The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-09-19

object TO a system of assisted immi-
grafton and contract labor which has
for it's sole object and purpose the
maintenance in this country of a vast
army of unemployed, fostered and Gre
ated by q damnable collision of trusts
and corporations on the one hand and
of European shipowners' Immigration
bureaus and agents, and prison Off
cials being desirous of being rid of their
criminals and paupers, on the other.
Congress has given us a fair, just
and consistent immigration law, in
tended to protect us not only against
the offscourings Of Europe, but also
against the thousands of Canadian
workmen who come to the United
States every spring, not to make it
their home permanently, but merely
for the seasons employment, and with
the first breath of winter returning
from whence they came and carrying
out of the country every dollar they
have boarded of their savings.
I'VE charge that the present Admin
| istration of state and national affairs,
dominated and controlled by the trusts
and corporations have ignored the pro-
visions of this wise and beneficient law
| by giving it such q notoriously loose
and efficient enforcement, and by al
| lowing all it's most important require
ments to be evaded and in many cases
openly violated by the trusts and cor
porations as to render 1t q farce in the
eyes of all men,.
| FIN placing these facts before you we
| have no wish or desire to appeal to
party prejudice, and are fully aware
that the discussion of partisan politics
or the Endorsement of party candi-
dates has been in the past interdicted in
most of our labor organizations. This
Is as 1t should be, and the principle
should never be dlsregarded, unless for
very grave and important reasons, in
which the welfare of the membership
las whole and regardless Of party
Iaff1liation Is involved.
"When q crisis Of this kind arises,
and 1t becomes necessary to act united
ly for our common interests, no bug-a-
boo Of politics in the union should de-
ter us from openly supporting a man
in whom we feel and know from his
past record we can trust; measures
which have received our approval and
J Endorsement and a platform in which
in every word, sentence and plank is
embodied the cardinal principles of all
that Is best in American trades union
ism. Fear to speak as labor men and
trades unionists at such time cannot
be characterized by any other term
than that of moral cowardice.
This council, representing as 1t does
the thousands of mechanics in the
, building industries of Cincinnati and
Hamilton county, has never feared
, carping criticism in the past, in taking
advanced ground on all questions of
vital interest to it's affiliated member
ship or in advocating measures for the
; common good.
1 1--WE call your attention to the fact
D that the recent convention at Zanes-
| willie has submitted to the people and
! asks your support for ticket that en-
: bodies in it's platform every just and
{ reasonable demand that has been made
! or ever cOntended for by the organized
r labor of the state, either within OF
s without the sphere of our organiza.
tions. If the convention had been one
. of the trades unions and organized
: labor of the state wherein could we
= have improved upon the platform anC
:, principles there promulgated? For the
= first time in the political history of thi:
4 state have either of the great partie!
. given it's unsolicited pledge to the sup
), port of the demands of organized labo,
u and incorporated these demands in it
y platform.
d "The eight hour day; the restriction
: of convict labor; the initiative and ref
e erendum; the abolition of the sweat
h shop and tenement factory; the reaffir
; lmation of declaration of the Chicago
. platform against government by in
. junction; these, each and all, are par
: amount issues and questions of interes
to working men, and the party that ha
= the courage to openly advocate thes
= measures in behalf of the common peo
,. pie should receive their unqualified
a support, regardless Of all past part!
- ties.
5 "Of the gentleman who stands at tn,
q head of the ticket as nominated at th
= GAINESVILLE convention words or en-
f dorsement at this hour, and from thi
e council, would be but superfluous. w,
f have known him for years before h,
was a candidate for office as the un
, swerving friend Of organized labor il
Il all that the term implies in it's brOades
d application; a just and generous en-
= ployer and a man ever ready with his
s means to assist the needy; the unfor
: tunate or distressed. And because WI
. know these things of his past life
= which has been as an open book to us
= and appreciate to the fullest eXten
= the stand which the GAINESVILLE conven
Z ton has taken in the interest of organ
d lied labor, we feel justified in calling
r upon it throughout the state to rally
to the support of the ticket and pledge
= it that of this council and of it's affil
lated organizations and membership
= Fraternally yours,
d The Building Trades Council of Gin
!. cinnati and Vicinity.
= HENRY CANNON, Pres. Pro Tenn
n TSeal.1
= MICHAEL KENNEDY. Rec. Sec"