The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-09-04
LABOR CONVENTION.
Results Of the Gathering Of Labor
Leaders at St. Louis.
The Platform Setting Forth the Ideas of
the Observation-Disclosures Asked to
Contribute the Earnings of
Friday, September 3.

ANPOA ~ nv
resolutions and plans of action con-
corning the future course Of the miners
strike.
The report set apart Friday, Septem-
Der 8, a day on which all labor organ
izations and their friends shall con-
tribute to the relief of the miners. 1t
further declared that if the strike be
not ended by September 20 a mass con-
~vention be held at Chicago, September
81, to consider the course then to be
pursued.
1t inveighed at length against gov
eminent by federal injunction" and
called attention in a threatening man.
ner to hat provision of the federal
constitution, providing that citizens
have the right to peal arms.
During the prolonged discussion, in
which Eugene V. Debs and ]. R. Sow
ereign took part, there were evidences
of extreme dissatisfaction with the
committees report, most of the speak
ers arguing that it was "all sound and
fury, s~ignifying nothing"
A number of the orators talked calm
ly of shot-guns and violence, but these
were not very enthusiastically received,
since they failed to make it clear who
and what were to be aimed at.
The section of the report providing
for a collection to support the miners
was adopted. Its scope can only be
realized when the figures are consid-
cred.
NJ. D. Ratchford, president of the
United Mine Workers union, says
there are 1850, 900 union laborers in
the country. One days pay forshese
laborers will amount to S., 900, 600, Nj.
.RatchfOrd thinks, but he says the mum
Der of laborers may be 1000, 900, and
that will increase the amount to over
30, coo, 600.
The Platform.
The fears Of the more watchful fathers of the
republic have been justified. The judiciary has
become supreme. We witness i political phe-
nOmenOn absolutely new in the history of the
world; a republic PROSTATE at the feet Of the
judges appointed to administer the laws. They
acknowledge no superior.
Under the cunning form Of injunctiOnS courts
have assumed to enact criminal laws and, after
thus drawing to themselves the power of legis-
lation, have repealed the bill of rights and for
NIDi1IlOuS Oh lutSt COuTI-Llducl laws nave utIItu
the accused the right of trial by jury. The eXer-
else of the cOmmonest rights Of freemen-the
right of ass embly, the right of free speech, the
fright OF travelling the public highwayS-haye
by legislation, under injunctiOnS, been made a
, crime, and armed forces dispense as MODS peo-
pie daring in company to exercise these rights.
At its last term the supreme court of the United
States decided that the thirteenth amendment,
fOrbidding involuntary Servitude, - is not ViO-
lated by a~rreSting a seaman, imprisoned him
till his vessel is ready to leave port, and then
fOrcibly putting him on board to serve out the
term of his contract, 4 decision under which
the old fugitive slave laws may yet be revived,
and striking labOrerS beSiegeG and returned to
the service Of their masters.
Having drawn to themselves all the powers
of the federal government until CO ngresSeS and
presidents may act only by judicial permis-
sion, the federal judges have begun the
-subjugation OF sovereign states, so that,
unless q check is soon put upon the
progress OF uSurpatiOn, in a short time no
government. but the absolute diSpOtiSm OF fed
seral judges will exist anywhere over any pOr-
tion of American soil The pending strike of
coal miners, starved to feebleneSS by their
Scant wages for ar1uOuS and dangerous toll
she pending strike for the right to be fool
enough to make labor possible, has been pro-
Life of judicial uSurpation, showing the will
ingneSS of judi .ial deSpOtS to resort to the most
.51dLltlGNS Ldn VI AACItIlCl GN We'll dS o law
and humanity in order to enable heartleSS
avarice to drive its hungry SerfS back to the
mines to faint and die at their drudgery; and
there remains to-day not one guaranteed right
of American citizens the exercise of which an
injun tion has not somewhere ma1e a crime.
Startled by these SuOverSiOns OF cOnstitu-
tiOnal liberty, We have met as American citi-
zens to counsel together, and have come to the
following conclusions, that:
WHEREAS, The present strike Of the coal
miners has again demonstrated the fact that
our SO-called liberty is not freedom but is 4
stUpendouS sham, under which millions are de-
generating, while hundreds Of thOusIuds-msn
women and children-are starving in novels and
on the public highways.
WHEREAS, This condition has become per-
manent for a large and eVer-increasing number
of our population, as long as We permit 4 COM
paratiVely small class OF legdlized eXplOiterS to
monopOlize the means of production and dis
.tributiOn for their private benetit-a fact again
obvious in the case of the miners.
WHEREAS, Appeals to congress and the courts
for relief are ~fruItless, since the legislative as
well rs the executive 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 a right to the pub
Tic highway Americans, so-called free men,
have not:
WHEREAS, Our CT, ilalist class, As is again
shown in the pre- .ent strike, is armed, and has
not only policemen, marshals, sherifS and dep
utieS, but also a regular army and militia at it
ommand in order to enforce government b.
injunction, >uppre Ssing lawful asSemblage, free
speech and the ri ShtS to the public highway
Will on the other hand the labOring men Of the
country are unarmed and defenseleSS, contrary
10 the words and the spirit of the constitution
of the United States, therefore be it
Resolred. That We hereby set apart Friday,
September 3. 1897. as a Good Friday for tue
cause OF suffering labor in America, and con-
tribute the earni ,gs Of that day to the support
of our struggling brothers, the miners, and ap-
peal to every friend of labor throughout the
country to do likewise.
ResoErsd. That il the str Ike Of the miner is
not settled by Septem Der %, 1897, and announce
ment made to that effect by the president Of tue
United Mine Workers, a general convention at
Chicago on Monday, September %, 1898. be held
by the repre- >entativesO of all unions. sections.
branches, lodges and kindred organizations of
Iaboring men and friends Of their cause, for the
purpose of considering further measures in the
interest of the industrial masses and labor in
general.
Resolred. That We consider the use of the bal
lot Us the best and safest means for the ameli-
.oration Of the hardShipS under which the la
boring class suffers.
Resolred, That the public ownership of all
mines and railroads is one of the most neceS-
-sary reforms Of our body polite.
Resolued, That we most emphatically protest
against government by injunction. which plays
havoc with even such political liberty as work
fngmen have saved from the steady encroach-
ment of capitalization, and be finally,
ResoIred. That no nation in which the people