Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-26
PLANK FOR ORGANIZED LABOR
Platforms Of the Two Parties Contain tho
Same Declarations,
SENATOR THURSToN EXPLAINS THE POINT
Democrats ut Chicago simply Cory
the ReaGiution adopted by the
Republicans mt st. Louis
Weeks Before.

LINCOLN, Oct 25.-tspecial) -senator
Thurston during his speech last night made
the following statements concerning the rel
alive positions of the republican and popo-
cratic parties respecting the interests of
organized labor:
| notice that Mr.. Bryan on last Tuesday
declared that Mr.. Mckinley would be sup
ported by all those interests and persons
that are oppose to the arb tration declura-
lion OF the Chicago platform and also by
all those persons and interests opposed TO
the enactment Of the so-callcd "contcmpts
OF court biz passed by the senate last
spring. In making this statement MIR.
Bryan is endcavorlug to convince the or
gani2ed labor of the United States that
lion SPd Is opboscd te 3Rp Temeda ies
bill In view of this It is only fair and
plicit statement on both these subjects.
At the St. Louis convention ] received
master of the brotherhood of Locomotive
TO assist i'm securing the Insertion of IA
plank in the republican national platform
declaring in favor of a board of arbitration
to settle disputes between transportation
companies and their employees engaged in
Interstate transportation; and, with others,
| actively assisted in securing the adoption
by the committee on resolutions, and by
the unanimous vote of the convention. of
the following:
I'VE favor the creation OF natonal
board of arbitration to settle and adjust
differences which may arise between EN-
ployers and employed engaged in interstate
This plank was adopted on June IS, 1896
The Chicago convention, on July y. 1870
followed the. example thus set, and de-
1--WE are in favor of the arbitration of
differences between employers engaged in
interstate commerce and their employees,
and recommend such legislation as is
necessary to carry out this principle,
/ call the attention of the country to
the fact that the republican party is the
Nionecr In declaring for general arbitra-
ion legislation, such as opganiz3edd o labor
between the two platforms in this respect,
the plank in the republican platform Is the
Sarssi ana efter Of June "a 1885, from
Mr.. Sargent. from which ! feel at liberty
10 quote. In this letter Mr.. Sargent,
speaking of the railway organizations
1T has been source of satisfaction to
the chief executives of these brotherhoods
TO know that in YOU who have been so
prominently Identified with the railway in
not been unmindful of the fact that you
were very pronounced in your declara7
items in regard to the c9ntempts biii passg9d
demanded by the representatives, of the
railway organizations. We also appreciate
The fact that at time when so many DE.
mands were being made upon you, when
such weightv responsibilities rested upon
YOU MS in the St Louis convention, you
found the time TO consider the interest OF
Tho railroad employees ana that You sue
ceeded In obtaining declaration from the
Great republican party in favor of arbitro-
ton"
CONCERNING CONTEMPT CASES.
Now % to the so-called 'contempts OF
tory and see who can Justly claim credit
for that legislation which Mr. Bryan ana
the Chicago platform would nave the work
ihgmen of his country believe is their crca-
lion and that they alone are It's supporters
Growing out of the proceedings OF the Debs
case there was seen the necessity for some
modification of court procedure in the
manner of trial and punishment for con
ilmpts of court, when the acts CONSTITUTE
ing such contempt were not committed in
the presence of the court. 1t was brought
prominently 10 the attention of the coun-
try that under such charge a man might
he brought up for trial and convicted and
punished on affidavit testimony, without
having n chance TO meet the accusing
witnesses face to face, and without the
right of jury or appeal. The railway or
gani2ati lions of this country sent Hon. 7. w.
Harper of Terrc Haute. Ind. as their at
torney to Washington last winter TO repre-
sent them in securing the enactment of
law to properly cover the case. Mr.. Har-
per was one of the attorneys of the Union
Pacific employees, who appeared before
Judges Caldwell and Sanborn at the labor
hearing in Omaha two years ago. In
mitted the bills which himself and asso-
ciates had prepared, and which, with some
slight modification had been introduced by
three or four different senator's took the
bills carefully examined them, and drafted
Substitute for them all, which l sub
| mitted to Mr.. Harper, and which he and
his associates, after careful consideration,
| agreed was exactly what they desired, and
was a much better bill than any OF the
| others. L nereupGn Introduced my bhi
| in th~- Senate. All of these bills were re-
ierred to the judiciary committee. All
these bills were referred by the judiciary
committee to n subcommittee consisting
of Senators Hill of New York, Villas of
Wisconsin and Thurston of Nebraska.
These three senators thus named sat down
examining an the bills, drew and reported
the bill which passed the senate, and
which is the one referred to in the Chi
cago platform and by Mr. Bryan
ARE ALL OPPOSED TO BRYAN
The bin as II passed the senate, while
it differed little In the language employed
from the one introduced ny me. was eX
actly the same in all its provisions !
call the attention of the country to this
fact, I'm order that the labor interests of the
United States may clearly understand that
all three of the men who drew and reported
that bill are unalterably opposed to the
Chicago platform. Two of them, n
democrat, and the other republic9ni are
of the Chicago convention, while the
third Senator Hnl, is still in the wilder
ness of political uncertainty, sadly con-
sidering the subject of REORGANIZATION and
predestination, and has recently been
heard repeating to himself that expressive
81 can or can't. viii or won't;
I'll be damned If do, I'll be damned If
don't"
On this historical statement of the exact
facts with reference to the declaration
in favor of arbitration, ar:r In the matter
of the passage of the "contcmpts of court
bill" ! ask the laboriny people of the
United States to consiier well as to whether
or not they are to support and sustain
that party and those men who have proven
their friendship by acts done. or whether
they will be led away and bllndly follow
those whose friendship is by word Of mouth
alone.
UNKNOWN QUANTITY GETTING OUT.