Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-31

writ of Injunction is entirely lesiti-
mate and Mt all proper times and I'M
der all proper circumstances. Labor
! does not expect. nor does ii desire. to
be exempted from any process of law,
nor of the courts. fiat is applied eX
actly the same to all classes OF Cdti-
zens.
Invasion of Personal Rights.
1T is only in the writs employed in
labor disputes that personal rights and
individual liberty are trespassed upon
by the writ The right of free speech.
of free press. of free assemblage is
restrained in nearly every injunction is
sued in IA labor dispute. The right
to persuade men to- quit their employ
ment, to pay them benefits. to call
| members or non-members out on strike
is restrained. Such restraints are an
| invasion of the personal and consti-
tutional rights of the citizens. And
where the Democratic platform says
| that injunction should not he issued
in any cases in which injunctions
would not issue if no Industrial dis
: pute were involved. it plainly means
/ that the issuance of iniunctionS in all
cases shall he absolutely confined to
1 the protection of property and proper
F., t. rights. and shall in no case invade
or SET aside the rights of the indi-
vidual which are inherent, or which
are guaranteed to him under the law
! Correction, Not Elimination.
at is the desire of the labor organi-
cations to Lave tie abuse of the writ
| of injunctions corrected, and not the
| writ eliminated from our jurisprll-
dence. nor from labor disputes. The
Democratic party holds that the con-
tention Of labor in this respect IL
proper and consistent with our institli-
tons. and without hesitation we sup
port them in this contention. Labor asks
no special privileges and the Demo
cratic party i'll its platform promises
them no special privileges. They ask
70 lie treated in this matter of injunc-
tons and in Ill other matters exactly
the same as all other classes of PEG
pie. Tie writ as il is now used
makes them a special class so far rs
its application IS concerned. and it is
the contention Of the Democratic party
that they should be relieved of this
injustice. It is also likewise the con
tention of labor that it be placed upon
: an absolute par, before the courts and
everywhere else. with all other classes
of citizens. It desires not advantage
but only equality before the law.
u Right OF Jury Trial Sustained.
III ~. tl,o
Of the platform of the Democratic par
ty is trial by jury in cases of indirec
contempt Every citizen charged will
\ crime is cOnstitutionally guaranteed
the right of trial by jury. \ con
\ tempt committed outside the presenc,
! of the court is in effect criminal act
ri One charged with such an offens'
\ should constitutiondlfy, legally ana
\ morally, be entitled to a trial by jury
\ and not. be subject wholly to tn
\ whims and caprices of some judg
l whose probable personal interest il
K maintaining bis own pride and dignit.
y might well quite unfit him TO. pas
K upon the facts alleged to be in viola
y ton of it. If the jury system is RICH
X! that institution so essential to til
securing and maintenance of human
4 riglltS-it follows that the position O
ri labor and of tho Democratic party o
Ri this question is absolutely correc
)}l This is Democratic doctrine and q
Z times Republican doctrine as well an
j}I fundamentally a prime requisite in til
III preservation of human liberty IN
Bl personal rights. A bill to this effet
III WAS PASSED by the Republican Unite
y States senate, brit was tiTottled in til
Y house.
81 Upon these questions the Dem,
u cratic platform, the labor. organic;
}ll tions. the interests of the whole con
u munity, the dignity and honor of III
x courts, and the dictates OF equal an
: exact justice are in entire accord"