. 'wi iy wwy r, nygijum aawfl
I
1
I
riot; to deny It in fact has boon referred to as
waving tho flag of anarchy."
Mr. Harrison says that thoro Is llttlo if any
cxcuso to even consider tho claim that the theory
under discussion is a species of anarchy, but ho
points out that the experience of Glasgow shows
tho absurdity of such contention. In Glasgow pub
lic ownership has advanced to tho stago where tho
city owns not only tho waterworks, but tho street
cars, tho gas plant, and tho telephone system and
all these are oporated to the ontiro satisfaction of
tho iiscr as well as to tho profit of the municipal
ity. Tho rates charged aro low, the profits to tho
public aro so great that taxes havo reached low
water mark.
Replying to tho claim that municipal owner
ship would result in the creation of gigantic politi
cal machines formed of tho army of city em
ployes, Mr. Harrison says that this argument van
ishes before tho fact that evory advocate of pub
lic ownership strongly favors a rigid civil service
provision for tho conduct of public utilities, and
that a well established merit system would como
nearer divorcing any public utility from politics
than it is soparated now.
Mr. Harrison says that thoso who object
to municipal ownership solely on tho ground of
tho fear that it would result in tho creation of a
political machiuo might at least bo inclined to
look favorably upon ownership without operation
which plau ho maintains is both possible and
practicable. Ho uses tho street car system as an
oxamplo and says that a city may reserve to it
self tho ownership of tho right-of-way and lay
rails along it and then lot to the highest bidder,
tho right to operate cars upon these rails subject
to certain conditions. Ho points out that this
system has been successfully tried at Toronto.
Referring to the immense political power
wielded to tho disadvantage of tho people ..and jto
tho advantage of tho corporations under private
ownership, Mr. Harrison contends that, properly
administered, public ownership would reach fur
thor to purification of politics than any advanced
step toward tho conduct of municipal affairs that
has yet been suggested.
Replying to tho argument that private com
panies can operato with greater economy than
would bo possible under a system of public own
ership, Mr. Harrison denies the claim and saya
that evon though thoro bo truth in tho claim, tho
public obtains no benefit as a result of that econ
omy. He maintains that under public ownership
it would bo possible to devote profits to improve
ment of service, reduction of rates and increase of
wages, whilo under private ownership, profits go
mainly to tho increase of dividends.
"While Mr. Harrison admUs that public own
ership would prove a hard blow to tho spec
ulative world, ho maintains that it would result
in permanent benefit to a legitimate business ven-
taJL !?S FUblic ownorship the reason for wS
toimg of stocks would disappear and there would
bo no great bulk of securities saddled unon an un
KtlnE public, wages would reach aZx IZl
and tho surplus earnings would apply to lowering
the general taxes, not to swelling tho bank account
of the a ready over-rich stockholders. And Imote
tho various boneflts to be obtained from iSS'iS
ownership, Mr. HaVrison counts as not ie?Gni?
iTft"? th Pr0mIse thnt !t uld "Ld ?o free
any city from gang politics with its attendant evils
Son.M ' b0dl Nation public spoilt
It is a good sign when vigorous ami mtoi.
Prising men like Carter H. Harrison tak ? the lead
n practical reforms. Doubtless theUm w 11 como
in this country when under the beneficent resdte
of municipal ownership men will wonder how 1?
3STf P0? bl f0r indivIduals control lu
SlerPefroLmnCWSeS and rich on tta proflto
JJJ
Government by Injunction.
Th democratic Platform of 189G declared--Wo
specially object to government by XZ'L
as a new and highly dangerous form of oppress on
by which federal judges in contempt ofTTSS
The Commoner.
of states and the rights of citizens, become at once
legislators, judges and executioners."
This plank was bitterly denounced " by re
publican newspapers and was frequently referred
to as an assault upon the courts.
Interest in this protest against government by
injunction has recently been awakened because of
tho writ issued by Judge Adams in the United
States circuit court at St. Louis. Upon applica
tion by tho officers of the "Wabash Railroad com
pany, Judge Adams granted an injunction restrain
ing representatives of tho labor unions from "or
dering, coercing, persuading, Inducing or other
wise causing" the employes of tho railroad to
strike or quit tho service of the company. Rep
resentatives of the labor union were also en
joined from "ordering, advising, or influencing
employes on connecting lines to refuse to inter
change traffic."
It is somewhat interesting to .observe, that
oven republican papers aro finding it necessary
to protest against this "highly dangerous form
of oppression by which federal judges in con-,
tempt of the laws of states and the rights of citi
zens become at once legislators, judges and execu
tioners." Tho Chicago Record-Herald, a republican pa
per, referring to Judge Adams' injunction, says
that it "is such an extraordinary exercise of the
power of injunction that it may well invite public
apprehension regarding the extent. to -which this
arbitrary instrument of the court may be used
in the future."
The Record-Herald further says that "if this
injunction stands and is finally written intp,-the
laws of our country, it is difficult to t'onceive of
the possibility of fixing any' limit to' government
by injunction."
The Des Moines Register and Leader, also a
republican paper, says that heretofore it has been
assumed that the right of labor involved the cor
responding right to refuse to labor and that the
exercise of this latter right means men acting
as individuals or collectively. The Register and
Leader points out that if Judge Adams' injunc
tion is sustained, "it will revolutionize the rela
tions of organized labor to its employers and will
practically eliminate the strike as a weapon of
defense."
Judge Tuley, an Illinois state judge at Chica
go, makes interesting comment upon the Adams
injunction. Judge Tuley says that he is not sur
prised at any injunction of any kind being issued,
and he adds:
1 J'lJeet Ifc very much because I believe
that the issuing of such writs of injunction
brings the administration of justice into con- -
np,t , breed3 dcontent and will reap a
whir wind some day from the seeds so sown.
The day may come in the not distant
future when the working classes will have
po tlcal control and will appoint judges who
will also issue writs of in junction- thei?
favor. I see no reason why a writ of iniunc
tion should not as well issue aga nst a rail
road enjoining it from discharging any em-
?J?E?nJ fr?m ?iHns t0 pay su employes a
certain fixed rate of wages. It would be no
greater departure from tho true principles that
g w ?nTSrn When i88uinS Buch write
Wo judges are getting to be the whole
thing in government. Wo aro approaching a
S!l hE?" th?twm be thoutTeceaeniS
the history of the world, in which the govern-
Will any intelligent man undertake say that
Judge Tuley is desirous of bringing the courts
into disrepute? Is it not true, on the contrary, '
that men who protest against this "highly danger
ous form of oppression" as Judge Tuley does
show a much deeper anxiety for the maintenance
ftw ? y f th C0Urt8 than d0 those ,
either directly or indirectly,- are responsible for
tho effort to establish government by 'injunction?
Judge Tuley well says, "it is time to call a
.VOLUME 3, NUMBER 9.
halt" That Is what the democrats said in 1896.1
and it is significant that while the government
by injunction plank of the Chicago platform was
bitterly denounced and many claimed that that
plank had considerable to do with the defeat of
the democratic ticket, since then injunction writ3
issued by federal judges have become, by reason
of their radical terms, more and more oppres
sive, and this form of oppression has come to bo
so "highly dangerous" that even republican news
papers aro moved to enter vigorous protest
"Harmony" Among Harmonizers
There are some indications that even among
the divinely appointed champions of "harmony"
there is not entire harmony.
In a fearfully and wonderfully made editorial
entitled "Hill Hard at Work," the Brooklyn Ea
gle, recognized as one of the organs of Alton B.
. Parker, congratulates the sage of Wolfefts Roost
upon some of his efforts.
The Eagle congratulates Mr. Hill because he
is making an organized effortttodrive the Kansas
City platform democrats out of power: in the
party. It expresses satisfaction over the report
that Mr. Hill hasreceived promises' 'from "thoso
who dominate the democracy of Indiana" that Ind
t iana will.stahd by him in his desperate undertak
ing. It congratulates Mr. Hill because "the war
against Bryanism is to be carried iti'to Africa
he is to go to the conventjonTialdicaped by de
feat at home." It 'entirely agrees with Mr. Hill
Jjha,VnotnillS is more essential to democratic wel
fare than that the party shall rid itself of any
thing and everything suggestive of Bryan manias.
The divorce should be absolute." And it sends to
Wplferts Roost the message, "By. all means let
the war on Bryan proceed. It cannot go on too
merrily for the Eagle." -L
.0oBut right there. Mr. Parker's organ draws tho
line. ' ' '' s
The Eagle says that "in other respects," than
those montioned, "the Hill 'program is far from
acceptable." The Eagle seems to have conceived
the notion fftat Mr. Hill has ambitions of his own
and that he is anxious to become the nominee for
president. In the contemplation of this prospect,
the Eagle is not at all pleased, although it en
thusiastically applauds the sage of Wolferts Roost
so far as concerns -his war upon Kansas City
Platform democrats. The Eagle likens Hill to
Judas Iscariot and even goes so far as to say, "As
I?1 11 passes through the door, respect goes up the
, chimney."
ttow this is, indeed, too bad! If these gen
tlemen hope to win in their effort to republicans
the democratic party, they will do well to under-
nT,?; firSt place' t0 establish-harmony
among themselves.
Mr w-iiB inSUctive t0 ob3Grve that, so long as
fas' n wf gGd iU an eff0rt to drive the Kan-
so inn!7 P, tfm C -a0Cmts out of the party,
IsZir ? deVteS Ms attention to the task of
ihf o,HngHem0Cratic princIPs. .Mr. Hiil is, in
man f ?? f f Mr' Parker's a"n'
wT; ufS' and a benefctor of his race. But
Tunln T Undertakes. in the building of his
dential ?nn ?rVlde a basis for the presi
benefactorT'116 gentleman' the. scholar and the
S t ?" n a reeme of Judas Is-
thaf "As Iini ' Parker'S rgan iS move t0
koob 1,1 Passe? throu6b the door, respect
goes up tho chimney!"
iranteS wf?" ? J In
hold g L1mocratl Party-one big enough to
"' ? ansaa O'ty Platform demerits' and Olove-
C?eve?a7Crt8- W,U' Wethal nce and tht
repub uZ rratS Went over aW'enla'rged
elons from r ? aWInot' ah eoncos
anatw tt,Y0IUbllcans wh ttey went over,
a. 1c-
wszzza
