Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 96, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1902 — BLOW TO STRIKERS. [ARTICLE]

BLOW TO STRIKERS.

•JUDGE JACKSON FINDS GUILTY OF CONTEMPT. Organizers of the Mine Workers Sentenced to Jail for Violating Injunction—Strike Leaders Denounced as “Professional Agitator*.” After excoriating “Mother” Jones, the “good angel” of the striking miners, and bitterly denouncing labor agitators. Judge Jackson of the United States District Court at Parkersburg, W. Va., sentenced organizers of the United Mine Workers’ Association to jail for contempt of his Injunction of June 19, as follows: Thomas Haggerty, ninety days in jail; William Morgan, Bernard Bice, Peter Wilson, William Blakely, George Bacon, Thomas Uaskavish, sixty days each. The courtroom was filled with an intensely excited crowd of miners and officials of labor unions. Judge Jackson’s huge frame shook with emotion as he dramatically emphasized portions of his decision. The Judge’s decision was prefaced by the bitterest attack ever made on union methods. It goes even further than Judge Jenkins’ famous order, or the decision of Judge Kohlsaat forbidding pickets speaking to workmen. The miners agree that this is the most effective blow that could be struck against the men’s cause in their attempt to get out the 12,000 miners in the Fairmont coal field.

“In my long experience on the bench,” said Judge Jackson, “I cannot recall a single occasion where any court, either Federal or State, ever abused the writ of injunction in what is known aS* strike cases.” The court then went on to charge “Mother” Jones and the others were in a conspiracy to get the miners to quit work. He said: “Where a conspiracy exists to control the employes, as in this case, either by threats, intimidation, or a resort any other mode usually accompanying the action of strikers, such action on their part is not only illegal, but a malicious and illegal interference with the employers’ business. These defendants,” he continued, “are known as professional agitators, organizers, and walking delegates. They have nothing in common with the people who are employed in the mines of the Clarksburg Fuel Company. Their mission is to foment trouble. The strong arm of the court is invoked, not to suppress free speech, but to restrain these defendants, whose only purpose is to bring about strikes by trying to coerce people who are not dissatisfied with the terms of their employment.” Judge Jackson said the utterances of “Mother” Jones in her address near the Pinnickinniek mines June 20 should not emanate from a citizen of this country. “Such utterances,” he remarked, “are the outgrowth of the sentiments of those who believe in communism and anarchy.” It was the abuse of free speech, according to the jurist, that inspired the anarchists and assassin to take the life of our late President. The Judge then reviewed the speech of “Mother” Jones, in which she is reported to have called the miners slaves and cowards; said she did not care anything for injunctions—that if arrested the jails would not hold the agitators who came to take their places, and advised the men to strike, winding up by calling the Judge ■ hireling of the coal company. "It fe true,” said the court, “■‘Mother’ Jones denies some of these statements, but her denial is equivocal.” For being present, taking an active part and applauding the speaker, the seven defendants were held to be also guilty of contempt. The court took a rap at modern women in criticising the principal defendant. “It seems to me,” he said, “that it would have been far better for her to follow the lines and paths which the All Wise Being intended her sex should pursue. There are many charities in life which are open to her, in which she could contribute largely to mankind in distress, as well as a vocation and pursuit that she could engage in of a lawful character, that would be more in keeping with what we have been taught, and what experience has shown to be the true sphere of womanhood.”

Judge Jackson suspended judgment in the case of “Mother” Jones. He stated that she had been found guilty of contempt, “but as she is posing as a martyr, I will not send her to jail or allow her to force her way into jail.” He said he would hold conviction over her, and if she again violated the injunction he would sentence her heavily. Mitchell Would Appeal. President John Mitchell, when shown the decision of Judge Jackson, said it was the most outrageous he had yet heard of. He declared that an appeal would at once be taken to the United States Supreme Court, and that an appeal would immediately be made to President Roosevelt to interfere before the decision of Judge Jackson could be enforced. “Such a decision breeds anarchy,” said Mitchell, “as It causes the masses to lose all confidence in the courts or even the constitution of the United States. If the courts* can set aside the constitution and deprive citizens of the rights to which they are entitled under it, how can they expect citizens to respect them?”