The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-09-01
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
AND LABOR|NG MEN
WHY 1T is THEIR NATURAL
AND STEADFAST FRIEND
Records of Porter and Parker for Labor's
Cause in Legislature and on Bench
CONTRARY Record of Republican Party
and Pres. Roosevelt at this Very Time

and Pres. Roosevelt at this Very Time
The Democratic Party has always been
the friend of the laboring man, because the
Idea which Is its very life Is that of equal
and exact justice to all men, with special
privileges to none, and In this ideal II
brings the solvent for all the difficult prob
lens which Cypress the state and nation
today. For organized labor It recognizes
the right and even the need in these days
when great aggregatlons of capital forth
fed as they are by unjust Republican poll
cies of privilege and law-created monopoly,
would become even more dangerous to the
Republic than they are If they could accom-
piish their demand OF dealing with their
labor only rs individuals. The plain truth
that the labor union is often an absolute
necessity for labor to protect itself from
injustice meets with no denial or evasion
from the Democratic party; and though
Unions have at times been unfair and I'M
reasonable, as all men are liable to be when
passions are aroused in large bodies OF
| them, the Democratic party has only SYM
patty for the enlightened policies that
more and more coming to guide union pre-
cedure and has never, in legislation or ad-
| ministration, failed to prove IL.
At every session of the Vermont Legsla-
| ture the Democratic Membership has sup
| ported and fought for weekly payment bills
| If there had been anywhere near an even
| division Of parties, weekly payments would
have been the law years ago Among the
| sturdiest champions not only Of this but of
all measures Of justice to all interests and
| classes, has been Ell Fl. Porter of Whining
| ton, and his splendid services in his last
! term brought him this merited acknowledge
ment:
RUTLAND, VT, January, 1903.
HON. II. II. PORTER,
Sir:-Through our city representative
| Brother w. II. Lawrence, we learn of your
| position upon labor legislation during the
| last session of the legislature. Deeply APP
| preciating your services, and being APP
| pointed a special committee form the Cen
trail Trades and Labor council of Rutland
so to do. we take this opportunity to thank
| you. The workingmen, as well as the farm
! ers, of Vermont, begin to realize that their
| interest should be to get to Montpelier just
| such men as you would be counted among,
who are honest, fearless and sacrificing
| And now we wish for you a happy new
year and may the Lord who provides for US
| all without distinction preserve you and re-
turn you in 1904 as the unanimous choice Of
| your constituents.
Respectfully
w. p. JONES,
CHARLES It. McKEAN,
W. II. HUBBARD.
Every laboring man in Vermont ought to
| rejoice that he has the opportunity to cast
| ulS NOte tulS year lOr SUCH IL man as Ell II.
Porter as Governor. Equally true is this
also Of the great jurst and statesman who
| heads the Democratic National ticket,
against whom the plutocratic batteries are
opening all along the line because as judge
| of the New York Court of Appeals he would
not distort and misapply law against labor
unions. The case was one where an fn1unc-
tion was sought to perpetually restrain a
union that had notified employers that II
would strike If men of an opposing organi-
cation, really union of non-union men,
| were employed Strange, enough, the Su-
preme Court granted the injunction and If
the doctrine had prevailed, under the recent
system of "Governorment by Injunction"
any striker could then have been punished
for Contempt of Court" But when the
case reached the Court of Appeals ut Is re-
ported In volume 100 the decision was re-
versei and the working-man relieved from
what would closely approach legal slavery.
Judge Parker gave the opinion, In April
1902 He recognized 'the legal right Of
members of an organization to strike; that
is, to cease working in a body by prear-
rangement until grievance is redressed."
He said that not only could they strike
"to obtain higher wages, shorter hours OF
labor and improved relations with their en-
ployers" but, he added, ut is their right
to strike, II need be, in order to secure
any lawful benefit to the several members
of the organizatlon-as, for instance, to Sc
cure the unemployment of a member they
regard as having been improperly dis
charged and to secure, from an employer of
a number of them, employment for other
members of their organization who may be
out of employment, although the effect will
be to cause the discharge Of other employ
ees who are not members"
He put the case in nutshell when ne
said: "a man may threaten to do that while
the law says he may do. labor organiza-
ton is endowed with precisely the same
legal right as is an individual to threaten
to do that which it may lawfully do"
And how is it on the other side? Look
| at Colorado where for months lawlessness
has reigned at the hand Of the Governor
and Military power and not one step has
been taken by President Roosevelt to pro-
tect citizens in their Constitutional rights.
The crime in disorder that had preceded,
| whether the strikers or employing mine
| owners were most at fault, has nothing TO
do with It, and indeed all the conflicting
evidence on the subject Is well nigh impos-
| sible of analysis. But as Judge Parker well
says in a Government of law crime, who
ever is guilty of 1t, is to be punished In a
lawful way: and the great and fundamental
| principle is that there must be no punish
ment except of those who are proved to be
guilty Instead. the Governor of the state
has, without trial. without evidence. with
out accusation even, and without attention
| TO n single one OF the great guards erected
BY free Government for the protection OF
citizens. seized and torn workmen from
their families and transported them by the
wholesale out of the state, for no reason
whatever, and on no charge even, except
that they belonged to the labor union.
The Constitution. guaranteeing In every
| state all the privileges and immunlties of
any stgte-where was that? But beyond
this general provision. there Is this special
one In the 18th amendment: Nor shan ann
state deprire any person of Hfe liberty on
property iothOm due process ~ la'c; nor DEM
TO any person loithiR lis Jurisdiction The equd
protection Of The hir."
Though called upon over and over again
to do his sworn duty under this plain pro
, vision President Roosevelt has refused u
take any action. Why? Because as elec
; lion approaches, he dares not ALLEVIATE any
Of the support of the plutocratic powers
, that were displeased enough-wlth his
mouth not his decdsso that when Hanna
was alive they were threatening to nominate
him in place Of Roosevelt; and this mani
3 | festation on their part has brought deeper
abasement than ever from the admlnistra
| tIon and the Republican party.
| Tho Immediate Durnosp ~ thp 14th nmand