Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-11-03
BUREAUCRATIC RECORD
On Labor Legislation in the Gem
eral Assembly of Illinois.


The speech of Hon Clayton E. Crafts,
recently delivered ut Chicago Heights,
in Cook county, has aroused the inter
est of the laboring people all over the
state and caused them to inquire into
the good record Of the democratic
party in regard to labor legislation in
the general assembly Of Illinois, The
stirring addresses of Lieut.. Gov. Gill,
who presldcs over the senate the same
as Speaker Crafts has presided over the
house for SO many years past. has
called public attention of the labor or
CARNATIONS to the fact that the anti
boycott law, the anti-Pnkerton law,
the anti-sweatshop law and nearly
every other measure in the interest of
the laboring classes were passed by
democratic legislatures. At the scs-
sion at which nearly all these bills
were passed Speaker Crafts presided
over the house and was largely instru-
mental in directing legislation. After
alluding to the democratic record in
the general assembly, amid great APP
plause Speaker Crafts spoke as fol-
lows to the four Thousand citizens of
Chicago Heights:
The democratic party was founded by
Thomas Jefferson at Slc beginning OF our gov
ernment. Its record is interwoven with the
history OF Our country. 1t has promu igated and
enforced nearly every public policy which has
made our nation free. prosperous and great
[Applausel
1t has for itS aim the extension of the d.
rect control OF the government by the people
1t favOrs the widest suffrage. 1t opposes special
privileges. tAppianse.l 1t believes that the
rewards Of industry should remain with the
Industrious. and opposes all laws which, in
their operation. give one man an advantage
over the many: hence. 1t has always opposed o
protective tariff so called, believing that the
only protection 1t affords is to protect
the manufacturer in securing exorbitant
profits. by charging more for his prod
pct than he could. but for the
tariff. thus allowing him to get rich by
the operation OF o law which gives him On cd
vantage over his neighbors. who are engaged
In other lines OF industry. 1t opposes Il be-
cause it believes that this advantage arouses
the 2varice OF men. causes them to rush into
manufacturing beyond the power of the coun-
try to consume. in other words, stimulates
over production thus resulting In shut-dolUns,
sOcsouts and strikes, and ultimately panics, de-
moralizing tho business Of the country and
causing financial distress and ruin IAp-
plause-l 1t believes in raising portion of the
revenues 10 support the national government
by tariff upon imports, so adjusted as
to fall heaviest upon articles Of luxury: and
not to interfere with the Industries of the
country by either hamperiag or stimulating
production. 1t believes that inaivid-
unl exertion will bring about perna-
ncnt prosperity and happiness That
tdm makes prosperity Is fecting sham o
fraud and delusion. [Applause.l 1t believes
that the Skill Intelligence and genius Of our
almost universally educated p>ople. can pro-
duce moro goods, better quality. with less
cXertion, and hence can sell ut O cheaper price,
than any other country on the earth. lad
plause.l 1t believes that the manufacturers Of
this country. If tssey were not haInpered by q
protective tariff. could manufacture goods
cheaper than any other country and could
therefore sell their products In every land: and
thus. instead OF being limited 10 the markets
of this country, and limiting their production
TO supply only our home market. they would
have the markets Of the whole world IN which
TO sell their product [Applause.1 They would
extend their manufacturing TO meet the in
crcastnR demand, and use vastly more material
ana give employment 10 great many moro
men which would result in the sueadier en-
ployment of labor ut better wages than now
In 1916. the democratic party passed u reve-
nue. tarin measure which remained in force
until 1857. when. by general consent of the
manufacturing states Us well tho agricul-
tural stntcS. 1t was still further reduced. So
| great WINS the increase OF manufacturing so
satisfactory was this law, and so prosperous
i WuS eAc SouHtry, tuiht bucrc WAS not u line
any party platform upon the subject of tariff
during all those years tApplausc
So 1t will be now with the Wilson bill' In
force. Manufacturing will increase naturally
to meet end supply not only our own consurlp-
| tion. but the markets OF the world; which
means more material more work. more money
In wages distributed. more prosperity, steady
| employment and better wages lGreat mp
| plause.l
The town of Chicago Heights, where
the above speech was delivered. was
founded in 1892, but two years ago, and
now has population of 1000 people
1t is purely manufacturing town, and
under the democratic tariff every fac
tory is running full force of
them night and day.