People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 April 1894 — WHITTEN BY SPOONER. [ARTICLE]

WHITTEN BY SPOONER.

The Ex-Senator Admits Authorship of Judge Jenkins’ Order. The CoogreMlonal Inquiry Is Ended—While the Judge May Not Be Impeached the Ketult WIU Likely Benefit Labor lute rest*. SPOONER WAS THE AUTHOR. Milwaukee, April 12. Ex-Senator John C. Spooner was the principal witness before the Jenkins investigating committee, which concluded its work here Tuesday. He admitted that he drew the famous strike .order; that he dictated most of the provisions in the petition on which the order was granted, and he contended that as a merely legal matter the injunction was perfectly proper. He did not put on it the harsh construction which is put on it by the labor leaders. The other witnesses who testified wereCniefs Wilkinson, Wilson, Sargent and Clark. Secretary F. W. Arnold, of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers; Attorneys G. P. Miller, W. J. Curtis, Receiver Thomas F. Oakes, and General Manager Kendrick, of the Northern Pacific. Attorney George P. Miller testified that he drew up the supplemental order, the one which restrained the chiefs from advising or counseling with the men, and took it to Judge Jenkins, who, after glancing over it, promptly signed it, thus enabling Mr. Miller to catch a train for St Paul with the injunction in his pocket The chiefs of the railway organizations swore under oath that there was no probability of a strike on the Northern Pacific system at the time the petition was presented to the court and upon the strength of which it restrained the men from quitting the services of the receivers, with or without notice, January 1, 1894, or at any other time. From the testimony which has been introduced it is not probable Judge Jenkins will be impeached, but the committee may recommend that congress pass laws which will prevent a recurrence of the issuance of injunctions of the character of the one issued in this case.

Congressman McGann, of Chicago, who introduced the resolution calling for the inquiry, said he was thoroughly satisfied with the investigation, for it would result in bringing before congress the views of the representatives of the leading railway labor organizations on the principle of government by injunction as set forth in the unprecedented wrjfs of Judge Jenkins. Mr. McGami said he had succeeded in getting just what he wanted—an opportunity to show the national lawmakers that the people did not relish the idea of a federal judge forcing men to continue work against their will, and of limiting the liberty of officers of labor organizations by restraining them from the enjoyment of their constitutional rights. The work of taking testimony was concluded Tuesday evening and representatives Boatner, Terry and Stone took their departure for Washinton, where they will prepare their report without delay and submit it to the house committee on judiciary. Every person who volunteered to throw any light whatever upon the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the celebrated injunctional orders, which were promptly challenged by organized labor, was examined by the committee.