The Irish standard., 1901-08-10
THE INJUNCTION JUDGES.

AHe WAoic Wollu AlOWS lue PARTISAN
character of British judges in Ireland.
They have been described time and
again until their names are household
words among the Irish people. Who
has not heard of Lord Norbury, Judge
Keogh and Chief Justice O'Brien? AS
between the subject and the crown
these worthless have always rendered
decisions against the individual and fol
the government. They were selected
for that purpose and they never disap-
pointed the powers to whom they We're
Indebted for their jobs. Under Wing
or a Tory ministry they never failed
to dispense justice and interpret the
law as they were expected to do.
In the United States at the present
time the judges who are appointed by
politicians are beginning to follow the
example of the Irish judges. They arc
sure to please the powers that be-
and for that reason tile people are be-
ginning to lose confidence in them.
This is particularly the case with the
injunction judges, of whom the Chi
cago American has the following to
say in recent issue:
We have half dozen judges enjoin-
ing men against exercising free speech
in other words, these judges literall;
forbid men to exercise right which is
guaranteed them by the Constitution
of the United States.
A judge overrides the Constitution,
and under the present injunction sys-
TEN he can imprison and fine at will
any citizen who ventures to place the
authority Of the Constitution above
that of the petty judge.
In Cleveland an honest mayor and
an honest board of assessors endeav-
ored to tax Mark Hanna's street rail-
way at two-thirds of it's actual value.
A Judge has been found to issue an
injunction forbidding the city to tax
this street railway fairly.
In other words, Mark Hanna, who,
as the boss of the Republican party,
has power to make, promote and other
wise reward judges can find judge
who will forbid city officials to tax
equitably the property which Hanna
owns. The power of influencing judges
is not confined to Mark Hanna him
self.
His son Daniel finds judge who
grants him an injunction forbidding
Daniel Hanna's first wife taking her
own children to Europe with her.
We don't propose to discuss Mr.. Dam
iel Hanna's private family affairs, al
though he invites discussion by maxi
ing them the basis Of an injunction
suit.
But we do know that court worthy
Of respect had given the first Mrs.
Hanna control of her children, we
know that they were children which
she brought into the world with great
suffering, and we know that for n
Judge to grant an injunction restrain
ing her from taking her children with
her Is IN outrageous exercise Of mis-
placed authority.
A Judge issues an injunction forbid
ding you to do such and such thing.
You may have a perfect right under
the Constitution of the United States
to do what he forbids. His injunction
may be unjust and illegal, but neither
this injunction nor the authority Of the
Constitution will save you If you dis
obey the injunction. The Judge him
self, the offended one, has then abso
lutte power to punish you. He Gun fine
you or put you in Jail at his pleasure
You have no possible appeal.
In any ordinary transaction the citi
zen who is supposed to have committed
an offense Is emitted to trial by jury
and to appeal his case.
But If you offend an injunction
Judge, he himself is the jury, he is Tho
judge. he fixes the penalty.
This is law, but 1t is stupid law
worthy of Turkish pasha. not Of {
civilized country.
Such laws exist because we allow
the judges and the lawyers to MAKE
our laws for us and to make sucl
laws as will ALI their pockets or in