The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-03-27

tied Dy statute. The settlement was, 4
therefore, by sjudge-made law and q
practical illustration Of government by
injunction. And he asserted that, as
people who love representative, gov
ernment, we ought to oppose such q
settlement. Particularly, said he, as 1t
Is manifest that the courts in our
country are far behind the age In their
theories on economic questions and
american legislation in reference to
them is remotely in the rear of that
OF the rest Of the civilized world. He
1nsised that the injunction power
ought to be kept strictly in its proper
place and narrowly defined SO that
Judges could not stretch it as they
have been doing; also, that If there is
a law or other court proceeding pro-
viddng punishment for WRONG doing the
injunction power ought not to be in
voked; and, finally, that inzall cases
there ought to be a trial by jury on
the facts as to whether or not any
contempt had been shown. :. !.
McEwen Thrills tho House,. i
w. z. McEwen, state labor commits
sioner, followed in strong, logical and,
thrilling address. He recounted the
triumphs Of organized labor. among
them living wages, short hours and
good conditions, and showed how they.
had all been won over strenuocs, op-,
position and through trial, hardship.
and frequent punitive suffering. Di-
recting his hearers to full light On Ia
Dor matters, he told them they would
never get it from the daily papers, be-
cause those papers were owned and
controlled by the corporations ana
their editorial writer's are obliged to
write what their masters require. They
represent the business interests, the
employing class, ana from them lisiri-
terested persons can never get un-
biased opinions. The only reliable re-
sort In this respect is the labor press,
which gives the other side.
How Trusts Evade the Law. ~
/ Mr.. .McEwen showed how the trusts,
under the guidance OF skillful law
yer, had found a way to get around
the Sherman antitrust law and even
flourish on the very provisions made
in it to curb their unlawful methods.
But the labor organizations, which It
was never intended to affect, had
been rendered liable under it for al
most everything theyN attempted to do,
and it had come to pass that they
were now almost the only organiza-
tions held subject to its requirements
and put under it's penalties. He told
how, at the time Of its passage, Presi-
dent Gompers and other leading Off
cials of the American Federation Of
Labor had received the most positive
assurances from Influential senators
| and other men in public life that the
law could never be 80 strained as to
apply to organizations not formed for
profit, and so abandoned their
contention for an amendment provid-
ing for their exemption OF eaeh or
.ganizations. Now. he stated, the. ga :
preme, court of the United states held
that labor unions were trusts, and. in
the Loewe hat case had laid them un-
der the severest penalties for opposing
the peonage system Of labor in the
Loewe factory, which was introduced
by hiring Greek boys through con-
tractors to do the work union men had
formerly done, claiming, in effect, that
trade agreements were conspiracies in
restraint of trade.
Pyle On tho Other Side.
The other side Of the question was
ably supported by John G. Pyle, for
'mer editor of the st. Paul Globe, who
| was the last speaker. He said that
he had found in his study that the
law had not been inimical to labor;
that the same proceedings and rules
Of court had been: applied in labor
cases as in others, and that no real
| wrong had been done. He admitted,
| however, that perhaps in some cases
the courts had gone too far and par
ticularly in the case of Gompers,
Mitchell and Morrison, and that, while
1t would be wrong to wipe out the in
junction proceeding, it might be we'll
to define and limit it In application.
Mr.. Pyle's address was thoughtful and
we'll considered and ably constructed
and it was well received, as were the
others.
| Lawyer Moves Vote of Thanks.
At the conclusion Of the speaking
and before the adjournment Of the
meeting a rising vote of thanks was
| given the speakers for the able and
lucid manner in which they had dis
cussed the subject. The vote was
taken on the motion Of Mayor Lawyer
Of st. Pau land was enthusiastic in
its expression.
!