The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-10-02
LABOR AND DEMOCRACY.

PEELED From the jackson Club-The
CoIumbus Trades Assembly Rcsents the
Insult.
On the the 18th inst, tSe board Of di-
rtctors q the jackson club, Of Column
bus formally expelled Labor Commis-
sioner John Mcbride, and read him out
was taken, by order of the club. because
Mr.. Mcbride had appointed Repub-
lican, Mr.. P. j. 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-
ton of some man acceptable to Demo
crats.n
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 cheerfully
passed ordinances appropriating 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 Mr.. Elliott
was Republican; but what was that to
do with it Mr.. Mcbride said on this
point
First, then, the office of commissioner
OF labor is in no sense political one.
Nor has it been so regarded by the two
great parties since it's 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 Endorsed Democrat
and Governor Young, in response to that
Endorsement, appointed that sterling
Democrat, the late Harry Walls Mr.
Walls held the Office under two admins
trations, the one Democratic and the
other Republican. He was the only state
officer who had been permitted to do SO,
thus demonstrating, if any demonstration
Is necessary, that the Office. of labor COM
missioner is not nor never has, since its
creation, been regarded as a 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 or Democratic party The
law is not partisan measure, as is
evidenced by the fact that it passed the
legislature with but one dissentant VOTE
the Republicans favoring it with this ex-
eeption.
When the interest of labor and Demo
cracy conflict, you will fnd John Nc
Bride on the side of labor.
The Democratic party, I Say again, did
not create this Office of superintendent of
the free employment agency. The legisla-
ture, Republican and Democratic, unani-
mously passed an optional law, leaving it
to the councils of the several cities to
make it operative or not. as they pleased.
Columbus, after three months struggle,
has finally passed the necessary legisla-
tion to open the Office. l have appointed
what you are pleased to term an alleged
Republican" for this city. and four Dem
Gratis for the other four cities, and this
too, under non-partisan law.
Docs the Jackson club want the earth
have done.
The appointment of Mr.. Elliott was
unanimously recommended by tho
Columbus trades assembly, and the
action of the Jackson club is therefore
construed as direct insult to organ
lied Labor.
On the night following the expulsion
of Mr.. Mcbride from the Jackson club,
tbs Columbus trades assembly had .
large meeting and passed the following:
WHEREAS, The present general assembly
Of Ohio, without party division, enacted
non-partisan law establishing free en-
ployment offices for the benefit OF the
wage -earners; and
WHEREAS. A political partisan organiza-
tion, known az the Jackson club, of
Columbus. in q series Of resolutions
assumes that the Offices so established are
for the benefit Of the Democratic party, and
that Hon. John Mcbride, state commits
sioner Of labor, violated his allegianee to
that party in the appointment for this
city of Mr.. P. ]. Elliott: therefore, be it
RESOLVED, by the trades assembly OF Co
lumbus, That we repudiate the claim put
forth by the jackson club that the free
employment offices are the partisan spoils
of the Democratic party.
RESOLVED, That we recognize the beaefi-
cent intention and ths commendable pur-
pose of the law creating these employ
ment Offices, as it is conveniently and
emphatically non-partisan and for the sole
benefit of tho wage-earner.
RESOLVED, That we heartily approve of
the position taken by Hon. John Mcbride
in appointing superintendents for these
offices who have been Endorsed by organ
ized labor without regard to the politics
OF such appointees.
RESOLVED, That Hon. John Mcbride
is entitled to the thanks of organized
labor in that he especially stated before
the jackson club that he was for labor
first. last and all the time as against any
political party.
Frank j. McColloch.
Frank J. McColloch, the Republican