The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-12-25
DECISION BY WHICH
LABOR LEADERS
ARE HELD GUILTY
CONTINUED from First Page.)

involved questions referring to the
preservation Of social order. questions
which smite the foundations of indi.
vidual government and upon which
the supremacy of the law over an
archy and riot depend. Are controver-
sizes to be determined in tribunals for
mally constituted by the law of the
land for that purpose, o. shall eac
man who falls at odds with another
take his own furious way? Are causes
courts for litigants or the view OF
each distempered litigant imposed
upon the courts?
"Are DEGREES of courts to look for
their execution to the supremacy of
law or to tumble in the wake of un-
successful suitors who overset them
and lay about the matter with their
own hands, in turbulence proportioned
to the frenzy of their disappoint-
ment?"
Intent of the Ruling.
I'm the case of the defendants the
laws command has been to stand,
hands off, until Justice for this mat
ter can be ascertained.
lis not the law wide enough and it's
shield strong enough" adds the court,
ito avert humiliation. Unrefined in
suit. Ire affront, vulgar indignity,
measures the litigants' conception of
the tribunals due wherein his cause
still pends."
In conclusion, the court said:
Before the injunction was granted
they announced that neither they nor
th q E& A m orioas y w ISo11~of;o, " ~ ST. r 0Lor,
would obey it. They have refused to
obey it, and through the American
Federation of Labor, disobedience has
been successfully achieved and the
law has been made to fail; not only
has the law failed in it's effort to ar
rest a widespread wrong, but they
have grown more destructive since the
injunction than before. There is a
studied, determined, defiant conflict
perpetrated in the light of open day,
between the DEGREES of a tribunal or.
dained by the government Of the fed
eral union and of the tribunals of an
other federation, a frown upon the
land. One or the other must succumb,
for those who would unlaw the law
are public enemies.
"On the sociological aspect of the
situation, some faith in the ultimate
rightness of American men, whether
in labor unions or out, is to be .aseer.
tained."
In passing sentence on the defend
ants the court said:
1T would seem not inappropriate
for such a penalty as will serve to de.
ter others from disobeying the law
and will serve to vindicate the orderly
power of judicial tribunals and estab-
ltsh over this litigation the supremacy
of the law
More than two hours were occupied
in reading the opinion. The defend
ants sat intently listening throughout.
At the conclusion of the reading
Judge Wright, looking directly at
Messrs. Gompers. Mitchell and Morri-
son., said:
"Have either of you anything to say
why judgment should not be pro-
nounced?"
President Gompers stood up and ad.
dressing the court said:
Gonper's Address to the Court.
Il am not conscious at any time dur.
ing my life of having violated any law
of the country or OF the state in which
u have lived. Iswould not consciously
violate a law at any time during my
life. It Is not possible that under the
circumstances under which I am be-
fore your honor and after listeningtto
the opinion you have rendered to say
that which / have in mind, but sir, /
may be permitted to say this:
THAT freedom OF speech and free.