Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-01-06
THE PASSING OF OUR REpuBIlc
Some Thoughts suggested by Judge
Parker's Recent Decision.

Marion, Ala, Dec. 2S.-Editor
Keowee Courier: Judge Parker has
Just quoted from one OF his own
decisions. rendered while Chief Jus
tice Of the highest tribunal in the
State of New York. Now, IL min
lister may quote from his own SER
mons. It was said not long ago in
the pulpit of the writer that Christ
will put His hand of love on capital
and make 1t kind, and He will put
His hand of equity on labor and
; make It reasonable"
But the millennium has not yet
dawned, and better sign of its alb
sence can hardly be found in the in
cidents of our courts than the recent
decision Of Judge Wright concerning
Gompers. Mitchell and Morrison. To
US Mr.. Gompers and Mr. Morrison
are not so we'll known, but to some
OF US who have lived IN the great
mining districts of Western Ken
tuck, Mr.. Mitchell is we'll known,
and we would look long time be-
fore finding a more honest and hon
orable. or a more sensible and rea-
sonable man than he. In our search
for man with more fair spirit
than Mitchell we might have to fol-
low the Philosopher of Greece with
lighted lantern at mid day.
In this decision Jail sentences are
pronounced as follows Gompers for
twelve months, Mitchell for nine
months and Morrison for six months.
Now, what Is the meaning of this?
Does 1t not mean that capitalists may
do as they please, and at best we can
only read of them being fined as cor
porations, without any man ever en-
tertaining the thought that they will
pay one cent or suffer any ostracism
from society-such as they are class
ed In. But when a labor man says
thing that does not please some
man or do his business good, that
man may go to Jail. Does 1t not
mean that FederalJudge may make
law. try a man by that law, and
then send him to jail for the viola
ton OF that lay ? If Federal Judge
may pass a restraining order closing
mans mouth on certain things, and
to speak on these things, and then
send him to Jail because he said
something on the street or in paper
about some man, what may Federal
Judge not do?
Does 1t not mean that Congress
has no need to pass laws when we
| have Judges for that business, whose
| salaries are paid by a tariff on the
poor mans dinner to satisfy the de-
| sires Of some company for money?
Does it not mean that all executive
departments Of State and nation may
be abolished when we have Federal
Judges to enforce laws, and, issuing
orders, send for toiling men to draw
their "bandanas" across their brows,
come into court and pass on to jail
fer Saying something?" Does it
not mean that few Federal Judges
are all we want and all we mean to
| udNc III llC way vi
Does this not indicate the proba-
Bile approaching time when we shall
be governed by system of Federal
Judges with some tyrannical head
| Giving in the White House presuma-
bly,; but travelling among our foreign
possessions in the interim?" If we
are coming to this let us just make
Roosevelt the "bigot Of the White
House" now while he seemingly has
Congress so scared that it cannot or
will not resent ''the worst insult ever
cent to any body in any country at
ally time"
| Does this not mean that we may
look the world over, and out of the
American hemisphere we see only
two Republics worthy of mention
the tiny Republic of Switzerland and
the not yet forty-year-old Govern
ment Of France? And where may
ours go? Surely this decision, If
sustained, means that the days Of
free speech and free press have
passed away from all our people ex-
cept those who are able to take an
4 appeal, and then, after all, 1t may
mean that such days are gone for all
Americans except the man who lives
in the White House, or rather was
appointed to live there by his prede-
cessor. 1t seems apparent that many
men who have heretofore been nomi-
nally in the ranks of the Republican
and Democratic parties will, after
this decision, join labor union and
subscribe for Socialist paper.
The thoughts of this. article are