The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-09

l. OF them. whether Il majority or
minority remains to be seen, are
inclined to nominate an exclusively labor
candidate for recorder. II is within
their right to do this, but whether
it would he wise to do it is fairly open
to argument. We do not suppose that
anything we might say on the subject
would influence the action of to-
nights convention; nevertheless, certain
thoughts appear TO be timely.
In President ROoSevelt'S recent mes
sage to congress. where he considers the
relations of labor and capital, occur
these words: "Above all, we need to
remember that any kind of class ami
mostly in the political world is, If pos
sible, even more wicked, even more
destructive to national welfare, than
sectional, race, or religious animOsity.
We can get good government only upon
condition that we keep true to the
principles upon which this nation was
founded, and judge each man not as
part Of q class, but upon his individual
merits" Have these words any bear
ing upon the proposition to make Il
distinctively labor campaign for the
recordership?
The duties of the recorder are two
fold: first. to enforce the law; and,
secondly, to devise policies and methods
whereby the administration OF the
city's affairs may be improved. I'm the
enforcement of law. an honest man in
the recordership cannot observe class
distinctions. He cannot, for example
hold the law over one set Of taxpayers
and not over another. II he is true TO
his oath of office and the duties which
it imposes, he cannot grant to men be-
longing to labor unions any privileges.
indulgenceS or exemptions which he
would Withhold from men not belong
ing to labor unions. II that be true,
there is no special reason, SO far as
the enforcement of law is concerned,
why laboring men should form a labor
party to nominate and try to elect a
labor candidate for municipal chief eX-
ecutive.
Coming TO the second class of the
recorders duties, devising policies and
methods. we find an equal absence of
good argument for a labor campaign.
Here, again, labor has no right to ask
or expect special privileges or exemp-
tiOns; but it has a right to ask for
just consideration and fair play. Has
it been denied this in the past? Is it
likely that, with workingmen contribut-
ing largely to the vote of each of the
permanent political parties, it would be.
denied it in the future? II such de-
nial should occur, would it not easily
be possible to make effective protest
against it at the next ensuing election?
Is it wise to cross a bridge before it
has been reached?
The men who are considering a labor
campaign are, We suppose, ordinarily
Republicans OF Democrats. Why do
they not go into the primaries of their
respective parties and secure by u
marshaling of their strength the nom-
ination of candidates In whose fairness
and ability they would have ample con-
iidence? That is what other classes of
citizens do or can do when they wish
to- 1t is the way that avoids the crea-
tion Of class friction and animosities so
far as our political life is concerned and
that preserves us from eXcesses due to
spasmodic politics.
1t has been the history of la Dor move
ments in the past that their conversion
into political parties has been disap-
pointing and disintegratng. They may
win a campaign or two when class cX-
element and prejudice are unusual; but
they soon fall into internal pickering
and dissension and fade from view.
One of the Wisest articles in John Nit
chells economic creed has been his
premptory and unqualified refusal 10 let
the United Mine Workers of America
be converted into a political machine.
He has found little difficulty in gaining
the ear of the political leaders of the
permanent parties on this basis of nom
partisanship, and we have no doubt
that the same is true Of other success.
ful labor organizers.
The question to le asked in select-
ing recorder is not. is he u labor
unionist, or an employer, but is he u
competent, upright and broad-mlnded
man? To ask this question and answer
lit at the approaching city election does
not require n labor party.
At the Waldorf, in New York, on
Friday night, five hundred natives of
the Keystone state'- who have since
domiciled themselves in the metropo-
lis will gather together TO celebrate
the greatness of their birthplace. The
Pennsylvania Society of New York, of
which Bishop Potter is president and
Andrew Carnegie ylee-p president, is
four years old, and this will be its
fourth annual banquet. Iiut TO show
that it is a growing Institution, ar
rangements have been made for IN un-
usually elaborate affair. Bishop Pot