The Connecticut labor news., 1924-11-29
Powers That Prey Fight GivernOr Small and Plot to Gain Control of State.
By JOSEPH A. WISE, Staff Correspondent, International Labor News Service.

Labor News Service. Chicago, Nov. 29.-The forces of re- action, the powers of pillage and the invisible government" which is no | longer invisible are putting into op- eration their carefully laid plans to control the state of Illinois despite the fact that they have been twice decisive ly> defeated at the polls in the last seven months.
 They bravely and brazen1y an i nounce that they are going to make their. fourth attempt to put over the iniquitous and vicious State constab- ulary bill at the forthcoming session of the legislature They are doomed to disappointment, just as they have been disappointed on three previous occasions.
 Plotters Seek to Dust Shell.
 But that is very small item III their plot The thing of tremendous importance is that they are going to make an attempt to prevent the duly 
 of Illinois from functioning as such. International Labor News Service had knowledge of this plot several weeks before election This information came direct from the inside of the camp of crooked big business. It was to the effect that if Len Small were reelected governor of Illinois his enemies would .move to disqualify him from taking office under a provision of the State Constitution which pro- vides that no one owing the State money can hold public office. Failing that, they will try to impeach him when the Legislature conyenes this winter.
 Now comes the first move on the chessboard of dirty politics, which is the only kind of politics that certain large corporate interests in this state seem to know. A pliant tool in the person of Charles Briggle, master in chancery at Springfield, has hand- ed down a decision to the effect that Governor Small stole S20O0000 of the states money while he was treas urer from 1917 to 1919. This decision comes as the result of civil suit in- stituted by Attorney General Edward ]. Brundage, a bitter and relentless foe of the governor, henchman of big business interests, an enemy ot the common people of the State of Illinois and who has been repudiated by the sovereign voters of this state Brundage Failed in Previous Attempt.
 This same Brundage made a des- perate attempt to send the governor to the penitentiary on this same charge several months prior to the primary election last April. A trial was held at Waukegan that lasted for many weeks and cost the State an enormous sum of money. A jury of the governors peers and just judge decided that the governor was not guilty.
 The governor was again tried be- fore the bar of public opinion at the April primaries, and the people of the whole state, with thunderous voice, said, Not guiltyi" The governor was once more tried before that same bar of public opinion at the November election, and again the people said Mot guilty!'
 Opposes Verdict of Whole State
 Now comes this one-horse jury com posed of the obscure Charles Briggle of Springfield, who says that the Wau- kegan jury and judge and the whole people of the State of Illinois are all wrong and that the governor IS gull ty. It IS enough ot make the angels weep and the imps of hell to chortle 1n glee.
 The organized labor forces of the State of Illinois backed Governor Small both in the primary and in the general election. The fact that he has been triumphant1y reelected is bitter dose to the forces of reaction and the enemies of the common peo- pie "The Old Guard dies, but it never surrenders," say they Now they are planning to oust the governor despite the mandate of the people.
 The predatory interests have earned their right to rule the roost at Wash ington for the next four years, but 1t is not likely that they are going to have as much luck in the State of Illinois.