Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-10-09
LABOR AND DEMOCRACY

PEELED From the jackson Club-Tht
Columbus Trades Assembly Reseuts the
Insult
On the the 18th inst. the board Of di
rectors of the jackson club. Of Colum.
bus. formally expelled Labor Commits
sioner John Mcbride, and read him out
of the Democratic party. This action
was taken, by order of the club, because
Mr. Mcbride had appointed a Repub-
| Gcan, Mr.. P. ]. Elliott, as superintend-
ent of the state free employment agency
"A non-political Office.
Before expelling Mr.. Mcbride the
jackson club sent him letter, in which
1t claimed that the labor bureau should
be run "in the interest of the Demo-
cratic party and demanded the re-
moval of P J. Elliott and the substitu-
tion of some man acceptable to Demo
crats."
Mr. Mcbride made spirited defense.
| He disputed the claim of the jackson
| club that the labor bureau and the free
employment agencies should be run in
the interest of any political party. He
showed that four out of the five cities in
which the free employment agencies ex-
ist the city councils are Republican,
and yet they promptly and chcerfully
passed ordinances appropriatiug the
salaries Of the superintendent, although
the latter are Democrats He had ap-
pointed those superintendent because
they had been recommended by the
labor organizations OF the respective
cities; and he had appointed Mr. Elliott
to the Columbus agency for the same
reason. 1t was true that MIR. Elliott
wa, Republican; but what was that to
do with it Mr. Mcbride said on this
point:
FirsI, then. the Office Of commissioner
OF labor is in no sense a political one.
Nor has it boen so regarded by the two
great parties since its establishment.
The Office was created by Republican
legislature, under the administration of
Governor Thomas L. Young. There were
more than twenty applicants for the posi-
tion. all of them Republicans But the
trades and labor societies Of Cincinnati
recommended or indorsed a Democrat,
and Governor Young. In response to that
tndorseinent, appointed that sterling
Democrat, the late Harry Walls Mr..
Walls held the office under two admins
trutions, the one Democratic and the
other Republican. He was the only state
officer who had beon permitted to do SO,
thus demonstrating. il any demonstration
is necessary, that the office of labor com
missioner Is not nor never has, since its
creation, been regarded as u political or
partisan position. 1t was established for
the benefit of labor, without regard to
politics.
1t should be remembered by this club.
that the free employment offices are in
tended to help the needy and willing
wage Garner. and not to benefit either the
Republican OF Democratic party The
law is not partisan measure, as is
evidenced by the fact that 1t passed the
Legislature with but one dissentant vote.
the Republicans favoring it with this ex-
ception.
When the interest OF labor and Demo
cracy conflict, you will find John Mo |
Bride on the side OF labor.
The Democratic party, say again, did
not CT, ate this office of superintendent of |
The free employment agency. The legisIa-
ture, Republican and Domocratic, unani- |
mously passed an optional law, leaving it |
10 the councils of the several cities to |
make 1t operative or not, as they pleased. |
after three months struggle, |
1as finally passed the necessary leEisla-
ion to open the office l have appointed |
what yOn arc pleased to term an "alleged
Republican" for this city, and four Dem
rats for the other four cities, and this
90, under a non-partisan law
Does the Jackson club want tho earth
have done.
Tho appointment of Mr.. Elliott was
recommended by the
Columbus trades assembly, and the
.ction of tho jackson club is therefore
construed as direct insult to organ
zed labor.
On the night following the expulsion
# Mr.. Mcbride from the Jackson club,
he Columbus trades assembly had a
arge meeting and passed the following:
WHEREAS, The present general assembly
4 Ohio, without party division, enacted a
law establishing free en-
loyment offices for the benefit of the
rage -earners; and
WHEREAS, A political partisan organiza-
lon, known as the Jackson club, of
in series of resolutions
ssumes that the offices SO established are
or the benefit of the Democratic party, and
hat Hon. John Mcbride, state commits
Ioner of labor, violated his allegiance to
nat party in the appointment for this
lty of Mr.. P. J. Elliott, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, by the trades assembly of Co
INDUS, That we repudiate the claim put
,rth by the jackson club that the free
nployment Offices are the partisan spoiIs
the Democratic party.
RESOLVED, That we recognize the benefi-
.nt intention and the commendable pur-
ose of the law creating these employ
ent Offices, as 1t is conveniently and
non-partisan and for the sole ]
sneft of the wage-earner
RESOLVED, That we heartily approve of
le position taken by Hon. John Mcbride
appointing superintendents for these
ices who have been Endorsed by organ
ed labor without regard to the politics
such appointees.
RESOLVED, That Hon. John Mcbride
entitled to the thanks of organized
Dor In that he especially stated before :
&c jackson club that he was for labor
st, last and all the time as against any
'litical party. 7
Frank j. McColloch. t