The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1903-08-01
v ASnINCTON LETTER.
Washington, July 81, 1908.
tFrom our Regular Correspondent

L
not require demonstration of the fact
that their President is entirely fear
less or that he proposes to admin ster
the affairs of the government with alb
solute justice, regardless of his own
political fortunes, but they have re-
ceived it in the courageous position
assumed by the President with regard
to the employment OF union labor in
the various departments Of the gov
eminent. The case of William Miller,
an assistant foreman of the govern
ment printing office, called forth from
the President the enunciation Of poll
icy which for fifty years no president
has dared proclaim, This is to the
effect that no discrimination shall be
made between union aud non union
ment. Mr.. Roosevelt cites the union
decision, Of the Anthracite Coal Strike
Commission in support Of his decision
the commission having decided that
men in the coal mines must not be
Disseminated against because they
were not members OF union.
Miller was dis Missed by the Public
Printer because he had been expelled
from the Bookbinders Union Miller's
crime was an attempt to save money
for the government by insisting on
the performance Of more work than
the union permitted his sabordinates
TO do. It must be understood that
the Bookhinder's Union in Washing
ton prescribed n limit to the amount
of work which each man shall per
form in day. Finally, when Miller
refused to yield to the dictation of the
union, he was expelled from Its mem
bership and Immediately discharged
| bv the Public Printer iJr that reason,
| a proceeding which Mr.. Roosevelt
characterizes "a lacking in element
ary decenay.r The President prompt
Y order d Miller reinstated. This has
been done. The bookbinders have
now filed charges with the Public
Printer which they believe will prove
ample to warrant Miiler's discharge
hut they have also issued statement
10 the effect TINT they cannot worktn
the Office with Miller but will be com
PEELED to strike if he Is retained in
his present position The unfortun-
ate part Of the situation is that the
constitution of the union conflicts
with the laws Of the Uaited States so
that If the Public Printer should not
find sufficient ground for discharging
Miller he could not, according TO law,
dismiss him and the binders, accord.
ing to tho laws OF their union, could
not remain. IT, again, the binders
were to strike, they would be con
spring against the government and
could never be- reinstated without a
change OF the United States statutes
by Congress What the outcome OF
this peculiar situation will be 1t is inn
possible TO predict In several simi.
lar instances previous Presidents
have lodged the ISSUE and now that
President Roosevelt has met it
squarcly there are many VINO believe
il viii not rost him the sensible labor
vote OF the country The Govern
ment is still q little bigger than any
union, whether capital, or of labor,
and sensible capitalists and laborers
will see that It stays bigger,
Aftrr years of discussion and con
tension, shipbuildiug in the navy
yards of the country has at last found
favor with the higher officers who
have come to believe that it would be
desirable for the government to build
It's own vcssels There is now consid.
cradle delay because Of the labor
troubles in the yards of tho trust
which has the contracts for the build
ing OF thirteen vessels Moreover, it
IL claimed TINT the constant work
which would eusue, were the govern.
ment to build it's own ships, would
materially increase the value of the
| yards and would have a tendency to
prevent the labor difficulties which
now arise irom the necessity which
contronts employees of finding work