The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-09-08


Election Day In His Address He
Discusses Questions of lnjunctions
and Proper Trial of Cases of Con-
tempt of Court Declares Judge
Taft,s Views of Labor Legislation Are
Biased by His Long Service on the
Bench and Calls Him "Father of Gov
eminent by Injunction"
Chicago, Sept. SIN his address here
TO union men William Jennings Bryan
Democratic candidate for the presiden.
cy, discussed the questions of the use
of injunctions in labor disputes and
the punishment of contempt of court
without trial by jury.
Mr.. Bryan will not return to Lincoln
until Oct 1. Though he is scheduled
to spend the last three weeks of the
campaign at home, it is now believed
that Mr.. Taft's taking the stump will
cause him to continue speaking right
up to the election.
After reviewing the parade, in which
10000 union men took part, Mr.. Bryan
delivered his set speech. He said:
Two Questions For Labor Day.
Labor day is a legal holiday, and 1t
was made so because the legislators
thought the wage earners worthy to
have a day specially set apart for the
consideration of themes that concern
those who toll.
There are two questions intimately
connected with the labor problem up
on which the Democratic and Repub-
lican parties do not agree, and l not
only feel at liberty to discuss these,
but under the circumstances l have
no right to ignore them. One relates
to the issue of injunctions and the
other to contempt eases arising under
injunctions. The Republican conyen-
ton did not deal canddly with the la
boring man ON the subject of the writ
of injunction. Secretary Taft has en-
deavored to amend his platform in this
respect and to make some promises,
which are not supported by his plat
form, but his promises offer nothing
substantial in the way of reform and
are not binding on Republican sena-
tors and members. The Republican
congress has already made a record on
labor questions, and the Republican
party cannot escape from that record
Answers Opponents Objection.
The Democratic platform on this
subject copies the language which the
labor organizations submitted to the
Republican and Democratic conven-
tions. Mr.. Taft in his notification
speech objects to the language. He
charges that the anti-injunction plank
was loosely drawn and framed for
''the especial purpose of rendering it
susceptible to one Interpretation by
one set of men and Numerically OPP
posite Interpretation by another" AS
Mr.. Taft has had long experience on
the bench and is therefore skilled in
the Interpretation of language, 1 ask
him to give u.s. If he can, two opposite
interpretations of the language That
plank demands that call parties to all
Judicial proceedings shall be treated
with rigid impartiality." Surely he
cannot find two interpretations to the
phrase ''rigid impartiality."
Speaking of industrial disputes, the
platform declares that 'injunctions
shall not be issued in any cases in
which injunctions would not issue if
no industrial dispute were involved"
How can that language be miscon-
strued or misintrepreted?
4 Upon the jury question Mr.. Taft
clearly takes issue with us. He is thor
Oughly aroused by what he regards as
a menace to the courts. Here is his la
ment:
Never in the history of the country
has there been such an insidious at
tack upon the judicial system as the
proposal to interiect jury trial be-
tween all orders of the court made aft
er full hearing and the enforcement of
such orders
Taft Swayed by Experience.
Mr.. Taft is not an unbiased judge
where the jury system is under con
sideration He is not only known as
the father of government by injunc-
ton, but he is prejudiced against the
jury system. Every man is uncon
sciously Influenced by his environment
and Mr. Tafts long service upon the
bench has led him to underrate the
importance of the jury system.
1t is not reflection upon the judge
of criminal court to say that he shall
not decide upon the guilt of the ac-
cused. Our criminal courts are the
better, not the worse, for the substitu-
ton of trial by jury. No common law
judge feels that it is reflection upon
him when party to a suit asks for a
trial before a jury. 1t is the special
function of jury to decide upon the
credibility of witnesses, and the man
ner of a witness upon the stand is
often as important as his words in de
termining the weight to be attached
to his testimony. A judge is apt to be
hampered by precedent
1t must be remembered, too. that In
cases Of Indirect contempt the charge
is criminal one and that the punish
ment is by fine or Imprisonment. Al
the reasons that apply to crimina
cases apply to these cases of indirec
contempt, and the abuses to be re
moved by the proposed law are thos'
that have grown up because of the in
creased tendency Of the great corpora
Hons to use the writ of injunction to
avoid the jury trial
The Democratic platform proposes