The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-07-30
=sdosa spi1it 8. yet 81 these

Through the exercis spf the conpror
|=ises ile be- On the
SQUARE bollt things. who
believe IN organized q labor say. ", we
must not mix politics. with the move
ment, vet what else Is going on every
day and every hour? IL Z organized
labor takes no account OF politics, what
difference does It make what the plat
forms contain, and what, right has
anyone, other than as a party man, to
<criticise~ or condemn a. PLATFORM? Ii
the expressions in a. platform concern
organized labor, then tits the business
OF" those leading 1T :: to- place before
committees their specific demands. The
rejection or acceptance Of these de-
mands would place the party on rec
ord. Those who. In the committee on
resolutions at St. Louis favored the
| cause Of organized labor and did what
they could for it, did rot have the help
Or encouragement of any representative
of organized labor. What was done
was done unsolicited, except that the
miners Of Colorado asked Thomas to
bring their cause, before the commit
tee which he did, and In the end, sue
cessfully. This Colorado matter is, in
my Judgment, of vital Importance It's
seriousness is recognized in the Demo-
| cratic platform. l believe that was a
great achievement, and that the sound
comon sense and sober Judgment Of the
| mass of organized labor will so decide.
The Democratic platform, for this rea-
son alone, If no other, cannot Justly
be accused of trimming.
You may publish this II you wish,
| IN whole or in part. or cut out the
personal references. which would not
be made except to show those who
know my opinions that was not re-
creant to the principles profess,
Sincerely yours,
CHAS. r. VASALY.
Vssaiy Makes Acknowledgement.
Mr.. Vasaly writes sincerely. He
gives utterance to his true sympathy
with the aims and objects of la Dor, but
his letter admits the very things we
are contending. It is true that union
labor was lame in not having repres-
eatatives before the national conven-
ton. The thoughtful members Of trade
unions are beginning to believe that
there is altogether too much indiffer-
ence among the so-called leaders in
the labor movement in relation to the
political demands of labor. We have
the utmost respect for the leading men
| IN the ranks Of labor. They are as a
rule a conservative, we'll balanced,
practical set Of men. But like most
men who try to be conservative in a
radical movement they are liable to
fall into rut and remain there. Re-
Gently we have been taught to be-
| lleve that the trade union movement is
exclusively an economic movement.
Yet the results Of the crushing defeat
dealt to the movement by the last
congress, where labor attempted to
secure the enactment of certain REM
ed1al labor laws, ought to convince the
thinking workingmen of America that
the time Is opportune for some sort Of
political action on the part Of labor.
Opponents Of Labor in Politics.
The opponents of labor are in politics
knee deep. The Parry ORGANIZATIONS
adopted every means known in modern
political methods to secure the defeat
of labor legislation. They went fur
Their and successfully prevented the
endorsement of any tangible labor
planks In the platforms of both of the
old parties: More=than this they pro-
claim with one accord that the labor
question is industrial and not politi-
cal, and the attitude of most of the
leaders IN the labor movement gives
strength to the opinion that they are
Of the same mind as the Parryites in
| this respect. That the Parryites were
represented on the resolution commit
tee of the Democratic convention is
evident from the admission of Mr..
Vasaly that Mr.. Mcmahon, the leading
Parryite attorney in Ohio. opposed any
recognition of the struggles in Colo
| RADIO upon the old Democratic question
of human rights.
Politics Are in Trade Unions.
Mr.. Vasaly readily admits, and he
| is an old union printer with exper-
lehce In the labor movement, that
there Is little sense in attempting to
keep politics out Of the movement, for
| 1t is going on in some degree every
day and every hour.
| We still hold to our former opinion
that there is little hope for the Am
erlce,n wage Garner in the Democratic
! party as now controlled. We are sup
! ported in our opinion by the state
| ment Of Mr.. Bryan, in which he de-
clared every former plank in the plat
form that pertained to economics was
either trimmed or left out. Will some
one tell us what labor may expect
from Henry G. Davis in. the United
| States senate when his views on the
labor question are known to be- In di-
rect opposition to those of union labor i:
To be. honest with us, will some one
convince US that the Democratic party,
| with Parker at it's head, and advised
by Hill, Belmont and others Of their
ilk, will do anything for the immed-
late benefit Of. labor?
Much socia! Unrest.
There never was an election year in
the history OF the United States when
! there was such social unrest as there
| is today. Never have there been so
| many strikes that evolved so many
! men as there are today. This indie
ates that the all important problem be-
fr,~r th4