The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-17
TAFT AS LAWYER
Continued from Page onc.)

will. And / say this with all the EN-
phasis possible even though were I
workingman, I would probably deem 1t
wise to join union for the reasons
given.
1.-THE effect or organized labor upon
such basis as the employment labor,
the exposure of laborers to undue risk
is dangerous employment, the contln-
uance of unjust rules Of law exempting
employers from liability for accidents
to laborers, has been direct. immediate
and useful, and such reforms in these
matters as have taken place would
probably be long delayed but for to
energetic agitation of the questions by
the representative of organized labor.
of course, when organized labor per-
nlits itself to sympathize with violent
methods. with breaches Of the law.
with boycotts and other methods of ur-
due duress it is not entitled to our SYM
pathy. But it is not to be expec' ed
that such organization shall be perfect,
and that they may not show defective
tendencies that ought to be corrected.
There is one thing to be said in re-
spect to American trades unionism that
it's critics are not generally alive to- In
France the trades unions are intensely
socialistic. 1t is also plain that the
tendency toward socialism in English
trades unionism is growing stronger
and stronger.
Rap for Socialism.
81 need not point out the de-
plorable results in this country If
trades unionism became a SYNONYM
for socialism. These who are NOT in
active control of the federation of
labor and all the great railroad labor
organizations have set their faces like
flint against the propaganda of social |
fstic principles.
"Our friends of the great unions at |
times complain OF our courts, more |
perhaps because of the decisions in |
injunction cases than for anything |
H. IL -. -
particular phase of litigation in |
which they have an interest but when |
the subject of courts is mentioned 1t |
suggests to me a large field for COM |
zens are interested and have right |
to be heard.
Opposed to Laws Delays.
"There is no subject upon which |
I feel SO deeply as upon the necessity
for reform in the administration of |
both civil and criminal law. To sum /
it all up IN one phrase the difficulty
in both is undue delay. 1t is not too |
much to say that the administration
of criminal law in this country is a |
disgrace to our civilization and the
prevalence OF crime and fraud which
here Is greatly in excess of that in
the European countries is due
largely to the failure of law and its
administrators to bring criminal to
justice.
Il am sure that this Iallure IS not
due to corruption OF officials. 1t is
not due to their negligence or
lzziness though of course there may
be both in some cases; but it is
due to the system against
which it is impossible for an earnest
prosecutor and an efficient judge to
struggle. We inherited our system
of criminal prosecution and the con-
stitutiona1 provisions for the pro-
lection of the accused in his trial
from England and her laws. We in
herited from her the jury trial. All
these limitations and the jury system
still are maintained in England but
they have not interfered with an
effective prosecution of criminals and
their punishment. II
''In this country there seems to
have been on the part of all state
legislators a fear of the judge and not
Of the jury and the power which he
exercises in an English court has by
legislation been reduced from time to
time, until now this is especially
true in western states, he has hardly
more power than the moderator in q
religious assembly. The tendency OF
legislation is to throw the reins on
the back of the jury and to let them
by all the arts of counsel for
the defendant. These defects are
in the delays which
occur in the trials--delays made
Necessary because the trials take so
great a time.
The English Way.
''Tt is true that in England they
have enlarged the procedure to the
point of allowing an appeal from
in a criminal case to
court of appeals but counsel are not
permitted to mouse through the
seemed of little account IN the court