The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-08-22
The " OF INJUNCTION.


At the last session Of congress . bin
was introduced under the title ito de-
fine co~nspiracies." IL was drawn BY
an attorney for the American Fedora.
tion Of Labor, and was intended to pre-
vent government by injunction. The
democrats members of the judiciary
committee were unanimous for the
bill, but Mr.. Littlefield, a republican,
who is said to be selected by President
Roosevelt to lead the fight against the
trusts. was opposed 10 the bill, ana
made a long report against it. This
indirectly shows that the president
is not heartily in sympathy with the
striking coal miners. or he would not
select q lieutenant who opposed re-
medal legislation that was fraughs
with 80 great consequences to laboring
men. and especially the striking
miners. In spite of the opposition OF
Mr.. Littlefeld and others, the bill
passed the house. but corporation in
fuence was too powerful in the SEN
ate, and 1t was laid aside. The demo-
Gratis Of both houses were anxious to
pass this bill. and il was a sorry day
for the striking coal miners when
their efforts were defeated by the re-
publicans.
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 injunctions.
made ii a punishable offense TO ask
n coal miner 20 join a labor union, u
now Judge Keller. another West Vir-
GINA iurist, has issued i%njunctions 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 II
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 il impossible
for theoretical operators 10 carry out
their beneficent scheme Of starving
the miners into abandoning theiI
union. so this injunction. directed al
the leaders of the national executive
committee and others charged Will
the duty Of providing supplies fol
the men who are out on strike
comes along in the very nick o
time.
The encroachment on the lbert,
Of the miners is greater with ever,
! example Of this misuse of the powel
of the federal injunction" AM
then after describing the oil
. penal laws of England that Furnishes
a man who refused to work. at tn
I, prevailing rate. the Journal goes Of
TO say:
I at was from this condition o
slavery that labor unions rescued tn
. men who do the worlds work.
: "The injunction principle woul
! again bind the hands of labor an
:. make it absolutely dependent on tn
generosity of employers.
I. 1T is not for the law 10 say tina
: men shall not join unions for the
+. mutual benefit. or that they sha'
: not form camps or do anything els
that is not in itself unlawful. an
when the law Is turned and bent Z
make these things criminal, TO tn
end that som man or set OF me
may hire workers cheaply. there
~engendered a contempt for laws tina
NAV not always be confined TO tn
!, iudge-made rulings.
.srhe progress Of labor has bee
over the wrecks of just such oil
!, ~stacles as these. and it Is absurd I
suppos that this progress can !
: halted now. The inlunctions {
Judge Jackson and Judge Keller wi
!. never become presidents. Wheths
they are sustained for the present
: not. they will soon be overruled b
I, the court Of public opinion, againi
! the decisions of which no ~injustit