The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-17
ROOSEVELT'S RECORD
REQUIRES NO DEFENSE
Presidents Attitude Toward La
Dor Is Better than that OF
Judge Parker.
COMPARISONS ARE MADE

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, April 16.-In this year OF
national politics much time will be devoted
TO showing up the relative merits of differ
ent candidates with respect to their rela-
tons to labor and subjects in which the
workingmen are directly or indirectly inter-
ested. That plan of campaign has already
opened up among the political managers In
Congress. II would appear from the pre-
liminary statements made that the friends
of President Roosevelt need have no fear
from any comparison of the record of their
candidate with that of anybody in the field
for the Democratic nomination. The sub
ject was opened up by the printing In the
Congressional Record OF statements per-
tanning TO the record made by Judge Parker,
OF New York. on subjects pertaining TO Ia
Dor 1t would seem that the effort was an
unfortunate one. for it produced similar
publications on the part OF Mr.. Roosevelt's
friends. and the result is disastrous to
Judge Parker's showing.
Ii was regarded by the political leaders
here rather strange that the supporters
C Judge Parker should bring out decisions
by the judge as evidence of his friendship
toward labor 1t is supposed that the de-
cisions or judges are based upon the law in
each case and are not matters of sentiment
or the personal views of judges. Yet in the
statement regarding Judge Parker opinions
of his were quoted showing that he had, on
a NUMBER or occasions decided points OF
law favorable to the interests of labor. This
is followed by showings made on behalf of
Mr.. Hearst to make il appear that he is
the only real friend of labor that is in the
political running of the year.
All this had the effect to produce a state
ment regarding the attitude assumed by
Theodore Roosevelt toward matters in
which workingmen are interested The
showing puts wholly in the shade every
thing that has been put out in behalf of
Parker or Hearst 1t appears from the
statement that, years ago, when he was a
member of the New York Legislature. he
voted for about twenty measures intended
to improve the conditions of labor that as
Governor of New York he approved more
than forty bills in the interests of the work
he has approved many such measures, and
in his messages to Congress and in his pub
lie utterances he has gone far toward up
holding the material interests and the well
fare of labor generally.
1t requires more than twenty pages of
the Congressional Record TO show the many
things said and to recount the many things
done by President Roosevelt that were di-
rectly in the interests of the wOrkingmen.
His published speeches TEEN with words of
commendation for la Dor, and the attitude he
occupied and the work he accomplished with
reference TO the coal strike alone showed
conditions which Cypress them or take from
them any of their rights 1t has been made
certain that the opposition will have diff
Guilty in making out any case against Pres
ident Roosevelt on the labor question or
show that any public man has better rec
ord than he upon questions affecting the
interests Of the workingman.