The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-26
Organized Labor Fares Roughly in the
Hands of Democratic House.
Msjority Is Big Enough to 10 Without Il, and
1t Stands by Representative Hord and
His Nom Union Measure.
Indianapolis Charter Amendments Pass
the House Without Opposition.
Appellate Court Bill Passed-PriZs-Fighta and
School Election Bills Killed-Senate Length
ems Municipal Terms of Office.
Democratic Majority Sits Down Hard ON the
Labor Element.


Democratic Majority sits Down Hard on the
Labor Element.
The House INDUCED In the first lively
scene of the session yesterday afternoon.
and IN the outcome organized labor got
pretty severe black eye.
The committee rights and privileges
reported In favor of transferring to the
labor committee Mr.. Hord's bill making It
o misdemeanor to discharge an employee for
not belonging to labor organization. Mr..
Hord ct once moved to reject the report and
have the bill printed, and in speaking to
this motion said:
"a few days ago q bill passed this House
making il o misdemeanor to Discharge an
employe for belonging 20 q labor organize
ton. This law believe to be unconstitu-
tionsl. It is class legislation Of the worst
sort. 1t says men cannot be discharged
for belonging to labor organizations. leav-
ing the implication that they can be DIS
charged for not so belonging. l offered
this bill to equalize matters and make both
classes of labor union and nom union,
equal before the law. i am anxious that
this bill shall not 60 to the committee on
labor. where IL would fall into the hands
OF its enemies, men opposed to
It This is just bill, and
j should like to have any member
of this House stand upon his feet and tell
me why il should not pass" and in this
strain Mr.. Hord kept on for a few minutes.
Hench interrupted him to ask if this bill
that passed did not touch simply upon the
police powers of the State. THAT has
nothing to do with its constitutionality,
replied Mr.. Hord. THAT bill protects one
class and does not protect another. and
again l ask the privilege of the House to
have my bill equallZlng things printed
instead of allowing 1t TO fsll into the hands
of a committee prejudiced against lt."
The eyes of MIR. Deery. VINO sits at the
same desk with Hord, and Is chairman of
the labor committee. were flashing little
during this talk. and he was upon his feet
in an instant. THE gentleman" he cried,
has seen fit to reflect upon the motives of
the members of your committee. He has
DO right to cast reflections upon, any COM
mittee appointed by the Speaker of this
House, and say we Will not do right when
it Is oar sworn duty. In time we shall
make proper answer TO the young orator at
my right. When he grows TO manhood he
will probably regret his attitude n this
House. If had have thought my seat-mate
would thus reflect upon me j should not
have asked him to share my seat. I'll get
somewhere else outside If necessary Ard
Wisdom may sometimes flow from the
mouths of babes and sucklings" replied
Mr.. Hord, land / submit TO the common
sense of the House that it is not fair to
give the bill 70 committee opposed to it,"
What right have you" asked Deery.
jumping up, Ito say that the committee is
opposed to it when it has made no ex-
preston on the snbjectP'
That is common talk In tho hotel lob
bies," replied Hord, and l know that you
yourself have talked in opposition to it."
"Not publicly" replied Deery. land you
have no right to say on the floor of this
House that IL is prejudiced."
81 know You are opposed to It," replied
Hord, "for you have told me SO yourself
and you cannot deny itp
Mr.. Deery sat down in some confusion
and the House appIauded freely. Hord
continued: II submit to the House that
this Is not a fair committee to handle this
bill, and renew my motion to reject the re-
port"
the motion. but the House sat upon him.
Hords motion to reject was then carried
by q standing vote. nearly the whole DEM
ocratic side voting In the affirmative. The
necessary TO suspend the rules to adopt his
motion to have the bill printed, but the
House suspended them and ordered the bill
printed. Deery declined to speak to
Hord during the rest of the after
noon, and almost the sole topic of con-
versatlon Was the almost unanimous action
of the House majority In sitting down on
the leader OF the organized labor forces.
Representative Hord takes exception to
the accusation of treschery and breaking
of promises made by the joint legislative
committee of the labor unions. He has
not played double with them. Mr.. James
Compton, of this committee some days ago
showed a Journal reporter Hord's answer
to the list of questions submitted by the
Central Labor Union last autumn. The
first of these was as to whether he would
support q bill making 1t a misdemeanOr To
discharge man for belonging to labor
organization. His reply was: mo. think
bill so broad as you suggest would be IN
constitutional"
At Tuesday nights regular meeting of
the Joint legislative committee" COM
posed of representative delegates from the
various branches of organized labor in the
State. the following preamble and resolu-
tons were unanimously adopted:
Whereas, This legislative committee, repre-
sentatives OF seventy thousand worklngmen In
the state OF Indiana. do now and have for years
realized the neglect OF our interests by our legis-
lators. in refusing TO afford us relief by placing
Just laws upon our statute-books LOOKING 10 that
end: therefore. be it
Resolved, That we VOW and declare that those
who are now In position to give us this relief
will be held directly responsible for any indiffer.
such reasonable measures as we may
advocate and 1ndorse, and that the
secretary OF this committee shall prepare o
faithful report of the action. with the record OF
measures we are advocating OF much trouble
ard expense.
Resolved, That the record made up from
the notes kept by the executive committee
stationed at the State-house shall be considered
Official and the same shall be prepared in printed