Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-01-18
GOMPERS WEPT
when SENTENCED
Dramatic Scene In Court
When Labor Mn
We're There


In the court contempt proceedings.
pressed by the National Association
of Manufacturers, Samuel Gompers,
president, John Mitchell, vice presi-
dent, and Frank Morrison. secretary
OF the American Federation of Labor,
were sentenced today to Jail terms
by Justice Daniel Thew Wright, Fed
eral Judge in the District of Column
bia.
All the defendants were in court
when sentence was pronounced. and
notice Of an appeal to the District OF
Columbia Appellate Court was filed,
Gompers being released on $4,000
bond, Mitchell on $4,000, and Morri-
son on $4,000.
The wife and daughter of Gompers
heard the sentence and were vlsiblY
affected.
with tears coursing down his
cheeks Gompers heard the order
which condemned him to prison for
n year.
Both Mitchell and Morrison SEEM
ed stunned. although Mitchell APP
peared the least concerned. Asked
II he had anything to say why SEN
tcnce should not be passed. Gompers
declared that he had not consciously
violated any law. There was much
he would like to say. but he would
not do II at that time. He added.
however, that this is n struggle of
the working people for the right It
Is a struggle OF the age-a struggle
of the men OF labor to throw of some
OF the burdens which have been heap
ed on them: to abolish some OF the
wrongs and to secure some Of the
rights too long denied"
Say They Indorse Gompers .
Mitchell and Morrison told the
court today they Endorsed what Com
pers had said.
The alleged contempt was against
an order of Justice Gould. an asso,
ciate on the Supreme bench OF the
District Court, granting temporary
Injunction against the publication
by the labor organization of the
Buck Stove & Range Company OF st.
Louis in the I'VE don't patronize'
list In the American Federationist,' -
the labor paper. .-
.. Gompers edits the paper, Mitchell
Is vice president Of the American
Federation of Labor, which supports
the publication, and Morrison is Its
secretary.
| Under the sentence rendered by
Justice Wright, Gompers IL to spend
twelve months In Jail, Mitchell nine
months, and Morrison six months
to the District Court of Appeals. and
from the decisions of this court ap.
peals are made to the Supreme Court
of the United States. Before Com
pers and his associates go to jail the
Supreme Court will pass on what
constitutes contempt Of court when
published in bona fide newspapers.
Law or the Rabble"
| "iibhN "thN oulNlut Hlr
case to condemn the spirit of objec-
ton to court rulings which is preva.
lent.
1T is necessary to choose between
the supremacy of law over the rab.
BILE, or it's prostration under the feet
of the disordered throng." he said.
President Roosevelt has been ap.
pealed to by the miners association
of which Mitchell was the honored
head, to avert the blow on Mitchell
Only last spring Mitchell was the big
labor man at the great gatherings Of
Governors and scientists called By
the President to consider nationa
conservatism. Had Mitchell not fol
lowed Gompers into the Bryan camI
and against Taft in the recent fight
IL Is said here. he could have had tn,
best that President Roosevelt ant
President-elect Taft could have Civ
en- him. Mitchell is a Republican
under normal conditions.
The President Is considering what
lo'tp NV NdH Iuht. Tie DeIleNe,
Mitchell guilty by construction, It 1,
said. Gompers issued the offendinl
publication. Mitchell did not know
its contents. Back of It all is the un
willingness OF the President that la
Dor over the country should be per
mitted to think Gompers and Mitch
ell martyrs and prosecuted by FEEDER
al authorities for an unfortunate po
litical stand This would be great
cr burden than<is desired to unloa,
upon Mr.. Taft. whose hope is to Gu
labor organizations free from politi
cal intrigue. .r
Court Is Severe
Justice Wright's arraignment o
the labor leaders and others who cri
icise the decision of Federal court
was severe in the extreme. AmonI
other things he said:
There is a studied, determined, d
fiant conflict precipitated in the ligh
OF open day between the DEGREES O
Il tribunal ordained by the Govern
mant and nf tho tribunal nf anntha