The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-23
ALDWELL:: WHY NOT
While We Are Talking of Pres
idential Candidates,
Why Not Consider Judge Henry
C. Caldwell
ANIDEAL CANDIDATE.
The Open Friend of Free Silver
Coinage
And Liberal in His Views on
Labor Matters.
ANIDEAL CANDIDATE.

In this era of president making, Kan
sas, as in all other movements occupies
a commanding position. Her voice IS
heard early in the contest, and although
she may not cut much of a figure in the
next national Republican convention,
her representatives will be there, occu-
pying seats near the front row.
The time was when Kansas Repub-
licans idolized one man, and it was con-
ceded that the delegation to a national
convention was for James G. Blaine as
against the world if he was a candidate
for the presidential nomination. But
Blaine is dead and no man has ever
taken his place in the hearts of the
Kansas Republicans. There is no man
in this country who can command Kan
sas Republicans as Blaine did. The Nc
hinleys, the Reeds. the Allisons and the
u aortous, who today figure as leading
candidates were regarded as pigmies as
compared to ''the man from Maine"
The Republicans of Kansas are not
satisfied with any of the men now talked
about for president Mckinley made a
fatal mistake when he declared at Thorn
asvllle, Georgia, that he would bolt the
Republican party if it should declare for
the free coinage of silver. His friends
IN Kansas and the west urged him to
deny that interview or to a. least modify
it, but he did not do it.
Reed has a following in Kansas, and it
is known that his views on the money
question are more liberal than thuse of
mckinley, but they are not liberal
enough to suit the Kansas Republicans.
The same may be said of ex- President
Harrison, Governor Morton and Senator
Allison. All of these men lean to the
gold standard idea. at least they are
afraid to declare themselves. For this
reason the Republicans are waiting. No
presidential candidate can today claim
the vote of Kansas in the next national
convention. Certainly none of the avowed
candidates can expect support from this
aud other western states unless they
desert the gold standard crowd.
Why should Kansas Republicans per-
NIT Ohio, New York, or New England to
dictate their choice for president? Why
should they not name a man who towers
above all of the avowed candidates in
point of ability, character, statesmanship
and strength with the common people?
Why not Judge Henry c. Caldwell of
the United States circuit court? What a
blessing it would be if this government
could be administered for four years by
q man who recognizes that the great
masses of the common people-the
bread winners and creators of wealth,
have rights which the concentrated
power of capital is bound to respect
On the question of money, Judge
Caldwell stands squarely for the free
coinage of silver. In recent interview
sent TO the Associated Press from Denver,
this able jurist said it would be little less
than crime if the people of this coun-
try permitted Wall street to fasten upon
this nation the gold standard The SEN
timents expressed by Judge Caldwell
were commented on by the press of the
west, and his interview was printed
throughout the union.
But Judge CaldwelTs position on the
money question is not the only reason
that ne would % strong with the peopIs
as a candidate for the pres 1dency. He is
the stronges man in the United States
with the labor classes. Organized labor
would vote for Judge Caldwell almost to
2 man. His famous decision at Omaha
in April of last year in the Union Pacific
case was the g reatest victory labor ever
achieved in this country.
Readers of the STATE JOURNAL will
remember the Union Pacific wage sched-
ule contest case, in which the receivers
of that road arbitrarily reduced the
wages of the employees. In that decision
this declaration of the court stands out
most prominently:
"a corporation is organized capital it
is capital consisting of money and prop
erty."
"Organized labor is organized capital:
it is capital consisting of brains and mus
Gle"
What it is lawful for one to do it is
lawful for the other to do"
sit is lawful for the stockholders and
officers of corporation to associate and
confer together for the purpose of re-
ducing the wages of its employees, or of
devising some other means of making
their investments profitable; it is equally
lawful for organized labor to associate,
consult and confer with view to main
tain or Increase wages"
both act from the prompting of en-
Hghtened selfshness and the action of
both is lawful when no illegal or Grim
inal means are used or threatened"
In his decision Judge Caldwell said:
"Ihe relation of these men to the COM
pany and their rate of wages were deter
mined IN the main by certain written
rules, regulations and schedules. some of
which had been in force for more than a
quarter OF a century, and all of which
had been IN force substantially as they
stand today, for period of eight years
and more. These rules, regulations aud
schedules were the result of free and
voluntary conference, held from time to
time between the managers of the rail-
road and the officers and representatives
of the several labor organizations re-
reporting the men in the different sub
divisions or branches of the service. viz. j:
The Brotherhood of LOCOMOTIVES En-
gineers, the Brotherhood of Fireman.
the Order of Railway Conductors. the
Order Of Railway TeIegraphers, the