Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-09-28
Mr.. NEFF's POSITION on LABOR.
Republican Congregational Candidate
Replies to Resolutions Adopted
by Industrial Council.

The Industrial Council-which is an
avowed non-political body-has gone into
politics. 1t is now seeking to dictate who
shall and who shall not be elected to con-
gress. At its meeting yesterday resolu-
ton antagonizing j. H. Nef, Republican
nominee for congress. was adopted, be-
cause of his alleged antagonism to organiz-
ed labor. 1t is a significant fact that the
men running for office who secure the In
dustrial Councils Endorsement are almost
without exception Democrats. Populists or
''non-partisans," and the men whom it
antagonizes are Republicans. Hundreds
of good union labor men in Kansas City
have refused in the past to be bound by
it's action in regard to candidates and will
doubtless pay no attention to its denuncia-
tion of Mr. Nefr. Somehow its promised
ana sp snare. ar A notable Instance i, that Of
Ford A. Allen, ex-president of the council,
who was nominated upon the so-called non-
ticket last spring fof city
Council and he and the managers of the
non-partisan campaign were promised
arre umen labor Alien es9s m 6S
many others know that he did not receive
the united union labor vote of the city. The
resolution adopted by the Industrial Coun-
Whereas, ]. H. Nefr, the Republican
nominee for congress. has expressed him
self as being entirely indifferent to the
respecting his candidacy and that he pro-
poses to take the consequences of refusing
to pay the union scale of wages to his
Resolved, That this Industrial Council
denounces the course of Mr.. ]. H. NeH
and calls upon organized labor to stand
and be it further
Resolved. That all possible publicity be
given this resolution to the end that the
public may see that organized labor is a
candidate
his course. Sights a just request and per.
sists in refusing to pay living wages for
labor"
Mr.: Neff was seen last night and made
the following statement of his position in
the matter upon which the Industrial
Council took the above action:
1T is not fair to state that I have been
Indifferent in this matter. On the con-
trary have been very much concerned
In my Office arrangements only after ma
ture deliberation. / have never 3ntagon-
lied labor. but because l have always run
an open office organized labor has sought
to compel me to unionize the Office.
have had a unior> Brv0man for ten years
and have always had a union stereotyper.
last week union men were employed.
"The Typographical Union demanded that
! 'unionize the Office turn out men who
have been with me for years. and put my
business in the hands of the Typographical
Union, allowing 1t to hire and discharge
my men and get out the paper. l refused
10 90 tnlS ana tOlO tne cOmNnttee tnat
would take the consequences. 1 had a
conference not long ago with J. Harry
Lewis, editor of the Midland Mechanic.
asked him IL the union would try to de-
feat me If did not unionize the Office. but
/ did not ask him il 1t would support me
If did. He told me was on the wrong
side and gave me. the impression that he
was for Bryan and free silver. and that
even if did unionize the office he would
see that organized labor did not support
me, though 1t might not make as deter
mined fight as If had unionized the of
flee. But do not believe that a majority
of the people of this or any other commun-
ity would indorse the action of the union
in wanting me to turn over my business
to 1t. 1 believe that organized labor has
rights and that any man has a right to
work for living even if he does not be-
long to union. Whatever the consequences
may be. 1 shall net discharge men who
have been with me for years because they
are not union men.
"I know what it Is to labor. I was
brought up on a farm. and in the little
town where / lived for years, I carried a
hod. worked as teamster. and did as much
hard work as anybody in the town. My
sympathies are with labor. but insist up
on managing my own business affairs and
on employing men regardless of their af-
filfations as long as they do the work for
which l pay them. ] believe that If a fight
was made before the people along this line
the people would indorse my position