The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-10-05
TAFT CAN NOT EJECT. ::
SUPPORT OF ORGANIZED
LABOR FOR PRESIDENT rs
OF THE UNITED STATES
Continued from page One.

a strike and employing non-union la
Dor. Though, he said, the relation
between the roads and the engineers
was one of free contract. and the lat
ter might strike for any reason they
could not. while holding their posi-
tons, discriminate In the handling of
freight. !. ASrefusal to handle certain
freight would amount to violation of
the interstate commerce law and
conspiracy against the government, as
well as against the railroads employ
ing them. This decision compelled the
Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers
to abrogate one Of it's rules and change
what it believed to be perfectly legal
method. .' \:
: He Stops Strike.
In the Phelan contempt case Of 1894
Judge Taft decided that a union Off
cial had no right to "incite" peace
able strike among the employees of a
railroad In order to help striking en-
ployes of another. road or carrier.
Phelan was adjudged guilty of con-
tempt for violation of an omnibus in
junction against interference" with a
certain railroad. II he had urged the
men to strike for higher wages, the
Judge held, he would have been with
in his rights: but as he had urged a
purely sympathetic strike, he had COM
mttted a crime, for sympathetic
strike was a boycott, and sympa-
thetic boycott was a conspiracy. This
case has also been "a leading one and
has often been cited by anti-labor at
torneys seeking injunctions against
sympathetic strikes and peaceful boy
colts. = -
The opinion of Judge Taft contained
some expressions that were favorable
to organization and to selfish"
strikes; but these were not, and have
not been, Of any value. It IS too late
in the day to attempt to make all
strikes criminal or to prohibit combi-
nations Of labor. What the militant
plutocrats now want is the outlawing
not only Of sympathetic but all strikes
under any circumstances and of all
boycotts, direct or indirect, primary or
secondary. The Taft decisions have
furnished them with ammunition and
weapons. 4
=. Where Taft 10 Silent!
Secretary Taft is not above seeking
to influence congress adversely on
pending legislation demanded by labor.
He has nothing to say with reference
to any measure aimed, Or rather that
should be aimed at corporate extortion
and other Ills that safflict the people.
The fear that the power Of the courts
may, be curtailed in their attempt to
,,.,,rv1 81 two vo1uoro Owl ~ l,,-o
labor in any dispute with capital( with
the labor side absent and unhearD ap-
pears to be next his heart, or in his
nerves. -
After the expression OF a superficial
and erroneous view as to what should,
not, constitute property, he says:
So you see Mr.. Gompers' proposition
lacks Justice at the foundation. See
what the effect would be. It would
make a. favored class Of wrongdoers
among the workingmen. i. >...S
So that labors position on the sub
ject Of the injunction abuse may be
clearly understood. we set forth some
OF the fundamental principles Of equity
upon which labor bases its claims. "
The writ Of injunction was intended
to be exercised for the protection Of
property rights only. :
He who would seek its aid must
come into court with clean hands.
There must be no other adequate
remedy at law.
1T must never be used to curtail per-
sonal rights: r ssasS 5,s,5 .. i. - -
T. Il must not be used ever in an ct
fort to punish crime. ~. It'd ssf
It must not be used as q means to
| set aside trial by jury. sx 81
| Equality Before the Law.
We protest against the discrimin.
alton OF the courts against the labor.
Ing men Of our country which deprive.
them OF their constitutional guaranteed
OF equality before the Law.
The Injunction which the courts IL
sue against labor are supposed b,
them TO be good enough law tods.y
when there exists q dispute between
workmen and their smpl yers; but 1