prin-
ciples OF the law In adJudicatlng any
question which might come before him
as a judge, This Is as fur us we care to
go In his defense, In fact he needs no
defense He simply awarded a prelim-
mary Injunction on case brought be-
fore him, and the mountain that has
thus been created out OF mole hill
exists entirely In the imagination OF
people who are busily engaged in look
ing for sensations. Up to this time
Judge Mason has decided nothing. He
probably never will render any decision
upon the matter,as he only occupied the
position OF special judge during the
Germ when the case was brought be-
TORE court, but there has been such
persistent and mischlevous effort to
magnify his order into an oppressive
legal edlct to strike down the rights OF
free speech, that II is time the people
should know Just what he did and the
legal effect of his action. The basis OF
that action was the allegations set up
by the operators In their application for
an Injunction. They say that efforts
have been made for nearly three weeks,
by persons and parties not residents OF
this state TO induce the miners OF the
Falrmont region TO go out on strike
and thereby to interfere with their bus
iness OF mining and shipping coal; that
during the first two weeks OF that time
they claim, every avenue for the fullest
public discussion OF every question cons
nected with 1t, had been afforded the
organizers. They held open meetings In
Palatine, Monongah. Catawba, Willow
Tree, Worthington, New England and
on the court house square IN FaltJnont.
Not voice was raised against them.
The best judgement OF the people OF
this section, including the miners them
selves, was against them, but they were
accorded patient hearing. Five hun
dred people assembled at the court
house square and listened to MahOn.
Ratchford and Debs, and not murmur
or dissent was heard against n word
they said, and we must do them the JUS
tice 10 say that they spoke with con-
Bervatlsm and good sense; one OF them
stating In the course OF his remarks,
that so far as he could sec the miners OF
Fairmont had no grievance against
their employers; that they were better
fed, better clothed and better housed
than the miners OF any other region OF
which he had any knowledge, and that
The only reason they were asked TO quilt
their employment and go on a strike
was to aid their suffering brothers In
other fields. This argument did not i'm
press the Falrmont miners They saw
no reason why they should starve them
selves and families and fOrego employ
fnent when II was offered them In vain
effort to help the strikers In other re-
glons who had never exhibited any
sympathy or extended any aid to them.
Therefore. after few of these meet
inus had been held. tho majority OF the
miners ceased to attend them. Their
curiosity having been gratlned they had
no further motive In going TO hear
Messrs. Debs, &c, and they went about
their business, satisfied with their en-
ploy1nent and their employers, and con-
tent with their lot, which, according TO
The agltators themselves. make them
the best clothed, best fed, and best
housed miners in the country. But the
agltators determined that they should
hear them. There is considerable dis
satisfaction, as IL alleged, among n part
OF the men at Monongah, for q variety
OF reasons, unnecessary to state here,
md those dissatisfied men, with a few
others who were carried away by cN-
citement, rallied under the banners OF
The ngltators. and parados were organ
iEed and house to house canyasscs were
made 10 induce or to force the indus
trlouB, satisfied miners, who simply
wanted 10 be lot nlone, 10 Join the strike
Men under the lead Of the agitaiors
marched to the mines owned by the
West Falrmont and other companies,
assembled In tho roads leading to the
mouth Of the pits, aud by numbers, ana
IN some CnsoB threats, attempted to
oyernwn terrorlze and Tighten tho
miners who sought work, from going
into their employment. II 10 said, per-
haps alleged. In the bill praying for an
Injunction, that the miners houses,
which IRE the property OF the company
were visited by tho organizers aud their
nbettorg, the women eNhortod TO request
their husbands 10 quit work under var
ious threats and menaces 90 to what
would happen II thoy refused tn do 70.
md generally torrofzcd che men and
their families who were peacefully pur.
gulng their employment IN legal and
lnwful way. Some Of the miners houses
az Mdunngnh haya bopu stoned ON moro