The record-union., 1894-08-08
MR.. GOMPERs AS AN APOLOGIST
FOR VIOLENCE.

Mr.. Gompers, in his paper in the North
american ReUfe0, says: Civilization of
the past and present is based upon labor.
and yet the laborer has no standing nor
protection in the economy of our life"
Which is unmitigated bosh. In the
economy of American civilization under
the law there is made no distinction be-
tween citizens. The laborer's political
and social rights are precisely on a level
with those of any other man.
It will serve the purpose of Mr.. Com
psrs to deal in generalities, but when it
comes to detail it is impossible for him or
any one else to indicate wherein the laws
of the republic or its States discriminate
between its citizens.
Gompers adds: at may well be asked,
if the State refuses to deal out some de-
gree of justice and guarantee protection
to labor, what interest has the Iaborer in
the State ?''
This is fine for the sentimental rostrum
and the agitators meetings, but as mat
ter of fact wherein has the State failed
During the past forty years the greater
volume Of the current of legislation has
been in the interest of labor. There has
been scarcely demand made for the i'm
provement of labor conditions that
American legislation has not responded
to.
Already in majority of the States, as
well as in national legislation, the legal
day of hours of labor has been reduced to
the labor demand; aliens have in almost
all the States been excluded from public
works; the supposed competition between
free and convict labor has been much re-
duced; in two-thirds of the States the bal
lot laws have been greatly bettered. and
in majority of the States the absolute
secrecy of the electors ballot has been
guaranteed under the Australian or re-
form ballot system.
There is not a State in the Union that
has failed to set up mechanics lien laws,
not one in which there has been failure to
give the laborers lien preference. The
inheritance tax laws, the contract labor
laws, the laws for protection of opera
tives in factories. the child labor laws,
wage-payment laws. building association
laws, anti-coercion of labor eractments,
wage-preference laws, and large num-
Der of others have all been enaotments
greatly in the interest of the laborer.
The fact that labor wages have ad-
vanced IA per cent.-suffering only recent
decline under the stringency of hard
times-while soil production prices have
fallen off so per cent. and railroad rates
have declined unil we have the cheapest
transportation in the world; that all
along the line of social life the betterment
of conditions for the toiling masses has
been one of constant progression; that in
education. literature. libraries, holidays
and engagement in public debate and ac-
fivity there has been steady march for
ward-these Mr.. Gompers wholly ig
nores.
In political economic directions the es-
tablishment of labor bureaus, depart
nents of labor statistics and labor iu-
quiry, the institution of legislative COM
missions of research into labor condi-
tions and methods for their still greater
betterment, the opening up of public
lands, the erection of the homestead
system and similar activities, the State
and Nation have done more even than
labor agitators have asked.
The records and the days knowledge
born of memory testify that in the last
forty years labor interests have had
greater legislative and public concern
than any others.
Mr.. Gompers is too well informed a
man to justify laying the charge of ignor-
ance at his door; he is then amenable to
the charge of willful misrepresentation
when he asks: sis it not somewhat
strange that the provisions OF the inter-
state commerce law. law passed by
Congress in compliance with the demand
of the people of our country to protect
them against the greed and outrageous
determinations of the railroads. can be