The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1904-02-05

subordinating labor to the Jurisdiction Of
the Department of Commerce, Senator Pet
ltus, on January g. 1902 (COngressiOna
Record Vol. 80, page 1850, moved to strike
| from the body of the bill, NOT ITS
TITLE, the words Department of Labor
and"
You will readily see therefore, that tn,
representatives of labor did not wish thu
!. Department Of Labor carried into the De
partment of Commerce, and IT must bC
quite as plain to you that, IL the words
], department Of Labor and" had been elm
,lnated from the body Of the bill, as con
templated by the amendment of Senator
IPettus, the wishes of the representatives
Of labor would have been met and the
\ Bureau Of Labor allowed to remain in
an independent state.
/ The yea vote recorded on Senator Pet
tus's amendment was as follows (Con-
gressional Record. Vol IS. page 1O5l-the
same you cite):
Yeas-Bacon, Bate, Berry. Blackburn.
CLARK (Montana). Cockrell. Dubois. Gibson
Harris, Hawley. Heitfeld, Jones (Arkansas),
McLaurin mississippi, Mallory, Morgan.
Pettus, Rawlins, Ialiaferro, Tillman.
You will see therefore, that you have
IdOubly misquoted the Record as well as
ImiSrepresented me.
More Evidence still.
If you need any further evidence as to
the wishes of labor on this subject, you
can turn to Congressional Record, Vol
IS, page 1901. where you will find Mr.
FullerS letter in full. l quote therefrom
the following:
Il earnestly but respectfully protest on
behalf of these organizations against that
part of the pending bill Is. $500, which
proposes to place the Department of La
Dor under the Department of Commerce
|. 1t is the hope of the IabOIing peO-
pie of this country that an Independent
Department of Labor having a Cabinet
officer as its official head may be created.
This element nf our citizenship, cOmpris-
ing as it does the great majority of our
population, is certainly worthy of such rec
OgnlttOn, and that too. by this Congress. %
This letter was dated January %, 1902
or at the time the bill was pending in
the condition referred 10.
When the majority thus voted down the
to allow the Department of La.
Dor to remain an independent department.
Of the Government, the bill was amended
by adding to its title the words land
labor" and adding to the body of the
bill those words wherever the words 1.-The
Department of Commerce" appeared
There was not a dissenting vote nor sin
gle objection to this amendment and labor
was thus given as much dignity and i'm
pOrtance as possible in the new department
fore, that, instead of voting against the
interests of labor, as you say did 1 voted
m accordance with labors clearly ex-
pressed wishes, and endeavored as well
TO carry into effect the policy of the Dem
)cratic party.
Let the People Judge. =
I have gone at some length into these |,
matters in order that the people Of Flor
da may judge as to whether or not ] /
nave been true and loyal to the principles J.
# the great Democratic party in which !
hey have vital interest I have stated
repeatedly that 1 stand before them upon
ny record. In their intelligence, in their
sound judgment, in their correct sense of ,
Justice I have an abiding faith. l leave
% them to judge as between you and me-
have accorded fair treatment to you and {
o all my opponents, and, while inviting
he closest possible scrutiny into my rec
,rd I ask al least, that that record be
lot misquOted, that my votes be not mis-
tated, and that the record, all in ALL
rom the beginning Of my service in the
Senate to the present day, be fairly read
My duties here render it impossible now
or me to name dates and places for the
discussion of political questions. I hope
however. to be in Florida in a few days
md you will find me ready and willing
md prepared to defend my record when
yer, wherever. however. and by whOmso-
yer assailed. Respectfully yours. :
]. p. TALIAFERRO.