Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1909-02-04
NCIL PROTESTS.
- Historlcal Library


separate departments. to-wit: Legis-
lative to make laws In the name OF
the people; executive, to enforce the
laws. and judicial, to decide when the
laws are broken and to infiict punish
ment for such offenses; and.
Whereas, In the constitutional con-
vention. when the fathers framed the
constitution of our country. twice
over was the effort made to give to
the federal judiciary the power to
nullify the actions OF the congress,
by declaring them unconstitutional,
and twice was the effort defeated :
and,
Whereas. For years past certain
federal judges have assumed TO them
selves the power to nullify the acts
Of the legislative and executive de-
partments of the government by de-
claring laws. passed by our repre-
sentatives in congress and signed by
our representative in the executive
chair. unconstitutional and,
Whereas. Certain federal judges
have assumed the power to issue in
functions. thereby destroying the con-
stitutional rights of the people to
free speech and freedom of the press
and the right of peaceable assembly
of the people; and.
desired to exercise those rights for
which our fathers fought at Bunker
Hill, Concord, Lexington and the
Brandywine. and suffered for at VAL
ley Forge. they are arrested. denied
the right of trial by jury. lectured by
some intellectual lightweight and sem
fenced to Jail as tn, ugh they were
criminals; and.
Whereas, In the present instance
the supreme court OF the District of
Columbia has seen fit to sentence
three of our ablest labor leaders.
Samuel Gompers, John Mitchell and
Frank Morrison. to a term in prison
for the alleged violation of an injunc-
don; and.
Whereas, Such decision involves
the destruction of certain fundamen-
tai principles in our government.
namely. the freedom of speech and of
the press as guaranteed to us under
the constitution; and.
Whereas. This decision appears to
be the most brazen of the many re-
cent attempts OF our capftalistic-
effective protests of our trust-suffer-
ing population by depriving us of the
age-long liberties held dear to every
true American. Therefore. be IL
Resolved. That the Building Trades
Council of Butte, Mont, does most
deeply resent this infringement upon
our constitutional rights. and we en-
ter a most emphatic protest against
the prostitution of our courts to the
level of discriminating against the
toilers and to the advantage of the
money powers; and but it further
Resolved, That we express our con-
fidence i'm the efficiency of the prin-
ciple of trial by jury and our prefer
ence for the constitutional method of
dividing the governmental powers in
to the legislative. executive and ju-
dicial. rather than have all these
powers vested in or usurped by the
judiciary, which is furtherest re-
moved from the direct influence of
the public; and be It further
Resolved. That we use all the
means in our power, including the
ballot. for the maintenance of the
above convictions. in order that lib
ty may not perish from the land;
and be II furti"-
Resolved. That a copy of these
resolutions be forwarded II our rep
resentatives in congress with an carn-
est appeal that they use their utmost
endcavors to secure an amendment TO
the Sherman antitrust law excluding
labor unions from the conspiracy
clause of that law.
f. r.. ToRREY, Secretary.
Adopted by the Butte Building
Trades Council, Jan. 81, 1909.