Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1916-01-20
Summary OF The
Manly Report
tContinus;i from Page 81

The courts forbid the workers to do.
| (pp. 45-50.)
Third, in the administration of law,
both common and statute; there is dis
elimination by the courts against the
poor and in favor of the rich and
powerful. This discrimination arise.
not only from the economic disabili
ties OF the poor, which render them
unable to hire equally ski,lful law
yers, to endure the laws delay, and
to stand the expense of repeated trials
put out OF an actual bias on the part
OF judges in favor of the wealthy and
influential
Fourth, the courts have not only
neglected or refused to protect. work
ers in the rights granted by the Con-
sf1tutlon OF the United States and of
the several States, but sections OF the
Constitution framed to protect human
rights have been perverted to protect
property rights only and to deprive
workers of rights secured to them by
statutes. Up. 52.)
1t is startling and alarming to learn
| that. the sections of the Constitution
defining the rights of citizens to trial
by jury, security from ,unwarranted ar
rest and search, free speech, free as.
sembly, writ of habeas corpus, bearing
TT arms and protection from excessive
bail and cruel and unusual punishment
are held by the Federal Courts to ap-
ply only to the territories and the
District of Columbia and to be of no
protection against corrupt State Off
Gals. Up. 54.)
The fourteenth amendment, design
ed to protect the freedom of slaves.
to be charter of liberty for human
rights against property rights, has
become in the hands of the courts the
Magma Charta of accumulated and or
gained capital. Up. 56.)
In times Of domestic uprisings, the
courts have uniformly asserted their
superiority over the military, except
in the case of strikes, where the
courts have uniformly refused to in
ttervene and have left the workers at
1.-The mercy of the. arbitrary and brutal
power of the militia under martial
law. (p. $50
Fifth, the ordinary legal machinery
| provides no adequate means whereby
ElabOrers and other poor men can Sc
cure redress for wrongs inflicted upon
them through non-payment of wages,
bitant fines and fees, through fraud of
employment agents, loan sharks" and
inStallment houses, and through the
grating foremen and superintendent.
The losses from these sources amount
each year to millions of dollars and
work untold hardship on men who can
i'll afford to lose even a penny Of their
hard-won earnings (p. 59.)
Il Mt Tod
extension of their powers in the issu-
ance Of injunctions, have not only in
jured the workers upon innumerable
occasions, but have, by the contempt
procedure, consequent upon disobedi-
ence to such injunctions deprived
them Of the fundamental right of jury
trial. (p. CD
Seventh, the laws designed for the
4 protection of labor In workshops, and
mines, and on railroads are not effec-
Itively enforced except in few States.
/ (p. 64.)
Eighth, the workers are subject to
great injustice by reason of the fact
lin many localities they are excluded
from juries either by the qualifica-
tons prescribed usually the owner
ship of property or by the method Of
selection. The worker before a jury
drawn from the employing class is
helpless and condemned in advance.
Up. 65.)
There are about 200, 900 mechanics
belonging to the different labor organi-
cations in Chicago, yet there are only
$50 mechanics drawn as jurors in the
$40 investigated, or about 10 per
cent. when the percentage ought to be
about 70 per cent.
In Colorado juries are frequently
chosen by the same sheriff who testi-
f1es that the deputy sheriffs appointed
by him might have been "red1handed
murderers fresh from the scenes of
their crimes" %. 65.)
The workers must be represented
upon juries If they desire justice for
themselves and their brothers,
Ninth, during strikes innocent men
are frequently arrested, without just
cause. charged with fictitious crimes.
held under excessive bail, and treated
the purpose of breaking the strike.
(p. SD
In Patterson, N. J., for example,
there was less than $25 damage, and
CHGF0 was no NlUlOuCG Ut dItcHtpt at
violence during. the entire strike, In |
vo1ving % 900 workers. CD. 68.)
Tenth, in many localities during
strikes not only is one Of the greatest |
functions of the State, that Of polio
ing, virtually turned over to employ
ers, or arregantly assumed by them.
but criminals emnloyed by detective
agencies and strike5breaking agencies
are clothed as deputies. with arhftr-
airy Dower and relieved of criminal
liability for their acts. 10 So.
Eleventh, in many localities the en-
tire system Of civil government Is sus-
pended during strikes and there IS
set up in its place military desn0t-
ism under so-calied martial law. This
tyrannical usurpation has been upheld
by the courts in direct contraventioni
Of everv Constitutional guarantee.
Twelfth, n some localities the con-
troll by EMPLOYERS Of the entire mach
inery Of government Il 20 sFpot that |
lsElpss eets q ~ reEt - seentl q
the eplloNol4 q Nphne4et 9nt yD.I
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= 80