The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-20
AN ADDRESS TO T0ILERS
wAGEwORKERs URGED TO ASSIST
IN INFLUENCING LEGISLATION.
Injunctions and other Matters Dis
cussed by the American Fedora
ton of Labor Council.

WASHINGTON, April 19.-The executive
council of the American Federation of La
Dor to-day adopted resolutions thanking
senator's and representatives who have
stood by the labor interests in Chinese ex-
clusion legislation and urging that either
effective exclusion laws be enacted or that
the full responsibility for Ineffective legis-
lation on this subject may rest upon those
who, while claiming in the Senate substi-
tute to give the country an exclusion law,
are providing an act which will be sure to
involve the government in endless litigation
and then fail TO exclude Chinese laborers. E"
The executive council adjourned sine die
this afternoon after adopting an address
10 the wage-workers of America, signed
by all the members of the council, which
says:
There are few contests in which the
toilers are engaged for improvement or
for the prevention of a deterioration in
their condition., unless injunctions are is
sued by the courts of the most far-reach-
Ing character, invading the legal and
moral rights Of the workers TO perform
perfectly legal and legitimate acts TO carry
on their effort TO a successful termination.
~"InJunctions Of a fragrant, untustiiable
and outrageous character are continually
issued. and honest, law-abiding and faith
full citizen workmen are thrust into prison
~ RCAAOh y L LAOlIl OlAC ~ AlAlAC III
Thus far we have been unable to per-
suade the Congress of the United States
to enact a law that shall protect the rights
and liberty of people engaged in industrial
disputes, and many Of the courts have in
terpreted this failure on the part Of Con-
gress TO act as a warrant and authority
TO extend the use, or more properly speak
Ing, the abuse of the writ of injunction,
so that the scope of each writ still fur
Their invades our ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
teed rights.
saV~hfC 9r,D1~1sH- n-I n-n-f-- 1o1-o~
therefore, impels us to appeal to the work
ers and TO all people of our country so
that the true feeling of all may be ex-
pressed and registered: so that the public
opinion of the people Of our common coun-
try may more definitely impress itself up
on the minds of our national Congress and
state legislatures.
With this object in view we
to all organized workers in national, state,
central or local unions that In their public
celebrations on May l, July 4 and Sept. 1
Labor day., 1902. they concentrate their
attention to II discussion OF the abolition Of
the injunctions in labor disputes and the
passage of resolutions demanding at the
hands of Congress and the legislatures Of
their respective States the enactment Of
laws conforming TO that purpose.
1T Is urged, too, that at the conventions
OF the national unions and the state feder-
ations, as we'll as at stated meetings of
the central labor unions and local trade
and federal labor unions, this subject be
fully discussed, emphatic action taken
thereon and the result of that action
promptly communicated to the United
States senator's and members of Congress
from your respective States, and to the
members of the Legislature of your re-
spective districts.
1.-THE American workmen are law-abiding,
faithful and loyal citizens; they have no
desire for immunity from the law governing
other citizens, but they most emphatically
resent and protest against the actions of
courts convicting them and sentencing
them to prison for acts which they have
the legal right to perform. and condemned.
too, without proper opportunity of de-
Tense and trial before a jury of their
peers