Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-09-08
Democracy and Its Candidate
Found 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 place
Is rapidly becoming the industrial center
OF the country, so far as organized labor
is concerned. 1t is a curious thing that
In this capital of an original agricultural
State there should gradually come to be
centered the active influences which con-
troll the greatest industrial organizations
in the world. Indianapolis has long
been great railroad center, and for that
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 a potent voice in the
settlement of labor disputes Of this char
acter. John Mitchell, Eugene " Debs
and other men who have had much to do
with the control of the labor market,
have had their headquarters here at one
time or another, until of late it has be-
come generally recognized that the head
here rather than in Chicago or New
York, which are so much larger from a
manufacturing standpoint.
Labor Leaders Chagrined.
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 tho la hnrinp &c tr,,o bItt 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
resentatiyes ct Albany for many weeks,
working for it day and night. The de-
cision handed down by Judge Parker was
a 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
i'll the case. and that it would be unfair
to attack him on that account.
Deceived and Snubbed.
For this reason the representatives of
the mine workers. of the railroad men,
of the packinghouse men, of the build
ing trades, and of other great labor or
CARNATIONS. waited with confidence for
Judge Parker's speech of acceptance.
They argued that it would be unfair to
judge him while he was on the bench and
while he was keeping his self-imposed
vow of absolute silence. They were con-
fident that when his lips were unsealed
he would make it evident to the labor
world at once that he was strong friend
and champion of organized labor, and
that his decision in opposition to the
eighthour law was not born of any per-
sonal preju2tre.
The surprise and indignation of the
conservative labor leaders when they
read Judge Parker's speech of accept
ance cannot be described. They felt
they had been deceived and snubbed. be-
cause he devoted not a word to the in
terests of organized labor. Instead of
calling attention to the good results of
unionism and proclaiming the doctrine
ku.t the laboring man has as much right
rganize as the capitalist. the Demo
r. candidate for the presidency con-
himself with a judicial dissertation
st liberty means. winding up with
(.ation that THE essence of good
mt lies in strict observance of
al limitations" but without
4 commendafion for the hon
man who is properly endeav-
the encroachments of I'M
kloyers and to secure fair
once fairly earned. and
title about constitutions.
ted for Presidency.
nany of the labor lead
s extraordinary silence
ion has led them to the
is manifestly untitled
bee he aspires to fill.
le fact that for a dozen
has lived life apart
shut up in the seclusion
y, where he has formu-
opinions on questions Of
*. but where he has had
to learn the ways of the
feel that it would be a
to put into the office of
the United States, where de-
matters of great moment are
FED. a man who las no prac-
Pledge of the industrial condi-
lrh have grown mp in this coun-
the advent of the sky scraper
trolley car.