Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-09-23
Democracy and Its Candidate
Found Wanting In Sympathy
for e.Earners.
JUDGE PARKER WAS SILENT
While PresIdeat Roosevelt Wss Frank
and Sineere In Expressing Hin.
self oa the Labor Quesiloa
Views Of Leaders.

InuldnhpOuH, luu.s sept. S--1uih pIhc0
lis rapidly becoming the industrial center
Of the country. 30 far ns organized labor
IN concerucd. II Ii curious thing that
In this capital of nn original agricultural
State there should gradually come to be
csntsrsL the active influences which con-
troll the greatest Industrial organizations
In the world. indianapolis has long
been . great railroad center. and for that
reason Il has been . favorite meeting
place for the heads Of the great trans
portntiou organizations. The State also
contains splendid coal mines. aud tuis
has given Indiana q potent voice In the
settlement Of labor disputes OF this char
scter. John Mitchell. Eugene v. Deha
and other men who have had much to do
with the control Of the labor market.
have bad their headquarters here AZ one
time or smother. until Of late II has b.
come generally recognized that the head
center Of organized labor may BE- found
here rather than In Chicago or New
York. which arc 10 much larger from .
manufacturing standpoint.
Labor Leaders Chssriaed.
Il IL no secret here that the labor
leaders representing tho greatest Indus.
trial organizations are surprised and cha.
grined at the extraordinary treatment
they have received from the Democratic
organization this year. That party has
always posed Ia peculiar degree n the
friend Of the iaborinr man. the bcnefnc-
Tor Of the masses, aud the good angel OF
the poor man. II has never done much
for the iaborins man. Il IL true. but rs .
rule Il has never failed to proclaim Its
love for him and TO invite HIN In turn
20 assist Il In recovering the power u
had forfeited through u,ismans srmsnt
and Incnparity.
There was no representation Of organ.
ifrd labor at tho 81. Louis Convention
this year. because Il was felt Il would be
better to let tho two parties declare
themselves on tho labor question. and
then Il would bc possible to make an
honest choice between them.
Il was apparent long In advance Of
che 81. Louis cpnvcntion that the Demo.
cratic notninec would he Judsc Alton Il.
Parker OF New York. lie vas entirely
an unknown du7nti'y to the labor lead
ers. aud they were willing In common
fairness to sive him q chance TO express
himself. They were quite well aware Of
the fact that Jnisc Parker. In a crle.
braied opiaioa declared unconstitutional
the eight. hour Law passed By the New
York legislature. That law. as everyone
knew. was passed at the express request
OF the labor leaders. who had their rep.
r-scniativcs at Albany for many weeks.
working for u day and night. Tho de-
eision handed down by Judge Parker was
Q bitter disappointment. but the men at
the head Of the srrat trade orranisa.
lions Of the United States nowadays arc
sober. sensible leaders. They were quite
ready TO believe that Judge rarkrr's
decision was based wholly upon the Law
In tho case. ani that Il would be unfair
60 attack him OH that account.
Deceived and saabi,ed.
For this reason the representatives Of
the mine workers. OF the railroad men.
Of the packing. house men. Of the build.
Ing trades. and Of other great labor or.
rnnisaiious. waited with confidence for
Judge Parker. speech Of acceptance.
They argued that Il would be unfair to
judge him while he wns on the bench and
while he was keeping his scif.imposcd
VOW Of absolute silence. They were con-
fidcnt that when his lips were unscaicd
he would make Il evident 10 the labor
world at once that he was strong friend
md champion Of organized labor. and
that hi. dccision In opposition 10 the
eisht.hour law was not born Of any per.
sonai prcju sA'c.
The surprise and Indignation Of the
conservative labor leaders when they
read Judge rarkcr's speech Of accept.
ance canpot he described. They felt
they had been deceived and suubbcd. he.
cause he devoted not word TO the In
tcrcsts Of organized labor. Instead Of
calling attention tn the good results Of
unionism and prociaiminr the doctrine
that the iaborinr man has as much right
10 organize ~ the capitalist. the Demo.
cratic candidate for the presidency con.
tented himself with a judicial dissertation
on what liberty means. winding up with
Q declaration that THE essence Of good
government lies in strict observance of
constitutional limitations" but without
one word of commcndation for the hon.
est iaborine man who IL properly cn,leav.
crinr to resist the cncro.chmcnts Of un.
scrupulous employers and to secure fair
wnEe when u IL once fairly earned. and
Who knows but little about constitutions.
Parker tinHtscd for Presidency.
Among good many Of the labor lead.
srs Judge parkcr's extraordinary silence
on the labor question has led them to the
conclusion that he IL manifestly untitled
for the great Office he aspires to Gil.
They point out the fact that for dozen
years or more he has lived a life apart
from the people. shut mp In the scclusion
OF his law library. where he has formu.
lated abstract opinions on questions of
right and wrong. but where he has had
no opportunity TO learn the ways Of the
world. They feel that ii would be
great mistake to pun into the Office of
President of the United States. where de-.
cisions on matters OF great moment are
daily required man who has no prac-
teal knowledge OF the industrial condi
tons which have grown rp In this coun-
try since the advent of the sky scrapcr