The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-23
ELLIS REPLIES TO BRYAN
Defends Injunction Plank III Republican
Platform Just AdOptcd.

COLUMBUS, o.. June 22.--Attorney-
General Wade Fl. Ellis. of Ohio,who was
member of the committee on resolu-
tions Of the Republican National Con-
Vention Tonight issued reply to
criticisms of the platform made by
William j. Bryan. The Attorney
Generals statement In part follows.
The charge made by Mr., Bryan that
the Republican declaration with respect
to the use OF the writ of injunction
was designed to deceive the ahoring
man Is unworthy of candidate for
President, and the further charge that
this plank merely declares the exist
ing law and will give no relief in
those cases In which there has been
an abuse OF discretion or the appre-
hension OF 1t, is unworthy OF any law
yer who has examined this question.
The anti-injunction resolutions is a
frank, clear statement of the Repub-
lican party's position on question
or which others have been attempting
to deceive labor. The sole basis of
and rational complaint as to the issu-
ance of injunctions in labor cases has
been the use OF the writ without mo-
tice and the long delays in some in.
stances which have intervened before
a hearing Of the case. The present
statute does not require any notice at
all before the granting OF temporary
order, and 1t is entirely within the
discretion of the court to postpone to
any time the Judge may see fit, the
hearing upon the question of an in
junction. The Republican plank sim
ply declares that notice shall always
be given unless an irreparable injury
Will result from delay, and In that case
there shall be a speedy hearing pro-
vided. In other words, the platform
declaration Ia designed to give assur.
ance that what Is now the general
practice In the, Federal courts shall be
made UNIVERSAL by statute, in order
that hereafter no cause of complaint
or misapprehensfon shall remain This
may not satisfy the extremists on
either hand but it was not expected
to do that 1t will meet the approval
of every right-thinking man. whether
an employer or an employe.
Mr.. Bryan objects further to the
phrase in the injunction plank which
proclams confidence in the integrity
of the courts. It Is true. perhaps, that
the convention which Is yet to meet
at Denver. rather than that which has
Just adjourned at Chicago, should ex-
press faith in the integrity of the
courts; but in view of the Democratic
attack in 1896, and the fact that the
same forces which then controlled that
party are once again in supreme COM
mand. it would seem entirely appro-
PIRATE for the Republican party not
only to remove any possible cause of
complaint in the use Of the writ OF
injunction, but to make 1t clear that it
would resent again, as 1t did in 1895,
any attempt to assail the judiciary.
"All that any one wants is that the
power of the Federal courts with re-
spect to the use of injunction shall be
accurately defined by statute to the
end that all occasions for complaint
in labor cases. which happily have been
rare in the past, shall disappear alto
gether In the future. The Republican
plank points to q. simple and straight
forward ways of achieving this sp,lr-.
nose W. ~