The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-26

Governor Garvin addressed the Painters
and Decorators union last night his
theme being General Labor" lie said
IN part:
AT this time we see all about us the
great effect of organization. Business
has been 30 systematized and its organ
ization so perfected that the methods in
use some years ago are no longer of SER
vice. Money is used on a large scale
everywhere and corporations have become
so skilful i'm manipulating II that they
have become tremendously powerful
Labor also has begun TO organize and
every intelligent worklngman appreciates
the advantage of associa tion for mutual
interest Yet labor has not become so
unified as 10 make any impression on the
trusts, either i'm weakening them or con-
trolling them 80 far as we can see. The
trusts have become so influential In con-
trolling all public affairs that the labor
ing man is in real danger.
zone OF the departments of the pubic
service over which the trusts have "x-
tended their influence is the judicial de-
partment. We have seen only recently
how potent this influence is by the issu-
snce OF an injunction by certain judge
preventing certain laboring men from
striking.
workingman wonder where his liberties
are 10 be exercised. II "a man has not
the right 10 stop working, what right has
he? And If one man wants TO stop work
why not any number of menP IT seems
20 me that the right to strike Is right
which should be respected by everybody,
and not even the Judiciary has power 10
deny IT. This case that l mention is
only one of a great many.
I'VE have seen for number OF years
great bodies OF workingmen hampered In
their movements by the dictum Of one
single Judge. No one man should have
such power Such cases should be de-
cided by a jury. Laboring men have also
the difficulty OF facing corporations hos
tile to union labor. Right here In this
city, after the street railway company,
after the strike, hired men on the condi-
tion that they should not join a labor
union. This Is discrimination. and II
should be stopped by public opinion.
no LABOR REFORMS.
Another branch OF the government
which the corpora tions have I'm their pow
er is the legislatures In this state II is
almost impossible to bring about any re-
forms In the interest OF labor. although
many other states have had these re-
forms on their statute books for some
time.
Sometimes the legislature makes
pretence TO be much interested in the
workingman, but as soon as the election
passes by this enthusiasm Is very much
dampened and all the work done preVl-
ously is either repealed or is not effective
~ carried out. Only last year a law was
passed recurring a 10-hour day for street
railway employees, but soon after election
this law was repealed. and the old T.
hour schedule was again I'm force. And so
II goes.
the State House along this line, but
whether IL will be Of any permanent
value or not is a question. We have the
BARRIERS bill and the Stationary Engin-
eers' bill now pending. but they are not
entirely disposed Of and we cannot tell
what will become OF them. The legisla-
ture may throw sop TO labor. but labor
ing men cannot expect much from our
Lawmakers.
"The executive branch OF our state gov
eminent has been made so powerless that
the executive himself can do but little.
lie IL tripped and hindercd at every turn,
and the governor as state OFFICIAL is OF
little Importance, ] have but little privi-
lege in the appointment OF men to official
position so great Is the confirming power.
] can only make recommendations. and
these recommendations may or may not
be carried out.
'For instance, would like 10 see the
factory laws of this state enforced. We
have some factory inspectors who are
supposed TO look out for this, -hut-exery-
body knows how our factory laws are
looked after. The other day received an
ANONYMOUS letter stating that certain
mill In Olneyville was violating these
laws Now. OF course. an anonymous let
ter does not give facts, and facts are nee
essary before we can go ahead with any
reform.
II have been investigating these condi-
tions. and In few days ! shall suggest
further investigation by the factory in
spectors, and will ask them TO report 10
me Perhaps they will do this. and per-
haps they won't. 1t lies entirely with
them. This is only a sample OF what the
executive has TO contend with.
"If there are all these evils existing
which prevent the laborlng man from Sc
curing his rirhts. tho question naturally
arises What can be doneT IL seems 20
me that tho remedy for this matter lies
In the ability OF the laboring man to get
a firm hold on the law and the law gov
ernlng tho law. which r. the constitution.
AMENDMENT IMPOSSIBLE.
"Of course, we have at present
method OF amending the constitution. but
Il IS so cumbersome and slow IN motion
that amendment is almost impossible The
great trouble now is that amendments
cannot he suggested easily. IL seems 20
mo that a minority OF the voters-say
b0o0-should be permitted 20 suggest
amendments This idea has been sug-
gested and debated and some Of our
senators have shown surprising incon-
sistence in their arguments against IL. l
took some notes during this debate and
they are very interesting.
Here II Senator Edwards, for example,
who said that the passage OF that law
would give great power TO a small min
ority. Now Senator Edwards comes