United labor bulletin., 1909-10-15
THE coUNTRY'S PERIL.

greatest statesmen and a true defender
of personal liberty and human rights,
after having written the Declaration of
American republic, watched the new
government for years. and with a vision
that was truly prophetic gave express
sion to the following words:
ut has long been my opinion and
have never shrunk from its expression.
that the germ of dissolution of our fed
eral government is in the constitution of
the federal judiciary. an irresponsible
body, working like gravity by day and
by night, gaining little to-day and a
little tomorrow, and advancing its noise
less step like a thief over the field of
jurisdiction until all shall be usurped
from the state and the government of all
am opposed, because when all govern
ment. in little and great things, shall be
drawn to Washington as the center of
all power. 1t will render powerless the
checks provided by one government on
another and will become as venal and
oppressive as the government from
which we separated"
How accurately he located the danger
and described the future. The encroach-
ment. and usurpation of the federal
courts upon the guaranteed right OF per.
sons are most astounding in pretention
and usurpation of power.
This scheme of government by inJunc
ton, under which the judge becomes at
once legislator, Judge and executioner
is indeed an alarming state OF affairs
Sitting in his chambers. and without
notice to anybody, he issues n ukase
which he calls an injunction, against
anybody or everybody, as may suit his
pleasure. forbidding anything he sees fit
to forbid. and which the law does not
forbid. for when the law forbids thing
there Is no need for an injunction.
When laws are violated provision is
made for punishment and If found 10 be
inadequate. remedial legislation may
readily be secured. But the Injunction
Judge assumes the prerogative to forbid
anything which whim, prejudice or
caprice may suggest. and his order must
this injunction is arrested dragged to
the point where the court is hela, not
on charge OF violating any law, but for
being guilty of contempt of court and
instead of being tried by jury as guar.
anteed by the constitution, not in con.
formity with any statute law, but by
the judge whose dignity he is charged
~ ntrtn
judge summarily sent to prison
1t Is time for the people of these
| United States TO realize the dangers that
are threatening our liberties; 1t is not
alone organized labor that is affected.
but every citizen in whatever walks of
life that Is Interested in the maintenance
of government by. for and of the peo-
| pie.
Referring to decisions of the Supreme
Court, in his first inaugural address.
President Lincoln said:
THE candid citizen must confess that
If the policy of the government upon
cital questions fixed by decisions of the
Supreme Court the instant they are
made, as in ordinary litigation between
parties in personal actions. the people
VIII have ceased to be their own rulers.
having. to that extent. practically resign
ed their government into the hands of
that eminent tribunal"
Are we ready to complete the Am
erican oligarchy by resigning our gov
ernment into the hands of the Supreme
Court? We believe not, and to prevent
further usurpation of our rights, aye to
restore all that we have been robbed of,
we shall stand unfalteringly for equal
rights for all and special privileges for
none. as did the fathers more than n
hundred years ago declare that we are a
free and independent people, and refuse
to bow the knee to any authority estab-
lished contrary to the expressed will of
the people-Ex.