The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-14
CAPITALS DAY.
Hundreds of Millions Repre-
sented at New Orleans
In Meeting Of National Assoei-
alton of Manufacturers.
WAR ON LABOR UNIONS.
They Are Bitterly Denounced
by Associations President.
Claims Credit for Defeating the
Eight Hour Law.
WAR ON LABOR UNIONS.

New Orleans. April 1.-THE National
Association of Manufacturers repre-
senting hundreds of millions of invested
American capital began at Tulane hall
today, what promised to be the most
important annual convention in the his
tory of The organization. The open and
avowed hostility of President D. M.
Parry towards the methods of organix-
ed labor, has attracted wide attention
and the largely increased delegate rep
resentation from the various manufac-
turing states of the north was declar-
ed by the members to be largely due to
the interest taken by the members in
the labor question. Large delegations
from the eastern and New England
states arrived Sunday and yesterday
and the special train bearing represen-
tatives of the middle states section
came in this morning with President
Parry and other officers Of the associa-
ton. Immediately upon the arrival of
the train the delegates gathered at Tul-
ane hall on University Place, where
James " Porch. vice president for
Louisiana. called the convention to or
der.
After addresses of welcome by Mayor
Paul CapdeVille. of New Orleans and
Governor w w. Heard to which Presi-
dent Parry responded, the convention
settled itself to the serious business Of
the session, beginning with the reading
of the presidents annual report
After calling attention TO the marked
growth of the National Association OF
Manufacturers. which now has over
twenty-one hundred members on It's
roll, Mr.. Parry Immediately took up the
question Of the battle between the man
ufacturers and organized labor In con-
nection with the eight-hour and anti
conspiracy bills, which were defeated az
the last session of congress Referring
TO this contest, Mr.. Parry said:
by its determined opposition to the
passage Of the eight-hour and the anti
Injunction bills this association per-
public service. the full Significance OIL
which IS, perhaps, not realized even by
many who were foremost in condemn
ing those measures. The mere defeat
story What was done that was much
more important and far-reaching was
to give an OppoFtune check to SOclatIstic
impulse 1t is impossible to hide our
eyes to the fact that large mass of the
people, fCrgetful of the liberties ana
blessings they now enjoy, are with rest
I less aTdof striving to force the nation
to what must eventually mean indus
triel disaster, IL not anarchy and des
oOtism
Organized labor, an army presum
ably two million strong, feeling its
strength and exultant over many vic
tories it had won, concluded last win
ter that the time was ripe to make con-
gresS engraft upon the statute books OF
the nation it's sprigs of socialism, legal
izing those denials of individual rights
by force. 1t drew up and fathered the
eight-hour and anti-injunction bills, the
former of which could well have been
entitled An act to repeal the bill of
! rights II a of
individual and the latter should have
been termed "A bill to legalize strikes
and hoxcotts'
The introduction in congress of such
measures as these and the support they
received there and from the press and
public can only be regarded as Ominous
manifestations of the deep seated power
of an organization which in late years
has had such an insidiOus growth that
we find it dominating to a dangerous de-
gree the whole social, political and gov
ernmental systems of the nation. Who
can take note of the hundreds of strikes
of the last year, of the many acts of ag-
gresSiOn and ruthless violation of prin-
/ ciples heretofore held dear by the Amer
/ lean people. of the subserVient and apol-
ogetic tone Of many newspap ers and
I public men towards those things, and
I also of the al too prevalent antagon-
/ ism toward capital without being i'm
! pressed with the gravity of the situa-
tiOn2 If organized labor had succeeded
/ III EtlllHS us Two OILS enacted INTO law
more measures of a similar character
would have followed close upon the
4 heels. and we should have found social
! ism stealing upon us at raptd rate
1t is we'll that those who would
reVOlutionize the social order, should at
/ the very inception of their national pro-
/ gramne meet with organized resista nee.
and it was fortunate that there was an
I association strong enough to check
mate the influence of organized L Dor
/ this last winter, and that at a time
/ when in he full plenitude of its power,
( it seemed certain to succeed This con-
/ fiict-and it was conflict and a very
/ mCmentous One-deserYes to go down
in history as the first decisive defeat of
Z the socialistic forces which have of late
years had surprising growth
Once thoroughly alive to the true
nature of this un-American institution
Of organized labor as at present con-
/ Quoted the people. / firmly believe, will
place their stamp of disapprovaI upon
it, and it viii dwindle in power faster
than it grew. Perhaps a new form of
unionism will take its place-a bene-
hcent unionism-for the right of the
wOrkmen to organize within the spirit
Of the federal constitution is not to be
disputed. Tile employers of this coun-
try have no quarrel with the men that
work for them considered as individ-
uals. The welfare of those who toll in
our factories calls for our most earn
est consideration. But what must
( protest against is the unwarrantable
usurpation of rights and the disastrous
industrial policy which characterizes
them in their present associated ca
pacity.
'Organized labor knows but one law
and that is the law of physical force
the law of the Huns and Nandals. the
law Of the savage All its purposes are
accomplished either by actual force OF
by the threat of force. 1t does not
place its reliance in reason and justice
but in strikes. boycotts and coercion. tt
is. in all essential features. a mob
power knowing no master except its
own Will and is continually condemn
ing or defying the constituted authori-
ties. The stronger it grows, the greater
a menace it becomes to the continuance
Of f'sr7 government. in which al tbs
penn- voice It is. in fact. a
deSuci' springing into being in q
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