Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-23
CONTINUED from First Page.)

proven Yet as matter Oh Iact II MAY
prove nothing of the kind, even though IL
may be before the court.
Struggle of Labor.
Il may say, your honor, that this is a
struggle of tine working people of our
country: struggle for rights. The labor
movement does not undertake to presume
to be higher tribunal than the courts
or the other branches of the government
of our country. And the language quoted
by counsel for the Bucks Stove and
Range Company. which ! am very glad
to have the opportunity of explaining
the language accepted by your honor in
your opinion in regard to the American
Federation of Labor conventions being
the highest tribunal in the realms of Ia
bor-WaS not either in my mind. or in
the mind of any man who heard that re-
port read, to apply in anything in which
the rights of others outside of the labor
movement were concerned.
1T was that when the American FEEDER
alton of Labor convention decided some
questions as to jurisdiction, as to internal
strife and disputes between these Organi
cations. and in so far these contests
were concerned the decisions reached by
the convention of the American Fedora
ton of Labor should be received by all
concerned as determining their conten-
tons.
''Struggle of Ages
Yes. sair, it is great struggle. 1t is
a struggle of ages; 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 which they
have too long borne and to secure some
of the rights too long denied.
IF men must suffer because they dare
speak for the masses of our country: If
men must suffer because they have raised
their voice to meet the bitter antagonism
of sordid greed which would even grind
the children into the dust to coin dollars,
and meeting with the same bitter antago-
nism that we do in every effort we maze
before the courts, before the legislatures
of our states, or before the Congress of
our country; if men must suffer in this
gradual, rational, natural development,
then they must bear the consequences.
That which your honor has quoted
and criticised and denounced in us in the
of our duties to our fellows in
our own country is now the statute law
Of Great Britain. passed by the parliament
Of that country less than two years ago.
If in monarchical England these rights
can be accorded to the working people.
these subjects of the monarch, they ought
not to be denied to the. theoretically, at
least. free citizens of republic.
Willing to Be Martyred.
I'm that struggle men have suffered.
Better men have suffered than I. 1t is
true that l do not believe there is d man
alive who would chafe more under re-
straint of my liberty than ! would. But
if l cannot discuss grave problems. great
questions in which the people of our
country are interested, if a speech made
by me on the public rostrum during po-
litfcal campaign after the close of this
case. after the close of the taking of the
testimony in this case; If the speeches in
furtherance of a great principle, of
great right, are to be held against
me, shall not only have to. but | shall
be willing to. bear the consequences.
Il say this TO you. your honor / would
nut have you believe me to be man
Of defiant character, in disposition, in
conduct. Those who know me and know
me best know that that is not my make
up; but In the pursuit of honest 'convic-
tons, conscious of having violated no law,
and In furtherance of the common inter-
ests of my fellow men, / shall not only
have to. but be willing to submit to what
ever your honor may impose
1ndorse Gompers' Expressions.
Then John Mitchell stepped forward.
All he had to say was that he heartily in
dorsed every word that Gompers had
spoken.
Morrison was the last to speak. He
Mitcilell's lead, saying Gompers
had expressed his opinions entirely.
While the formalities relating to the
of the bonds were in progress
la Dor union leaders and other friends
crowded around the three men, They
shook hands with each of them. and had
u pleasant word TO say.
when the defendants had concluded the
court said:
Il regret to have heard nothing save
that which amounts to distinct affirm
ance of the position which has already
been answered by the courts opinion-an
10 abide by the course Of the
tribunals which are ordained by the SUI
preme law of the land.
1t is the judgment of the court that
You, Frank Morrison, be imprisoned in
the Jail of the District of Columbia for
the term OF six months; you, John Nit
chcll for the term of nine months; you.
amuel Gompers, for the term of twelve
months.
Morrison and Mitchell would not talk
for publication. Morrison said he would
speak to the world later Gompers was
asked by Star reporter If the sentence
was surprise to him, and he replied:
"A surprise. Indeed it was.
But all can think of to say at present
has already been said. When | spoke TO
the judge l expressed all that | could,
properly. at this time.
Il wish, though. that I had said some
thing about the extracts from the pOliti-
cal speeches which he quoted IN bis opin-
ion They were speeches made after the
evidence in the trial was taken. and were
not in any way brought into the evil
dence."
Those in Courtroom
GompeTs. Mitchell and Morrison went to.
the city hall together. arriving in the
courtroom at about 10 o clock They were
followed shortly by friends. and by men
from the Central Labor body and from 10
cal labor unions.
Mrs. Gompers and her daughter came
later. They We're accompanied by Miss
Emma Mcdonald Walsh. the associate
editor of the american Federationist. Be
fore the judge entered the courtroom there
considera BILE gathering Of labor
advocates.