Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1908-12-10

or TO work In unhealthy surrnundinCs
and therefore cannot recover damage
when maimed In that occupation. and
cannot be forbidden to work what the
legislature decides IL an excessive mum
Der OF hours. or 20 carry on the work
under conditions which the legislature
decides TO be unhealthy. Decisions
such as those nuilify the legislative
enort TO protect the wage-workcrs who
most need protection from those employ
ers who take advantage of their grind
ing need. They halt or hamper the move
ment for securing better and more equi-
table conditions Of labor.
There IL also. I think. ground for the
belief that substantial injustice Is often
suffered by employees In consequence Of
the custom OF courts issuing temporary
iniunctions without notice TO them. and
Furnishing them for contempt OF court IN
Instances where. a. matter OF fact
they have no knowledge OF any proceed
ings. Organized labor is channg
under the unjust restraint which
comes from repeated resort to this
plan OF procedure. Its discomfort
has been unwisely expressed. and
Is sound basis for II. and the or
derby and iaw-ahldinR people OF a com.
muui;y would be In a far stronger pc-i-
tion for upholding the courts ~ The ~
doubtedly existing abuses could be pro-
vidcd against
Matters for Thought for Labor.
Such proposals as those mentioned
above as advocated by the extreme labor
leaders. contain the vital error Of belag
class legislation Of the most offensive
Kind. and even II enacted into law be-
iieve that the law would rightly be held
unconstitutional Moreover, the labor
people are themselves now beginning TO
invoke the use Of the power OF injunc-
tion. During the last ten years. and
within my own knowledgr. AZ least nifty
injunctions have been obtained by labor
unions In New York city alone. most OF
them being to protect the union label "a
property right'D. but some being OBJ
tained for other reasons against employ
ers
Injunction Must Remain.
The power OF injunction IL great
equitable remedy. which should on no
account be destroyed. But safeguards
should be erected against its abuse.
In substance, provision should be made
that no injunction or temporary re
straining order issue otherwise than on
notice. except where irreparahie injury
would otherwise result. and In such case
a hearing on the merits % the order
should be had within n short fixed pc
riod. and, II not then continued after
hearing. II should forthwith lapse. De
clsions should be rendered Immediately.
and the chance OF delay minimixsd In
every way. Moreover. | believ. that the
procedure should be sharply defined. and
the Judge required minutely to state tho
particulars both OF his action and OF his
reasons therefor. so that the congress
can II II desires examine and investigate
the same
For many Of the shortcomings OF
justice In our country our people as
whole are themselves to blame. and the
judges and turies merely bear their
share together with the public as a
whole u is discrcditable to US as q
people that there should he difficulty in
convicting murderers. or In bringing TO
Justice men who a~ public servants
have been guilty Of corruption. or who
have pronted by the corruption Of
public servants. The result Is equally
unfortunate. whether due TO hairspiit-
ting technicallties in the Interpretation
Of law by judges. to sentImentality and
class consciousness on the part OF
1uries. or to hysteria and sensational
ism in the daily press. For much Of
this failure of Justice no responsibility
whatever lies on rich men as such. We
who make up the mass of the people
cannot shift the responsibility from our
own shoulders. hut there IL an itnpor-
tant part OF the failure which has spe-
eial.y to do with inability to hold
to proper account men OF wealth who
behave badly.
The Modern Corporation.
The huge wealth that has been accu-
mulated by n few individuals OF recent
years. in what has amounted to a So
cial and Industrial revolution. has been
as regards some OF these individuals
made possible only by the improper use
Of the modern corporation. A certain
type OF modern corporation, with its
officers and agents. its many Issues Of
securities. and its constant consolida-
tion with allied undertakings, finally
becomel an instrument so complex as
to contain a greater number OF ele-
ments that. under various judicial de-
cisions. lend themselves to fraud and
oppression than any device yet evolved
in the human brain. Corporations are
necessary instruments OF modern busi-
ness They have been permitted to
governmental representatives of the
people have worked slowly In provid-
ing for adequate control over them.
OR great clusters of corpora
tions. huge trusts and fabuIously
wealthy multImillionaires. employ the
very best lawyers they can obtain to
pick flaws IN statutes after their
passage; but they also employ n class
of secret agents who seek. under the
advice OF experts. to render hostile
legisla Ion innocuous by making IL un-
constitutional, often through the inser-
tion OF what appear on their face 20 be
drastic and sweeping provisions against
the interests OF the parties inspiring
them; while the demagogues. the cor
rupt creatures who introduce black
mailing schemes to strike" corpora
tions. and all who demand extreme.
and undesirably radical measures.
show themselves TO be the worst ene-
mics of the very public whose loud
mouthed champions they profess to be.
Real damage has been done by the
manifoi1 and conflicting interpretations
oil the ~ntcrstate commerce law. Com
troll over the great corporations doing
Interstate business can be effective only
10 IL - vested with full power in an
administrative department. a branch of
the federal executive. carrying out a
federsI law; II can never be effective II
a alsided responsibility is left in both
the ttates and the nation: IL can never
be effective IL left In the hands OF the
courts to be decided by lawsuits.
Respect for Law Must Be Upheld.
The courts hold a place OF peculiar and
deserved sanctity under our form Of gov
ernment. Respect for the law is essen
tlal to the permanence OF our institu-
tions: and respect for the law is largely
conditioned upon respect for the courts.
II is an offense against the republic to
say anything which can weaken this re-
spect. save for the gravest reason and in
the most carefully guarded manner. In no
other nation In the world do the courts
WELD such vast and far-reaching power
as In the United States. All that is nee
essary Is that the courts as a whole
should exercise this power with the far
sighted wisdom already shown by those
Judges who scan the future while they
act In the present. sLet them exercise
this great power not only honestly and
bravely. but with wise insight into the
needs and fixed purposes of the people.
so that they may do justice. and work
equity. so that they may protect all per-
sons in their ,ights, and yet break down
the barriers rf privilege. which Is the foe
Of right.
Forest Preservation.
II there Is any one duty which more
tran another we owe II to our children
70 perform at ones. ~ 10 to save ths for
ests OF this country. for they constitute
the first and most important element In
the conservation OF the natural re-
sources of the country. Just as
a farmer. after all his life making his
living from his farm. will. II he is an ex-
pert farmer. leave II as an asset OF in
creased value to his son. SO We should