Evening journal., 1908-04-20
PROTEST AGAINST
COURT DECISIONS
Meefino in Response TO the Call of the Federation
Held in Opera House Last Mghf---Hears
Addresses by Organizers

can EEutIAllOn u AadbRA q VIZ NNNNAtN'
ed meeting Of the members of the local
labor unions. their friends. men and
women. was held in the Opera House
last evening to voice their protest
against several recent decisions OF the
United States Supreme Court when
affect labor adversely. The meeting
was quiet and orderly throughout, the
speakers were attentively heard and
there was much applause. The speak
ers confined themselves to the subject
under discussion and there was not the
slightest reference, directly or Indirect
lv. TO the Chester trolley troubles. The
speakers kept clear OF anything that
might be construed as "agitating at
this time.
The keynote of their addresses was
that the workingman should concern
themselves in politics. that the FEEDER
alton would call upon its supporters
to vote for certain candidates during
the campaign end that there was no
intention TO form an independent labor
party. As one of the orators, Rrthur
Il. Holden. said, labor had learned from
the corporations how 20 get its friends
as candidates for Office in the old
parties. we have got that into our
thick heads after years and we shall
surely apply it." said Mr.. Holden. The
ATTEMPTED associations Of labor with
anarchy and anarchistic notions was
resented by Charles H. Ruth. another
of the speakers, who declared that the
idea was spread by the enemies Of
labor. The Federation OF Labor, no
declared. stood for principles the direct
reverse Of anarchy. All the SPEAK
ers warned their hearers to beware OF
the glad hand" politicians, the -four
fushers" and the demagogues who trv
to get the votes of the workingmen, as
they were worse than any plague that
had ever inflicted the country.
Successful Meeting.
In all the meeting. which adopted
series Of resolutions prepared by the
federation. was successful in every
way. ]. Edward Mccllntock, president
of the local central body, presided, and
music was furnished by Rothrock' s
Orchestra The speakers desk was
decorated with an American flag On the
stage were officials Of the central body
and men prominent sn labor matters,
Including A. r. Saylor, Harry
Beehan. p. c. DUPONT. Evan W. Cal
lagher Arthur Jennings, ]. Friendly
William f. salloway. Thomas Evans,
Frank c. Houck and Thomas Taylor.
The speakers Of the evening we've
Charles H. Ruth. Of Philadelphia a
native and former resident Of this
city: William c. Hahn. of Washing
ton; Arthur E. Holden. Of Washing
ton. and John M. Dorney, Of this city,
all organizers of the federation. Con-
gresham Hiram r. Burton was an ac-
cupant Of one Of the boxes.
Address by MIR. Ruth.
Mr Ruth was the first speaker. He
said he was not surprised that some
one had announced that the meeting
was to be addressed by anarchists y
"Everytime laDoring men gather tc
discuss ways and means Of improving
their condition the trusts and the
capitalists announce that anarchists
are to address them. I see no evidence
Of II here tonight. They try to breaR
up such meetings for the same rea-
son that a beekeeper beats on tor
toms to get back into the hives the
ESCAPED bees that have been making
money FOR him. The honey-bee is the
laborer Of the insect kingdom.
''The principles of the American
Federation of Labor are so diametric.
ally opposed to anarchy that they neeC
no defense from me. Anarchy be-
lleves in no government The feder
alton believes In forms of government
that are the highest forms known t
man. It believes in that form OF gov
ernment for and by tho people ant
with equal rights for all and privileges
- F,f f.f
pies Of the Declaration of Independ
ence. the Constitution of the Unites
States and upon the utterances Of al
those men whose memories we low
and revere"
Mr.. Ruth then explained that TIL
meeting had been called to protes
against those recent decisions OF tn
Supreme Court affecting what labor re
gals its right. 1.-The American FEEDER
alton of Labor does not believe al
courts are corrupt" he said. 'As
former resident OF your city an
proud of the Judges OF our State n
well as those of your citizens wh
have been called to wear the ermin
IN our Federal courts;-men whose &C
tions inspire the confidence in tn
hearts Of men in every section OF tn
country"
I'VE have met to protest agains
some judicial decisions OF the Fedora
courts. We do not believe that tn
greatest menace to this nation is tn
lawmaker and corrupt politician, br
rather corrupt judiciary which ma.
render a decision an dthen forbid yo
TO criticise II. To them criticism /
the highest of crime in the crimina
calendar and is likely to result in i'm
prisonment for you without trial"
Mr. Ruth then referred to the eight
hour law. drawn in the interest of bot
the organized snd lie unorganize
workman.
when. however. Samuel Gomper
said that by the recent decisions man
kind was robbed of its rights unde
that act he decided it was time for u
to protest He Is not preaching an
archv. nor the destruction Of tn
courts, but simply directing the court
to that verse IN Deuteronomy whic
reads; Thou shalt not steal
--"I want TO show you how some court
are robbing widows % their rights i
this land In the neighboring Stat
Of Pennsylvania not long ago two in
functions were granted by one cour
IN one day. One was against a wido'
WhoAs only property consisted OF a lc