The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-02-06
Acts Of defendants Strictly With
in the Rights Guaranteed
BY the Constitution.
BITTERNESS OF JUDGE
GETS DESERVED RE EBUKE
Penalties Imposed Condemned as
Unjust and shockingly
Excessive.

r INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 4.-The dec1-
sion Of Judge Wright and government
by injunction were denounced by the
United Mine Workers convention in
resolution adopted yesterday. The
resolution follows:
"The United Mine Workers Of Amer
lea most emphatically and unreserved-
ly protest against the sentences and
threatened Imprisonment of Samuel
Gompers, John Mitchell and Frank
Morrison, Officers Of the American
Federation of Labor.
1.-The action Of Justice Wright in
the cases can. never be accepted with
any degree of justification by the
mine workers Of America. We main
tain that there was no violation of the
law Of the land by OUR fellow work.
men, and that all their acts COM
planned of were strictly within the
rights as guaranteed to every citizen
Of this country by our constitution
and organic law.
I'VE hold that the Sherman anti
trust law was never intended by con-
gress to- apply to labor unions, and
the construction placed thereon by the
Federal courts is destructive Of the
usefulness and only power Of organ
lied labor for it's protection and ad-
vancement.
''We further protest against the un-
called-fOr. and extreme bitterness OF
the arraignment of the defendants by
Justice Wright as unparalleled in ju-
Mcial proceedings in the courts of our
land. We regard his action therein
and the scope thereof as a. direct blow
against our Individual liberties as
workmen and against our labor
unions. We condemn the penalties
imposed as unjust, unreasonable and
| shockingly excessive.
'We denounce government by in
junction, as soughtf-to be enforced by
aOme. courts, as un- American, .uncon-
tional and void. We tl,s
siset courts to- issue injunctions
against officers or 1nemhers Of labor
organizations, white contending fol-
their rights: for alleged offenses, moi
committed in the presence of the
court, without notice to the parties
concerned. In seeking to bring about
a change in the Injunction laws, as
interpreted by the courts, we have nc
desire to attack property rights. They
must be safeguarded; but there are
other rights that should be regarded
the rights Of man.
1--WE can never agree that labor Or
ganizations are trusts. They are vol
untary in character, and formed fo1
the protection, advancement and gen.
eral welfare of the toilers Of the land
We concede the rights Of Judges to
punish for contempt offenses commit
ted in the presence of the court But
we most emphatically deny the right
Of any court to punish for offense<
committed not in the presence OF
nearing of the court, unless the ac-
cused is offered trial by a jury OF
his peers.
1--WE command of congress a speedy
enactment Of a law commanding Fed
eral courts to change their procedure
in contempt and injunction cases, s<
that notice shall be served on defend
ants in labor disputes and a jury tria
afforded before punishment is in
flicted.''
The convention voted down reso-
luton proposing that the organization
take the lead in forming a political
labor party.