The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-07-23

pied, In cases other than in dis
putes which arise between work
men aud their employers.
1t is agreed by all, friends and
opponents alike, that the iniunct-
ION process, benefcent in its in
ceptlon and general practice, never
should apply, and legally can not
be applied, where there is another
ample remedy at law.
We assert that labor asks no
Immunity for any Of its men who
may be guilty of any criminal or
unlawful act.
1t insists upon the workers be-
ing regarded and treated as EQUALS
before the law with every other
citizen; that if any act be commit
ted by any one of our number.
rendering him amendable to the
law, he shall be prosecuted by
the ordinary forms of law and by
the due process of law, and that an
injunction does not lawfully and
properly apply and ought not to
be issued in such cases.
The injunction process, as ap-
Piled to men engaged in a dispute
with employers, includes the al
legation of criminal or unlawful
acts as mere pretext, so that the
lawful and innocent acts in them
selves may also be incorporated
and covered by the blanket in
junction. And the performance of
the lawful and innocent acts in
themselves, despite the injunction,
renders them at once guilty of con.
tempt of the courts order, which is
'summarily punished by fine or i'm
prisOnment, or both.
In itself the writ of injunction is
of a highly important and bene-
ficient character. Its aims and
purposes are for the protection of
property rights. 1t never was
intended, and never should be in
voked, for the purpose Of depriv.
ing free men of their personal
rights, the right of mems owner
ship of himself; the right of free
association, free speech, free press;
the freedom to do those things
promotive of life, liberty and
happiness, and which are not in
contravention Of the law of our
land.
We re. assert that we ask no i'm
munity for ourselves or for any
other man who may be guilty of
any unlawful or criminal act; but
we have a right to insist, and we
do insist, that when workman is
charged with a crime or any un-
lawful conduct, he shall be accord
ed every right, be apprehended,
charged and tried by the same
process of law as any other citizen
of our country.
With our position so often en-
phasized and so generally known,
it is nothing less than wilful un-
truth and misrepresentation for
any one to declare that it is our
purpose to obtain any special
privilege, particularly the unde-
sirable and unenviable liberty of
creating privileged class of
wrongdoers.
When the real purposes and
high aspirations Of our movement
and the legislation it seeks at the
hands Of the law making power of
our country shall be better under
stood by all our people, and the
great uplifting work which we
have already achieved shall find a
better appreciation among those
who now SO unjustly attack and
ant agonize us, our opponents will
be remembered for their ignoble
work and course.
The injunctions against which
we protest are t1agrantly and
without warrant of law issued
almost daily in some section OF
our country and are violatlve OF
. the fundamental rights of men.
When better understood, they Will
shock the conscience of our people,
: the spirit and genius of our re,
public.
, We shall exercise our every
: right. and in the meantime con
e centrate our efforts to secure the
: relief and redress to which we arr
/ so Justly entitled
2 Not only in our own interest
: but in the interest of all the people
of our country, for the preserVa
: ton of real liberty. for the ei1m1