The San Francisco call., 1908-12-24

public enemies
SWOLLEN BY PIGMY POWER
On the sociological aspect of the sit
uation some faith in the ultimate
rightness of American men, whether in
labor unions or not, is to be entertained.
land saturates them with readiness
TO abide by authority, as l believe that
this very readiness to yield to author
ity has undone them before now,
through the errors of misguiding lead
ers. swollen by pigmy power. II is
written on the record that the labor
unions and their officers meddle into a
members daily affairs deeper than the
law; restrict him in matters that the
law leaves free, and they then continu-
ally crowd their authority upon him so
tno,;n mai ne comes , 70 regard them ass as con- n
regards them as authority leads him TO
heed them because of his readiness to
yield TO authority; his very respect for
must be respectable, and so upon them
he relies; by them he is led.
That the universal recognition of
the desirablility of associations of
advancement of the welfare of their
kind is SO retarded is to be much de-
plored, yet 1t is in the history of man
that some lessons must be unlearned;
that systems which proceed in antago-
nism to rule shatter themselves at
length against the resistless barrier of
puDllc law.
In passing sentence on the defend
ants the court said:
1T would seem not Inappropriate for
such penalty as will serve to deter
others from following after such out
lawed examples. will serve physically
to impose obedience, even though late;
will serve to vindicate the orderly
powers of judicial tribunals and estab-
lish over this litigation the supremacy
of law"
More than two hours were occupied
in reading the opininon. The defend
ants sat intently throughout the pro-
reading Judge Wright, looking directly
at Gompers. Mitchell and Morrison,
said:
Have either of you anything to say
why judgment should not be pro-
nounced?"
GOMPERS TALKS OF STRUGGLE
President Gompers stood upright and
addressing the court said.
II am not conscious at any time dur
ing my life of having violated any law
of the country or of the state in which
lived. / would not consciously violate
a law at any time during my full life
1t is not possible that under the cir
cumstances which | am before your
honor this morning, and after listening
to the opinion you have rendered to
say that which l have in mind, but, sir
may be permitted to say this: That
freedom of speech and freedom of the
press mas not Deen granted to the peO-
pie to say the things which please; but
the right to say things that displease,
even though they do a wrong.
This is aSstruggle of the working
people of our country and 1t is a strug-
gle of the working people for right.
The labor movement does not UNDER
take to presume to be a higher tri-
bunal than either the courts or the
other branches of the government of
our country. 1t is a 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 abol-
ish some of the wrongs and to 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 must suffer because
they have raised him to meet the Sor-
did greed-even to grind the children
in the dust to get in dollars-they must
bear the consequences.
But, continued Gompers, "if I can
not discuss grave problems: great is
sues in which the people all over our
country are fnterested-if a speech
made by me during a political cam
paign, after the close of this case, if
the speeches in furtherance of great
principle or a great right are to be
held against me / shall not only have
to but am willing to bear the conse-
quences. / would not have you believe
me man of a defiant character in dis
position or in conduct. But in the pur-
suit OF honest conviction and in the
furtherance of the common interests of
my fellowmen / shall not only have
TO but be willing to submit to whatever