The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1904-10-12
PARKER AND LABOR.
JUDGE PARKERs LABOR RECORD
SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
His Decisions Have Been of Inestimable
YaIne to the Cause Of Labor
Throughout the Union.

ident of the United States, he could
be safely trusted to uphold the interests
of labor as against those who would
Cypress and degrade. the American
workingman. His record on this sub
ject is clear and straightforward
beating around the bush; no carrying
water on both shoulders-the fayorite
method by which Mr.. Roosevelt evades
personal responsibility, ana seeks TO
conciliate the trusts, while trying at
the same time .'to catch the labor
vote"
Judge Parker made his record on
the labor issue long before he was
thought of for any other than judicial
Office. Doubtless his sympathy with
labor and his keen sense of the rights
of those who have to toll for living
are rooted in the fact that from the
first he had to earn living for him
self, and worked for years at humble
compensation while building up the
reputation which helped to raise him
to the highest judicial office in the
State of New York. In Republican
campaign literature it is stated of
Theodore Roosevelt, as something to
brag of, that ''he never needed to do
days work." This cannot be said of
Judge Parker. He is a poor man to-
day, and from boyhood he has had TO
work for living. The Republican
boast that their party has nominated
for President a man who never
needed to do a days work." while the
Democrats have nominated man who
has always had to work TO maintain
himself and his family, illustrates the
difference between the parties as we'll
as the men; between the party of
aristocracy and oligarchy, which has
"A II -
ton, and the party of liberty and equal
ity, with Parker for standard bearer.
Roosevelt, the aristocrat, who, Re
publican campaign document says,
never needed to do a days work." is
never able to speak of workingmen
without a sneer, as when he said in
his book, Ranch Life" that "they
(cowboys) are much better fellows and
pleasanter companions than small
farmers or agricultural laborers; nor
are the mechanics and workmen of a
great city to be mentioned in the same
breath"
How different the tone which runs
through the numerous decisions of
Judge Parker in cases before him af-
fecting the rights of labor-the rights
of his fellow-citiZens, whom, unlike
Roosevelt, he does not regard as in
feriors, but as equals in every respect
to himself
Labor, in the State of New York
and in the United States, owes n large
debt to the broad-minded decisions of
Judge Parker, who has steadfastly re-
fused to be swayed or warped from
his consistent maintenance of every
measure tending to secure to the work
inGman the rights of which men of the
Roosevelt stamp who, as boasted in
Republican campaign literature, never
needed to do days work. would like
to deprive him. But for this attitude
of Judge Parker, as n member and
Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals,
laws intended to promote the interests
of labor would have become dead let
tiers, and the workingman striving to
better his condition with the aid of
wholesome legislation, would have
been at grave disadvantage.
1t is not necessary, therefore, to
guess at Judge Parker's course toward
labor, should he be elected President.
1t is also certain that. with his
strong regard for the Constitution, and
the rights which it guarantees TO every
citizen, Judge Parker, as President,
would not be inactive, as Roosevelt
has been, while the Republican Gov
ernor of Colorado, or any other State,
used the military, at the will of I'M
scrupulous employers, to deprive citi-
ZenS of their constitutional rights, and
to deport them from their places of
residence. Roosevelt has by silence
and inaction tolerated these outrages,
and given encouragement to Republi-
can Governor Peabody and Republican
militia General Bell, OF Colorado, to
persist in their course of violence, op-
preston and persecution of labor, al
though his sworn obligation as Presi-
dent leaves no doubt of his duty TO in
terfere. With Parker in the Presi-
Dental chair Peabody and Bell would
never have dared to deport miners
from the State because they belonged
TO labor union.
Judge Parker's vigorous advocacy of
the rights and dignity of labor is IL
Illustrated in his whole judicial career.
In strong dissenting opinion, case
of Rodgers V. Coler, 166 n. Y. i. Judge
Parker argued in defense of the right
of the Legislature to require that pre-
vailing wages be paid to those en-
ployed upon State and municipal work.
Never has a Judge used language clear
er, or more direct and earnest than
Judge Parker used in this case, which,
in a great State like New York, paying
out in the behalf of the State and its
municipal divisions millions of dollars
yearly to workingmen, was of the ut
most Importance and value to labor
throughout the Union.
The New York State law providing
| that "all stone used in State and mu-
nicipal works. except paving blocks
| and crushed stone, shall be worked.
dressed and carved within the State
Judge Parker took the side of labor.
and delivered an opinion in favor of
the law, which was needed to prevent