The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-26
GOVERNMENT BY INJUNCTION.

This silly cry is somewhat ike the SMALL
pox-the country Is never entirely free from
it and one never knows where it may break
out next. But. unlike the other disease.
there is no prophylactic against 1t. vaccina-
ton is a reasonably sure preventive of
smallpox, but there is no defense against
Stiffness and stupidity. Demagogism Is self
perpetuating. and ignoramuses we have with
us always.
The latest outbreak of the government
by Injunction cry is at Evansville. where
a local court has granted a temporary in
junction restraining the officers of the
United Mine Workers of America or any
of the strikers from interfering with the
property or business of the John Ingle Coal
Company. In order that readers of the Jour
nal may see what a dreadful thing gov
eminent by injunction Is we copy the body
OF the order. After naming individually the
persons against whom it runs. more than a
hundred in all, it proceeds:
1t is thereupon ordered. adjudged and de-
creed by the court that each of the de-
fendants. whose names are hereinbefore set
out i'm the title of this cause, be, and they
are hereby restrained from In any manner
AllNC z AA6 WAlAAE ~ AAo "a @as
of the property OF the plaintiff; and from
entering upon the grounds or premises OF
the plaintiff for the purpose Of interfering
with, hindering, obstrueting or stopping any
of the business or work of the plaintiff. or
for the purpose Of interfering with, injuring
or destroying any of said property, end
to compel or induce, by threats, intimida-
ton, force or violence. either In or about
the mine OF the plaintiff, or in proximity
employees of the plaintin to fail or refuse to
perform any of their duties, as employees
of the plaintiff; and from SO compelling or
inducing, or attempting to compel or induce
any of the plaintiffs employees TO leave the
service Of the plaintiff; and from prevent
dalton, force or violence. from entering or
remaining In the service OF the plaintiff, and
from interfering or waylaying any person
for such purpose on his way to or from
work at plaintiffs mine, and from doing any
act whatever in furtherance OF any conspir-
and from ordering, directing, aiding, assist
ing or abetting In any manner whatsoever,
any person or persons. TO commit any or
either OF The acts aforesaid
There is a full-grown injunction. 1t does
not authorize the hanging or electrocuting
of anybody. does not confiscate anybody's
property. send anybody to Jail. nor inter-
fere with anybody's personal liberty or
rights. 1t simply forbids certain persons
from trespassing upon the property or in
terfering with the property rights of a GER
tain other person or corporation, which
they are threatening TO destroy or injure.
Now, the writ OF injunction is as old as
the government. 1t Is a remedy which has
been resorted TO thousands of times to pre-
vent the destruction Of property or tres
passing on property rights. The courts al
ways issue 1t, as Of course, for the protec-
ton and preservation of property. Where 1t
has issued once in favor OF corporations 1t
has issued a thousand times in favor of
Individuals. There Is no man so humble or
so poor but that. IL he owns a bit OF prop
erty or has a little established business OF
his own, he may obtain from a court a
restraining order. or injunction. forbidding
certain persons or perhaps some corpora
ton from trespassing on his property or in
terfering with his rights. This IL govern
ment by injunction. which Is simply an
other name for an order Of court to pro-
hibIt trespass and protect private rights. In
the Evansville case the order will not hurt
those against whom 1t Is directed unless
they violate IT. All they have to do to es-
cape its operation Is to refrain from doing
the things which II prohibits The strikers
down there have ne more Eight to tres