Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-09-18
LABOR'S DEMANDS
A "Square Deap' Asked for
says President Gompers

brstion at the Jamestown ExpOsi
ton one of the speakers was Presi
dent Samuel Gompers of tn
American Federation of Labor, th
we'll. known labor leader. Afte
speaking briefly upon various mat
teTs of interest to the labor bodies
President GompeIs said that b,
felt it necessary for bin to refel
70 the recent injunctions granted
against the body OF which he was
president, and in the discussion Of
these questions he said ia part; ,
The fundamental principle o
ctancery or equity are that:
81 It was to be exercised fOl
the protection OF property right:
only.
."2. He who would seek tC AID
must come into court with clean
hands.
SO. There must be no other
adequate remedy at law.
"a. II must never be used to
curtail personal rights.
80. 1t must not be used ever in
an effort tc punish crime.
"0. Ii must not be used as a
NEE ms to set aside trial by jury.
ayes, We protest against the
discrimination Of the courts
against the laborlng men of our
country, which deprives them of
their constitutional guarantee of
equality before the law.
"The injunctiOns which the
courts issue against labor are
supposed by them to be good
enough law tomorrow when there
exists dispute between wOrkmen
and their employers, but it is not
good law. in fact, is not law at
all, today or next week, when no
such dispute exists.
"The injunctlons AS issued
against workmen are never used or
Issued against any other citizen Of
our country.
at is an attempt to deprive
citizens of our country, when these
citizens are workmen, Of the right
of trial by jury.
cit is all effort TO fasten an Of
Tense against them, when they ere
innocent of any wrongdoing.
SIT is an indirect assertion IF d
property right in men, when these
men are workmen engaged in law.
full effort to protect or. advance
their lawful rights ana interests.
1.-THE lLjunctIoas as issued in
labor disputes are not based on
law, but is a species of judicial
Legislation, judicial unsurpation in
the interest of the money power
against workmen, innocent or any
unlawful or criminal act. The
doing of the lawful acts rendering
the workers guilty of contempt Of
court.
"The writ of injunction ls, in
itself, a benefcent writ for the
protection of property rights, but
1t never was intended and never
should be applied to deprive uen
of their personal rights or the right
of mans ownership of himself.
With the right of freedom OF
speech, freedom of the press, freed
I'M of locomotion, freedom OF as-
sem bly,, freedom of association, the
freedom of doing those things
which promote life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness, and
which are not in violation of law.
Labor asks no immunity for
any nat, workman or Others, WHO
may be guilty Of unlawful or crimi-
lal conduct; but We 40 insist II at
when a workman is charged with
. crime he shall be tried by the
,ame process Cf law as is every
,ther citizen. Any other method
? repugnant to the Constitution
md the laws of our country and
states 1T is a shock to the consci-
'uce of our people, the spirit and
genius of our repI bic. Against
my other view We protest; with
less We shall not be con. !
ent.
"The injunetions against whose
ISSUANCE We protest are tagrsntly
nd without warrant of law, issued
lmost daily in some sections of
ur country; such an injunction is
ow Icing sought from the Supreme
,ourt of the District of Columbia !
gainst myself and my colleagues
{ the Executive Council of the |
american Federation of Labor. 1t
eeks to enjoin US from doing per- q
ectly lawful acts, to deprive Us OF e
ur lawful and constitutional {
ights. a
$50 far as am concerned let d
lie say that never have |, nor ever e
ill / violate law. | desire it a
, be clearly understood that when v
ny court undertakes, without war a
INT of law, by the injunction pro e
sss, to deprive me of my personal @
gifts and my personal liberty, p
lsranteed by the Constitution, l c.
iall have no hesitancy in assert II
g aud exercising those rights. Il
"And it may not be amits 10
'und a word of Sarning and ad- c
ce to such of the rampant, i'm O.
ctive, greedy employers who "
ok to rob the working people of r