Evening journal., 1919-08-04
FREEDOM or THE PRESS AND FREEDOM or THE
PEOPIEi

PEOPIEi
A MOTHER startling example OF judicial usurpation Of
power, OF courts encroacment on the liberties
the people is just being consummated Memphis Tenn
In that city an editor, f. r. Leech OF the Memphis
Press is about 10 spend ten days jail for publishing
editorial attack political corruption
Leechs editorial named person. referred to no
Judicial yet local judge Peres understood
IL as renecng him. and ordered the editors arrest
and conviction on a charge OF contempt Of court.
This is Of long series OF judicial attempts TO
muzzle newspapers and in respects Il is Che most
garing OF any We recommend TO Congress immediate
Investigation of judicial tyranny and terrorization
Many OF readers Will recall The nationwide in
ferst that aroused in 1918 by the attempt OF
Kansas City judge 20 railroad The famous William r.
Nelson 76yearold editor The Kansas City STAR TO JAIL
for printing te that this Judge had permitted at
oneys fees 10 take precedence amony In divorce
suit
Many viii recall the attempt TO place Editor Charles
H. clogston, or Terre aue Ind in Jail for exposing the
crookedness OF political gang many Of whose members
and out Of Office afierward served richly deserved
terms in the Federal pententary at LeaverNSorth.
Many win remember tle nne that levied Editor
Nesley D. Cochran OF the Toledo Ne,,s-Bee On 1915 for
prcsumps TO publish articles the local street sit
uation While involving the street system
before the United States District Court.
This Memphis case is as nagrant case Of judicial
usurpaiion the worst OF the three Others
It dates back TO July 1915
Tho people Of Memphis and Shelby county Tenn
aroused by political conditions there campaign
was and Judges, other ofleials 10 be
elected the following month
Two tickets the neld-one the gang ticket and
ons ticket supported by citizens movement that aimed
at driving the bosses from power
Tho Memphis Press and the Memphis Commercial
Appeal supporting the citizens movement-nghting
for American democracy against political despotism
On July 20 1916 the Memphis Press printed an editorial
he oofTt doffh h1
Right win ulstimately triumph In Memphis" which
mentioned Judge and before any court, but
which oontained these paragraphs:
Even courts have been brought into dsrepute and
judges have abandoned tho principles OF loyalty and
tegrty. have Of the laws they syore TO en-
force, have dragged their courts into the mre
turned traitors TO their friends supporters and enemies
TO the principles they professed politicians have
laid their hands them and forced tens 10 do their
bidding"
IT ds shameful thins 30 court aishonored and
dsgrsced to serve the ends of political sefseekers
There attempt this editorial influence any
court in any pending There no reference
any court TO any pending There was tendency
to obstruct the administration of Justice There
likelihood Of bringing court into public contempt
unless 1t happened TO be contemplate court.
But Chancellor Pers. Chancellor Israel A. Peres, who
happened to be candidate for re-electionaboard the
gang tickethousht The editorial shoe tted him. and
he put It on
He had Just decided in favor OF the ruling political
gang political that kept the gangs election
missioner in Office
And this chancellor or Judge had the editor of the
Press cited before associate Judge for contempt of
court
The editor was found guilty and sentenced TO jail ne
begins serving his sentence on August 4.
This is clear case of Judicial Tyranny
II Judges get away with despotc acts like this
freedom Of the dead when freedom OF the
press dies freedom of the people goes into the same
grave.
We call the attention Of Congress to this deliberate
exercise OF unconstitutional power and we urge seep
ing consressona Investigation Of the general tendency or
certain members OF the Judiciary both Federal aud State
to encroach upon the rights OF the American ne6n,e and
10 destroy the buwarks OF American liberty :