The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1899-08-04

From the FRISCO Labor Council and th,
Governors Reply.

Governors Reply
Gov. Geer yesterday received circu.
lar letter from I'd. Rosenberg, secretary
Of the san Franeisoo labor Council,
urging the governor and citizens of the
state 10 refuse permission 70 war depart.
ment 70 muster out any more troops in
san Francisco, for the reason that the
discharge Of 40 many soldiers there
would result in a glut Of the labor
market, cause a decline in wages and
bring about hard times and suffering.
The Circular says in part.
The strange actions u the depart-
ment in this matter can be explained
only BY inferring the following mo
tives, which conditions compel us 10
note: First, the desire 10 unduly food
the labor market, and thus check the
struggle Of the EOrkingmen for i'm
proved conditions; secondly, % COM
pei the volunteers, driven By want and
desiitutiOn, - re-enlist; thirdly, TO pre-
vent the return Of the volunteers ~
their homes, where % their friends and
relatives they would undoubtedly give
thestrue version Of the people, the eli.
mate, and the general conditions I'm the
Philippines, a. produced by our war oi
conquest.
THE GOSERNOR's REPLY.
Governor Geer answered the appeal
in the following language:
My Dear Sir:--Your appeal 70 M.
self and the citizens Of Oregon, 10 refuse
our permission 10 the war department
engaging further in the criminal policy
Of mastering out the returning volun-
teers in San Francisco. is received. Per
NIT me 10 say that, while / have been
a workingman all my life and while all
my sympathy is with that class Of our
fellow-citizens at all times and every
where, your appeal in their interest (?l
Is illogical, ill-tempered, uncalled for,
and demagogical in the extreme.
"Iour declaration that the war de-
partment IL moved by desire TO food
the labor market and thus check the
struggle Of the workingman for improv-
ed conditions, IL absurd 10 a degree Of
imbecility, but equally rational with the
other statement that the government
desires 10 compel the volunteers, driven
by want and destitution 10 re-enlist or.
AZ you put il, driven by desperation N
re-enlist TO fight against their own con-
victiOns,' etc.
As every one knows, the soldiers
have 20 far been mustered out in San
Francisco solely because they 30 desired.
The question has been left 10 them by
the war department, and there IL not a
man Of them that will not have sufii.
cient money 10 pay his way TO his home.
Such demagogical utterances az these,
which are not only not based on facts, but
bear unmistakable evidence OF q studied
peryersion Of them, DO the real laboring
men Of the United States grave injustice
and, in the end, infinite harm. There
might be a better plan than the one OF
mastering the men out in San Francisco.
in fact, / believe there could be; but 10
seize such an occasion, as the one above
noted, 30 make an infiammatory and al.
most insurrcctionary appeal % our
working people, indicates want Of
good taste, want Of good judgment and a
recklessness Of statement that does no
credit TO an organization engaged in it,
promulgatiOn.
~ think I an justified in saving
frankly, that the people Of Oregon DO
not at all share In the sentiment ex-
pressed in your circular, for they are
sincere friends Of the real wOrkingInan.
OF whom there is not one now out oi
employment, IN the state, who desires
it,