Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1908-12-29

individuals Justice Gould OF the ST.
preme court of the District of Column
bia issued an injunction which later
was made permanent forbidding the
publication of the company's name IN
these lists. President Gompers, in an
editorial in the Federatonist of Ian
uary last, made known his intention
not to obey the courts order, con,
tending that the injunction issued was
in derogation of the peers. Mitchell
and Morrison subsequently, were cit
ed for contempt and this phase OF
the case has been before the court for
many months, the proceedings takinp
the form of hearing Of testimony
before an examiner and many argu.
NETS
Judge Wright's decision was q
scathing denunciation Of the defend.
ants. He recited the conditions ante
ceding the injunction and referred tc
the fact that for Is years the Buck
plant had operated as l0-hour shop
and always had maintained an open
shop.
He also spoke OF the numerical
strength of the American Federation
of Labor with dts 100000 members
and of its repeated Endorsement OF
the boycott OF the Buck Stove &
Range company. through the Ameri-
can Federationist, the federation's OF
ficial organ, speeches by the defen-
dants, letters, circulars, etc.
The court referred to the use OF
the "We Don't Patronize' hist and
unfair" List of the labor organiza
tions, and said that members of labor
unions were forced and coerced into
supporting it, whether individually
willing or unwilling, approving or dis
approving" by various methods
Courts Findings.
Have either of you anything to
say why Judgment should not be
pronounced" asked the Judge of the
defendants.
President Gompers stood I'D and
addressing the court. said:
Il am not conscious at any time
during my life of having violated any
law of the country. or Of the state in
which | lived, | would not conscious
y NioiotA q law ttlg llIlIC hul Ill y
my life. 1t is not possible that under
the circumstances under which ! am
before your honor this morning, and
after listening to the opinion you
have rendered today to say what
have in mind, but sir, may be per
mitted to say this
Freedom Not Granted.
That freedom of speech and free
dom to the people to say the things
which please but the right to say the
| things that displease even though
| they do wrong
This is struggle Of the working
people Of our country, and it is 3
struggle OF the working people fol
right. The labor movement does not
undertake to presume to be a higher
tribunal than either the courts or the
other branches of the government o
our country. 1t is struggle of the
ages-a struggle of the men of labor
to throw off some of the burdens
which have been heaped upon them
to abolish some Of the wrongs and tc
secure some of the rights too long
denied. If men must suffer because
they dare speak for the masses of The
men of our country; if man mus
suffer because they have raised him
to meet the sordid greed-even tc
grind the children in the dust to ge
dollars-they must bear the conse
| quences.
"But," continued Mr.. Gompers, "l
would not have you believe me mar
of defiant character in disposition OF
conduct But the pursuit Of homes
conviction and in the furtherance O
the common interests of my fellow
men, I shall not only have to, but b,
willing to submit to whatever you
honor may impose"
Mr.. Mitchell followed in a strong
resonant voice.
"I thoroughly and unreservedly in
dorse what Mr. Gompers has said.
would like his expression to be ac
cepted as my own"
Mr. Morrison spoke last. II in
dorse," he said, what Mr.. Gomper!
has said | am conscious of doing M
wrong or having, in any way, violated
any law, and it is my belief that il
every act l have committed I have
but exercised my rights under th'
constitution and laws of this land"
Pending an appeal to the Unitet
States court of appeals of the Distnic
of Columbia. the three defendant
were released on bail, the amount be
ing: Gompers, $1,000; Mitchell
$4,000: Morrison. $1,000.
A local surety company furnished
the bonds.