The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-22
Another Chicagoan who Thinks Cor
poratiOns Are Not Protected
as Well as WOrkingmen.
MANUFACTURERS ORGANIZING
PREPARING TO FIGHT THE MACHIN-
IsTs' ASSOCIATION.
President O'COnne1l at Cleveland,
where $500 Men May Strike-Fed-
Grafton OF Labor Rulings.

CHICAGO, March 2f-The subcommit-
tee of the congressional industrial COM
mission spent several hours to-day in lis
tening to the testimony of James l.. Board,
of the firm of G. A. Crosby e. Co., metal
working machinery manufacturers. Mr..
Board was emphatic in his opinion that
the manufacturing interests Of Chicago
were being greatly retarded by labor
unionism; that If it were not for the con-
tinual labor trouble and the poor protec-
ton accorded manufacturers by the city
administration the city would be the larg-
est manufacturing center in the world.
Mr.. Board said he had asked the assistant
chief of police for protection for his plant
and workmen, but had been refused, being
told that nothing could be done, owing to
orders which came from some one higher
than the assistant chief of police. Mr..
Board said that, in his opinion. the police
courts generally were intimidated by the
strike spirit that prevailed among the labor
unions.
In answer to a question by Colonel
Clarke, of the commission. as to the prob
able result if the labor troubles continue,
Mr.. Board said that manufacturers would
surely be driven from Chicago to smaller
cent. less owing to cheaper rents and cost
of living. He also said, in answer to
question, that he considered that trades
unionism placed premium on inefi1ciency,
and that labor leaders, from his experience
with them, were looking solely for their
own aggrandizement. '"The average Ameri-
can mechanic" said Mr.. Board. ''is nothing
but an overgrown boy
81 Hfoxyo
Mayer, came a sharp charge that
property owned by corporations was not
receiving due protection either from the
Legislature or from the courts. 1--WE are
in the midst he said, "of a hungry, ra-
pacious rebellion against those property
rights owned by corporations. 1t is ap-
palling and horrifying to consider recent
judicial and legislative history. The most
idiotic climax of the riotously wild course
of Legislatures is the Illinois law Of 1899.
Instead of the poor not having equal pro-
lection with the rich before the law, 1t is
now the other way, as far as the corpora
ton property of the rich is concerned.
The courts are so constituted that they
seem unable to give equal protection to
property. The situation tends more and
more 10 judicial recognition Of socialistic
and communistic principles and judicial
abnegation of corporate property rights"
For reform Mr.. Mayer suggested, first,
uniformity in corporation laws of differ
ent States; second, that the corporations
be given every power that an individual
or association of individuals possesses;
third. that national incorporation act
be passed and that the constitutional
amendment probably necessary for this.
be provided, and, fourth. that the methods
by which political conventions create
judges be changed.
In arraigning the present system of ju-
dicial elections, Mr.. Mayer said: Lawyers
who do a corporation business now find 1t
necessary to give a large part of their
time and ability to the selection of the
Judge before whom the case is to be tried,
rather than to the merits of the case.
They are not after a friendly judge, but
cnly after fair, unbiased judge" He de-
scribed the federal tribunals at present
as the bulwarks Of property, in. way,
and the State courts as the bulwarks for
the workers.
Just before adjournment Mrs. j. s. Robb
was heard. She told a tale of the long al
legged persecution of her husband by the
union he belonged to and said the unions
were violating her rights as an American
citizen. Mrs. Robb at first refused to give
her name for fear her husband would be
further prosecuted. She was informed
that she must do so before her testimony
would be taken. so she complied. MY
husband was a member of the union," said
she. "IIe is painter by trade. One Sun
day, several years ago, he repaired a sky
light during a storm to prevent damage to
5000 worth OF machinery. There was
strike on and he was fined 500 in star
chamber session of the union Being un-
able to pay 1t he was expelled. He has
been prosecuted ever since and has earned
only S. since last October. Neither union
nor employer will do anything for him.
when he has attempted to work. The po-
lice had their backs turned. We have suf-
fered. / am doing dressmaking. 1 want
the State to annul the charters of all or
ganizations il they fail to comply with
the law. We must have some protection.
Tie city administration will not give us
protection"
Tomorrow more testimony will be heard
and labor organizations will probably be
formally represented Informal delegates
Trades Council were present to say that
the council would probably send spokes-
men of its own before the comm ission
leaves the city