The Forrest City times., 1902-08-29
THE POWER OF INJUNCTION.
Possible Because Republican Cons gross Refused to Pass a Law
 That Would Prevent It.

was introduced under the title ito Ge. fine conspiracies." It wa. drawn by an attorney for the Anne erican Fedora. tion of Labor. and was intended to pre- vent government by injunction. The democratic members of the judiciary committee were unanimous for the bill, but Mir. Littlefield. republican, who is said to be selected by President Roosevelt to lead the fight against the trusts. was opposed to the bill. and made long report against il. This indirectly shows that the president is not heartily in sympathy with the striking coal miners. or he would not select lieutenant who opposed re- medal legislation that was fraught with SO great equenees to laboring men. and especially the striking miners. In spite of the opposition If Mr. Littlefield and others. the bill passed the house. but corporation in- fiuenee was too powerful in the sem ate. and it was laid aside. The demo- cratS of both houses were anxious to pass this bill. and il was sorry day for the striking coal miners when their efforts were defeated hy the re- publieaRs.
 In telling of the injunction campaign now going on in West Virginia against the strikers rights. the New York Journal says:
 One more crime has been added to the catalogue
 Judge Jackson. by his injnnctions. made 1t punishable offense To ask a coal miner to join a labor union. and now Juage Keller. another West Nir- ginia jurist. has issued iniunctions for bidding the establishment of strike camps. which are established in con- nection with the purchase and dis tribution of food for the striking miners
 The law-breaking railroads. which mine coal illegally and in defiance of their charters. are to be congratu- lated on the presence on the bench of two such convenient justices as these.
 If they do not win the strike it will not be the fault of Judge Jack son and Judge Keller.
 The splendid response of the union conference in the matter of strike benefits made it impossible for theoretical operators 10 carry out their beneficent scheme of starving the miners into abandoning their union. so this injunction. directed at the leaders of the national executive m Q. oh, l. the duty of providing supplies for the men who are out on strike. comes along in the very nick of time.
 The encroachment on the liberty of the miners is greater with every example of this misuse of the power of the federal injunction" And then after describing the old penal laws of England that punished man who refused to work at the prevailing rate, the Journal goes on to say:
 "It was from this condition of slavery that labor unions rescued the men who do the worlds work
 The injunction principle would S 'hiii bili'i lllt ldliQ> oi idDOT ana make it absolutely dependent on the generosity of employers.
 Tt is not for the law to say that men shall not join unions for their mutual benefit. or that they shall not form camps or do anything else that is not in itself unlawful. and when the law is turned and bent to make these things criminal. to the end that some man or set of men may hire workers cheaply. there is engendered contempt for laws that may not always be confined to the judgemade rulings.
 The progress of labor has been over the wrecks of just such ob- stacles as these. and it is absurd to suppose that this progress can be halted now. The iniunctions of Judge Jackson and Judge Keller will never become precedents. Whether they are sustained for the present or not, they will soon be overruled by the court of public opinion. against the decisions of which no injustice can stand in free country"