The Monte Vista journal., 1899-07-22

preme Court this morning declared the
so-called eight-hour law applying to
mines and smelters unconstitutional.
The decision by the three Judges was
unanimous against the now celebrated
labor measure which was law ON the
statute books q little more than q
month and which by the courts act
erased ~ law and made null and void.
No opinion stating the reasons ac-
companied the announcement Of the
decision. The court, by its chief Jus
lice, said that 1t had been hurried by
the exigencies Of the case to declare
lts opinion before 1t was ready to
state Its reasons, but that these would
be promulgated In due time-at the con-
venience Of the judges composing the
high court.
After some routine business had
been attended to, a pause came and
Chief Justice Campbell glanced at his
auditors A. though commanding extra
silence. He was given all the atten-
ton desired. He announced:
I'm the matter Of cases 4OO8 and
IAN original application in each Of the
above entitled causes was made In this
court for . writ Of habeas corpus, al
eging that the petitioner was illegally
committed by an order OF q justice OF
the peace, and Hereunder was unlaw.
fully restrained Of his liberty BY the
sheriff, upon the charge, In the one
case, that the petitioner, as the agent
Of an employer, had hired q person to
work In q smelter: and, In the other
NhAA hA
employed. had engaged to work
therein, and that the contract Of en-
ployment was In violation Of and pro-
passed by the last general assembly
dxing eight hours as the period Of a
days labor In smelters and under
ground mines. In each case the writ
b based, and a discharge from the GUS
tody Of the sheriff IL asked. upon the
ground that the act in question ID un-
constitutional.
''In view Of the fact that controver-
Bies over the validity Of the act had
caused, or contributed to. cause. ces
sation Of work In some Of the smelters,
and possibly In some Of the mines In
the state. we recognize the Importance
Of as speedy determination ~ could
-
examination Of the cause on Its mer-
I'll the decision II announced, NO per-
manent arrangements can probably be
made between the employees and the
employers looking to . resumption Of
work: and to the end, 10 far ~ II Is
within our power, to remove any pos
Sible obstacle to such an arrangement.
n Nroll tO IN sH1a vuIlsplt~~ -
the act itself. We have concluded to
announce the decision now and hand
down the opinion later, In which our
reasons for the conclusion reached will
be fully given. This course n neces.
STATED by the fact that, before these
applications were hled, q number Of
important causes. some OF which In.
volved the administration Of DE Grim
inal law In our nisI prius courts, were
then pending and under consideration,
the decision Of which before adjourn.
ment Of the present term seemed i'm.
pefatlve. Finding. therefore, In the
state Of business before M, that Il
would be imp0sribie to formulate the
opinion prior to the announcement Of
the decision. II was, contrary to our
own preference. and much to our own
convenience-which. Of course, We
waive-dccideti to announce the result
or our deliberations In advance OF al.
Ing an opinion, which. a. matter Of
courae. In any cause ought to bc prc.
pared with degree OF care commeu-
surate with Its Importance.
"Since oral argument Of counsel We
have given an attentive examination
to the briefs Of counsel. to the many
authorities cited by them. and to 9th.
ers which our own Investigations have
led us. Each member Of the court has
made nm Independent Investigation for
himself. and after 10 doing We have
had frequent consultations, accompa.
MED by extended discussions OF the i'm.
portant questions Involved. After q
most careful and earnest consIdera.
tSon OF the case we have unanimously
reached the conclusion that the 10.
called ei1ht.hour law under which the
criminal charges against the petition.
er were brought. 10 wholly uncoustitu.
tional and void.
The order. therefore. Of the court Ia
that the petition In each case, b.. and
the same II hereby granted, and that
the petitioner therein b.. and hereby
ID. discharged from further custody"
That was all. and the court imurdi.
ate1y adjourned. No Demonstration foi.
lowed. The labosinE men looked A.
stolid a. the Judges themselves, but no
onc doubted that they felt dlsappoIut.
ment in their hearts. They quietly left
the court room. many saying: :.That
ends II. II h too had"
A special to the Denver News from
GSenwood says Ex-Governor ], Il.
Grant and family arrived there eun.
aay aod registered at the Hotel Colo.
eado. He aaid that the decision Of the
eourt was no surprise TO him, 20 he
DID not scs how II could be otherwise
decided than that the law vns uncon.
stitutional
ASKED - to whether the dec,s,on
~oeId make any change In the oSIer
made BY the American gmelter Corn.
pany OF . 10 per cent. advance. IA.
sweeed NEST smphatically, .No. IL
would not" A to the hours az lsbor
BE- would not aay what would b. done.
Mr.. Grant stated that be- had received
Q letter from Mr.. Nash, Who vas now
at Omaha. that be would b. IN Dcn.
vef on Wednesday and that matter
wosd cone up On his arrival
He was asked - 10 The percentase
q nnsn employed at the sa,eitsr. Vso
wsss eissctly a9ected By lie ,,sht.
kosf NV. Hs said Dot over 4 per sent.
q tAsn. bst in6lrsctiy own ADO vers
a9ected. Tia sansltsss at Loedviiie.
tho AskaAaas, Nd about l(o ~ now
q weet. asd tie Bt0stalllc wao peec.
deaoy rusalag u full number.
H weu)d empress - splnion - 10
1ese ~ c@sltsss q Dsaves wou!d