The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-01-01
FINAL DECISION WANTED.

There has been considerable gossip
concerning the possibility of a presi-
Dental pardon for Gompers, MitchsIi
and Morrison. who were given Jail SEN
fences for contempt Of the District of
Columbia court. and some labor unions
have requested that such action be
taken. At the White House, it is said
that the matter is under consideration.
and that Attorney General Bonaparte
is making an exhaustive review of the
case. but that nothing can be done by
the executive at present. owing TO the
appeal
1t might be well To remark that it Is
extremely improbable that the labor
leaders would accept PARDON under any
circumstances. Some of the best trained
legal minds in the country emphatical-
ly declare that TO law has been vio-
lated, and that the sentence imposed is
not only unjust but unconstitutional Tt
Is just as well that the matter be taken
to the highest court in 1he land in order
that the people may know how much
of the guaranteed right If free speech
and free press remains to them. mors
especially since the announced effort of
the president to land the proprietor Of
the New York World in jail for asking
about the distribution os the Panama
canal money.
Outside of the ia01r interests in
volved in the sentence. pronounced by
Justice Wright. and the opinions Of
lawyers and jurists, public sentiment is
largely on the side of the accused men.
The sentence was taken as the subject
for sermons by two Chicago ministers
one being the Rev. Melbourne r. Bovn- /
ton, Baptist. and Che other Rev. Albert
Mchney, Methodist. Rev. Mr.. Boynton I
sad:
TIE punishment melted out to Gompers
Mitchell and Morrison is so severe ana /
accompanied by such denunciation of their /
acts as to place in question the wisdom
OF hotn such sentences and pronounce
ments. said he.
TO my mind the great neri1 l;es =
this extreme judgment Il greatly iniurss 4
the credit OF the judiciary of the whole
nation 1t greatly misrepresents the /
junction OF the courts and makes almost
impossible that progress toward better
that Is so much needed /
between capital and labor in this repllb-
&c II gives an undue advantage to the
SIDE on which Judgment rests 1t wakes
ne IiaminS passion. the resentment and
ne hatred of the losing side
In the mind of the common man there
Just cause for such resentment Tins
ne courts OF justice become not places
where all men are equal before the law
9lt centers OF ill-feeling and periious mis-
ms
II IL surely time that the Judges Of
'ur courts awake to the imperative need
= having no respect for persons, but to
make All men stand in the same relation
% the law. These fines for the yyesIfbv
'nd prison sentences for the poor must
md shall cease
The tone OF Judgment is high pitebe5
ma the language is violent and thus mis-
oSs OF temper begets anger and passions
re stirred TO such depths as to threaten
he peace Of society For less cause ths,, |
ms our fathers carried arms Let ms
,eware. - "H
When Judge Wright pronounced tbs.
entence against the three leaders of the
american Federation of Labor, striving
nth al sincerity and truth to uphold
he liberties Of their fellow worknan he
fonouneed sentence against you ana we >
aid tie Rev. Mr. Mohney. ~
: II IS not a contest of Gompers. Mitch
II and Morrison, but a contest of nrin-
lpie, Ii IS tremendous thing that a
onuition exists in this country which
as given occasion for the pTonounca-
lent OF such a sentence in such fiery
hdignlfied and uncomeiy language we
must study the problem, for il + Grim |
nal in us to sit supineIy by and wait
OF the decision Of the higher court"