Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1904-09-09
Democracy and Its Candidate
Fouad Wanting in Sympathy
for Wage-Earners.
JUDGE PARKER WAS SILENT
While President Roosevelt Was Frank
and Sincere in Expressing Him
self on the Labor Question
Views of Leaders.

indianapolis. Ind, Sept. 2.-This plac'
b rapidly becoming the industrial cente
Of the country, so far as organized labO
u concerned. 1t il 4 curious thing tina
In this capital of an original agriculture
State there should gradually come to b
conferred the active Influences which con
troll the greatest industrial organization
In the world. indianapolis has Ions
been Z great rnilroad center, and for thai
reason it has been a favorite meeting
place for the heads of the great trans
portation organizations. The State also
contains splendid coal mines, and TINS
has given Indiana 4 potent voice in the
settlement of labor disputes Of this char
acter. John Mitchell, Eugene v. Debe
and other men who have had much to dc
with the control Of the labor market
have had their headquarters here at one
time or another, until Of late 1t has be-
como generally recognized that the head
center of organized labor may be found
here rather than in Chicago or New
York, which are SO much larger from q
manufacturing standpoint.
Labor Leaders ChaRrined.
1t is no secret here that the labor
leaders representing the 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 in a peculiar degree as the
friend of the laboring man, the benefac-
tor of the masses, and the good angel of
the poor man. 1t has never done much
for the laboring man, it is true, but as a
rule it has never failed to proclaim its
love for him and to invite him in turn
to assist it in recovering the power it
had forfeited through mismanagement
and incapacity.
There was no representation of organ
lied labor at the St. Louis convention
this year, because it was felt it would be
better to let the two parties declare
themselves on the labor question, and
then it would be possible to make an
honest choice between them.
1t was apparent long in advance of
the St. Louis convention that the Demo
cratic nominee would be Judge Alton B.
Parker of New York. He was entirely
an unknown quantity to the labor lead
ers, and they were willing in common
fairness to give him chance to express
himself. They were quite well aware Of
the fact that Judge Parker, in a cele-
brated opinion 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 la Dor leaders, who had their rep
rcsentatives at Albany for many weeks,
working for it day and night. The de-
cision handed down by Judge Parker was
4 bitter disappointment, but the men at
the head of the great trade organiza-
tons of the United States nowadays are
sober, sensible leaders. They were quite
ready to believe that Judge Parker's
decision was based wholly upon the law
In the case. and that it would be unfair
10 attack him OH that account.
Deceived and Snubbed.
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
waited with confidence for
Judge Parker's speech of acceptance.
They argued that it would be unfair to
Judge him while he wns on the bench and
while he was keeping his self-imposed
row of absolute silence. They were con-
hdent that when his lips were unsealed
he would make it evident to the labor
World at once that he was strong friend
Ind champion of organized labor, and
hat his decision in opposition to the
eight-hour law was not born OF any per
'onal prejudice.
The surprise and indignation Of the
labor leaders when they
rad Judge Parker's speech of accept
nee cannot be described. They felt
hey had been deceived and snubbed, be- |
'ause he devoted not a word to the in |
erests OF organized labor. Instead of
alIing attention to the good results of |
lnionism and proclaiming the doctrine |
hat the laboring man has as much right |
o organize rs the capitalist. the Demo
ratio candidate for the presidency con-
ented himself with judicial dissertation |
% what liberty means. winding up with
declaration that The essence of good |
lies in strict observance of |
Constitutional Iimitations." but without
ne word of commendation for the hon.
NJ laboriiig man who is properly endeav-
ring to resist the encroachments Of I'M
crupul9us employers and to secure q fair
Tngc when II * once fairly earned. and
tho knows hut little about constitutions.
Parker United for Presidency.
Among = good many of the labor lead
n Judge Parker's extraordinary silence
n the labor question has led them toAthe
,ncIusion that he Is manifestly united
,r the great office he aspires to ill.
hey point out the fact that for dozen
cars or more lie has lived life apart
ON the people. shut up in the seclurion
{ his law library, where he has formu-
ted abstract opinions on questions of
ght and wrong. but where he has had
! opportunity to learn the ways Of the
orld. They feel that it would be
reat mistake to put into the once Of
resident Of the United States. where de-
sions on matters Of great moment are
lily required. man who has no prac-
cal knowledge Of the industrial condi-
ons which have grown up in this coun-
y since the advent Of the sky scraper
al the trolleV car.