The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-09-12

hy jury for trial by Judge when the
violation of the courts decree must
be established by evidence.
Not only is the prosecution for con-
tempt a criminal prosecution. but there
is even more reason for a jury than
ir the ordinary criminal case.
| In our federal and state constitu-
tions we have carefully separated the
three departments Of government, and
each department Is jealous of any en-
croachment upon its sphere of activ-
ity. The Judge resents any attempt
of the legislator or of the executive
the executive resents any attempt Of
the court or of the lawmaker to enter
his domain, and the lawmaker is
equally insistent upon the preserva-
ton Of his independence.
Abuses Not Strange.
If there is any time or place where
a jury is needed. it is in case of
indirect contempt. 1t is not strange
that the abuses have crept in. for a
man would have to be more than hu-
man to unite in himself the delibera-
| tion of the legislator, the zeal of the
public prosecutor, and the innpartiality
of the judge.
| While the laboring men have been
the first to complain of this denial to
the right Of trial by jury in cases of
indirect contempt, 1t ought not to be
considered a labor question. The jury
system is so essential to the admins
tration Of justice that the subject
ought to appeal to all who make i
study Of the science of government. If
citizens would only be on their guard
against the beginnings Of evils, it
would be very easy to apply necessary
remedies. but in the struggle for ex-
istence the voters are often Indifferent
to the application of an erroneous
principle until repeated applications
establishsa custom, and in time GUS
IOIu ClSSSdilIZcS lIllO 1dWs
| It behooves us, as lovers Of our
country and as the friends Of liberty.
to insist upon the independence Of the
different departments Of our govern
ment and upon the maintenance Of the
rights which have been shown by ex-
perience to be essential to freedom and
self -goyernment. The jury system
! must be preserved, and we cannot hope
t.. preserve 1t If. for any reason or
under al y pretext, we permit any citi-
zen to be denied the protection which
1t furnishes.
,. Value Of Liberty.
| Liberty is necessary for the realiza-
tion OF mans possibilities His con-
science must be loft free that he may
fix for himself the relation between
himself and his God. His mind must
he left free that he may devise and
plan for himself, for his family, and
for his fellows. His speech must be
free that he may give the world the
results of his Investigations and pre-
trying to realize in his work. His
pen must be free that he may scatter
seed thoughts to the uttermost parts
OF the earth and leave to posterity a
record of his work. He finds in gov
crnment the cheapest, as we'll as the
surest, protection of this liberty, to be.
to think, to speak, to act.
One of the great problems Of today
IL to secure an equitable distribution
Of the proceeds OF toll. The material
wealth Of this country is largely
joint product; in factories few people
work alone, and on the farm certain
amount of cooperation is necessary.
Where men work together, the army
organization applies to some degree;
that is, some direct, others are direct
ed. The difficulty has. been to divide
the results fairy between the captains
of industry and the privates in the
ranks. As the dividing is done large
ly by the captains, IT. is not unnatural
that they should magnify their part
and appropriate too large a share;
neither is It. unnatural that there
should be complaint on the part of the
toilers who think that their recon-
pense is insufficient.
The labor question. therefore, as 1t
presents itself at this time, is chiefly
a question of distribution. and the leg
islation asked for is legislation which
will secure to each that to which his
services entitle him. AS legislation Is
secured through the ballot every one
should use the ballot to obtain the leg
islation necessary.
The Democratic party proclaims that
each individual should receive from
society a reward for his toll commen-