Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-08-02
BLOW TO STRIKERS.
JUDGE JACKSON FINDS THEM
GUILTY OF CONTEMPT.
Organizers of the Mine Workers Sem.
fenced to Jail for Violating Iujunc-
tion-Strike Leaders Denounced an
professional AEitators."

After excoriating Mother" Jones, the
"good angel of the striking miners, and
bitterly denouncing labor agitators, Judge
jackson of the United States District
Court at Parkersburg, w. Va, sentenced
seven organizers Of the United Mine
Workers Association to Jail for contempt
Of his injunction of June 10, as follows;
Thomas Haggerty, ninety days in Jail;
William Morgan, Bernard Rice, Peter
Wilson, William Blakely, George Bacon,
Thomas Laskayish, sixty days each.
The courtroom was filed with an in
tensely excited crowd of miners and Of
ficials of labor unions. Judge Jackson's
huge frame shook with emotion as he
dramatically emphasized portions Of his
decision. The Judges decision was pref
aced by the bitterest attack ever made
on union methods. 1t goes even further
than Judge jenkins famous order, or
the decision of Judge Kohlsaat forbid
ding pickets speaking to workmen. The
miners agree that this is the most effect
i've blow that could be struck against the
mems cause in their attempt to get out
the 10000 miners in the Fairmont coal
field.
''In my long experience on the bench"
said Judge Jackson, II cannot recall a
single occasion where any court, either
Federal or State, ever abused the writ
of Injunction in what is known as strike
cases." The court then went on to
charge ''Mother" Jones and the others
were in a conspiracy to get the miners to
quit work. He said: "Where a con-
spiracy exists to control the employees, as
in this case, either by threats, intimida-
ton, or resort to any other mode usu-
ally accompanying the action Of strikers,
such action on their part is not only lille
gal, but a malicious and illegal Interior
ence with the employers business. These
defendants" he continued, ARE known
as professional agitators, organizers, and
walking delegates. They have nothing in
common with the people who are en-
ployed in the mines Of the Clarksburg
Fuel Company. Their mission is to To-
ment trouble The strong arm of the
court is invoked, not to suppress free
speech, but to restrain these defendants,
whose only purpose is to bring about
strikes by trying to coerce people VINO are
not dissatisfied with the terms Of their
employment"
Judge Jackson said the utterances OF
"Mother" Jones in her address near the
Pinnickinnick mines June 20 should not
emanate from a citizen Of this country.
"Such utterances," he remarked, ARE
the outgrowth Of the sentiments Of those
who believe in communism and anarchy"
It was the abuse Of free speech, accord
ing to the jurist, that inspired the anarch-
lists and assassin to take the life of our
late President.
The Judge then reviewed the speech Of
"Mother" Jones, in which she Is reported
to have called the miners slaves and
towards; said she did not care anything
for iniunctions-that If arrested the 1a1ls
would not hold the agitators who came
to take their places, and advised the men
to strike, winding up by calling the Judge
a hireling Of the coal company.
at is true" said the court, Mother
Jones denies some of these statements,
but her denial is equivocal."
For being present, taking an active
part and applauding the speaker, the
seven defendants were held to be also
guilty Of contempt.
The court took a rap at modern women
in criticising the principal defendant. IT
seems to me-" he said, that it would
have been far better for her to follow
the lines and paths which the AL Wise
Being intended her sex should pursue.
There are many charities in life which
are open to her, in which she could con-
tribute largely to mankind in distress, as
we'll as a vocation and pursuit that she
could engage in of a lawful character,
that would be more in keeping with what
we have been taught, and what expert
ence has shown to be the true sphere Of
womanhood."
Judge Jackson suspended judgment in
the case of Mother" Jones. He stated
that she had been found guilty of con-
tempt, "but as she is posing as martyr,
I will not send her to jail or allow her to
force her way into jail" He said he
would hold conviction over her, and If
she again violated the injunction he
would sentence her heavily.
Mitchell Would Appeal.
President John Mitchell when shown
the decision of Judge Jackson, said It
was the most outrageous he had yet
heard Of. He declared that an appeal
would at once be taken to the United
States Supreme Court, and that an ap-
peal would Immediately be made to
President Roosevelt to interfere before
the decision of Judge Jackson could be
enforced.
"Such a decision breeds anarchy" said
Mitchell, "as it causes the masses to lose
all confidence in the courts or even the
constitution Of the United States. If the
courts can set aside the constitution and
Janr;ro citiznna of the rights to which
they are entitled under it, how can they
expect citizens to respect them"