Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-24

successful sultors who overset them
and lay about the matter with their |
own hands, in turbulence, proportional |
to the frenzy Of their disappointment?
Whatever in writing, print or
| speech violates a legal right of an
other is unlawful, whether in itself
alone it accomplishes that result or
whether it be but one instrument in a
concert tuned to that end.
who can be persuaded that the pen
aliZing of false and malicious libels
upon the integrity of honorable men,
or ISLANDERS upon the vcracity of chaste
women, is an outrage upon the coun
stitutional rights of the villifier?'
No Fright" to do ..VNrong."
"No right TO punish either the libel
or the SANDER can be sustained. eX-
cept upon the theory of right to do
wrong
Il believe that the habit of the land
saturates the people with a readiness
to abide by authority. as 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
Sampel Gompers made reply to the
court for himself and his associates
when asked why sentence should not
be passed. Mitchell was present and
SO was Morrison But each turned
their eyes upon Gompers. The court
room was crowded There was a
| .l,.r,,, .f,rl,t
announced that he was ready to pass
sentence. All eyes were fixed on
Gompers, who had said he was ready
to abide by the decision of the court.
Gompers slowly arose. With nervous
hand he pushed back from his forehead
his silk skull cap. His face was color
less. When he began speaking his
voice was inaudible almost. but it
quickly gained in volume. He spoke
slowly and dramatically.
Reply Of Gompers.
81 am not conscious at any time
during my life of having violated any
law of the country or of the state in
which l live he said Il would not
conscientiously violate law now or at
{ any time during my full life. 1t is not
, possible that under circumstances
which l am before your honor this
/ morning and after listening to the
; opinion which you have rendered to
: say that which l have in mind, but.
however. | may be permitted to say
this: That freedom of speech and free
dow of the press has not been granted
to. the people to say the things which
G please, but the right to say the things
that displease even though they do a
g wrong. There is much that | would
like to say but / cannot do it now
At this point Mr. Gompers said he
had said all he cared TO, but after d
!. short pause said he would like TO
make a few more remarks.
q may say" he added. that this is
a struggle of the working people of
our country and it is struggle of the
working people for right. The labor
movement does not undertake to pre-
sumo to be higher tribunal than
either the courts or the other branches
of the government of our country"
Struggle of the Ages.
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 abolish
some of the wrongs they have too
Hong denied. If men must suffer be.
cause they dare speak for the masses
of our country; if men must suffer be
cause they have been raised to meet
the bitter antagonism of sordid greed
/, which would even grind the children
!, in the dust to gain dollars-they
must bear the consequences.
Mr. Mitchell followed in strong
resonant voice. saying:
. 81 thoroughly and unreservedly in
, ldorse what Mr.. Gompers has said.
would like his expression to be accept
ed as my own
Mr. Morrison spoke (last. 81 in
:. dorse," he said, ''what M Gomper
has said. l am conscious of DOM