The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-09-02
NO CIVILIZATION WITHOUT INJUNC-


! which has Just been held in st. Louis.
adopted platform and resolutions that
must grieve all men who have the true
interests OF laboring men NJ heart The
| principal theme OF the resolutions was
| denunclation of inJunctlons against the
action Of striking laborers, and a demand
that the only process to be
used against them shall be jury
( trials, which are OF course, TO
award recompense to injured parties for
damage done them after the damage
has been inflicted. This would be, Of course
TO reyolutlonlze all OF our institutions
and to carry us back to a state OF SEMI
barbarsm that the Injunction process
OF courts was resorted to to bring to an
end.
Civilization in all parts Of the world
comedies that there are certain classes
of Injuries that must be averted In ad-
vance. Under the Anglo-Sa1on system
of jurisprudence, the test is at the point
whether the threatened injury is one that
! can be compensated In money damages
| II IT can be- then the redress is an action
for damages after the injury has been
| inflicted, in which case a jury determines
what damages shall be paid. But II the
| threatened injury is one that cannot be
compensated in damages to be awarded
by the verdict Of a jury, then our tri-
| bunals OF justice will forbid the commits
sion Of the act in advance. The expe-
rience of all civilized mankind has led
TO the conclusion that threatened IN
Jury must be arrested in advance II IL
| is Of that character. For us to say that
we will no longer be governed by that
principle. but that we intend to leave all
| men hereafter TO seek their redress after
the injury has been inflicted from the
verdict of a jury for damages, would be
~ lie TO agree TO end all progress and
ALI great employments Of labor. OF what
avail is It to say to man whose property
has all been destroyed by mob that
he may sue the mob, and recover from
IL fhe value Of the property destroyed
Even II he could collect the damages
1
no compensation to him. His business
would have been interrupted, his Gus
toners would have formed new relations
with other parties, and he might be hope
lessly ruined in spite Of collecting large
money damages. But OF what Vaiue
would a verdict for damages be? Ninety
nine out OF every hundred men that take
| part in the destructive work OF MOB
| are wholly irresponsible, and a verdict
| for damages against them would be ut
terly unproductive Of results. The pro-
| cess OF injunction against threatened in
| iuries must be preserved or our cNillza-
ton must come TO an end and we must
reIapse into standardization, at least.
There is a good deal in the resolutions
adopted at ST. Louis about the infringe
ment of the citizens liberty In preventing
them from coming together IN pubic
| meetings and forbidding them to march
| rnon the nublc highways. But no court
F, has enioined public meeting until II mas
1 first adiudeed that there Is pending con-
| aict between proper owners upon the one
| hand and an unlawful combination or IN
| dividuals upon the other, and that the
| nroposed public meeting, while nomlhaiiy
| n meeting held for the purpose OF DISCUSS
inc the grievances of the parties to It, IS
reallv an assemblage held to intimidate
the new employees of the property owners
| Co NJ the marchings upon the public
L 4 h4Hn
| the court has found. As matter OF
| fact that the marchings while nominauy
had in the exercise Of a citizens priVi-
leee. have been really. and, in fact made
to intimidate.
DO the labor leaders who were IN con-
ference at st. Louis think that one set
of workmen who have struck have any
r,qht moral or legal, TO intimidate
new set of workmen, who take their
nlaces. and drive them away from their
work by fear of personal violence ana IN
iury? If they do think this, they VIII
find that the overwhelming majority OIL
tbair fellow-citizens differ in opinion with
them. If they do not think so then we
| are unable 10 UNDERSTAND Nv" WY $3.50
think laboring men aggrieved by pro-
cess of Injunction. which IS nothing IN
effect but a prohibition against strikers
violently interfering with new laborers
who have taken their old places
Finally the resolutions adopted have
ominous reference TO the right OF clti-
zens to bear arms. and there are covert
threats Of what the constituents OF these
leaders will do with their arms If they
are thwarted in the aims that they hold
This is very unfortunate language. The
American people are not going to be
intimidated into countenancing or per-
hitting lawlessness by threats OF this OF
any other kind, and they only re-
act upon those who make them. They
sincerely grieve the true friends OF the
laboring man. and make a weapon for his
injury in the hands Of those who are
really willing to Cypress him.
THE o'FrRRALL INTERVIEW.
No. axnressiOn in Governor O'Ferrall