Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-09-10
Democracy and Its Candidate
Found Wanting in Sympathy
for Wage-Earners.
JUDGE PARKER WAS SILENT
While President Roosevelt Was Frank
and Sincere in Expressing Him.
self on the Labor Question
Views OF Leaders.

Indianapolis, Ind, Sept. This place
L. rapidly becoming the industrial center
OF the country. so far as organized labor
Is concerned. 1t is a curious thing that
In this capital Of an original agricultural
State there should gradually come TO be
ceutered the active influences which CON
trol the greatest industrial organizations
In the world. Indianapolis has long
been a great railroad center. and for that
reason il has been a fayorite meeting
place for the heads of the great trans
portation organizations. Tho State also
contains splendid coal mines, and TINS
has given Indiana a potent voice in tho
settlement Of labor disputes Of this char
scter. John Mitchell, Eugene V. Debs
and other men who have had much to do
with the control OF the labor market.
have had their headquarters hero at one
time or another, until of late II has be-
come generally recognized that the head
center OF organized labor may be found
here rather than in Chicago or New
York, which are so much larger from q
manufacturing standpoint.
Labor Leaders Chagrined.
II Is no secret here that the labor
leaders representing the greatest indus
trial organizations are surprised and cha
grined at the extraordinary treatment
they have received from the Democratic
organization this year. That party has
always posed in peculiar degree as the
friend OF the iaboring man. the benefac-
tor OF the masses, and the good angel OF
the poor man. IL has never done much
for the laboring man. IL is true. but as
rule il has never failed to proclaim its
love for him and to invite him in turn
Z. g,, b..
had forfeited through mismanagenent
and incapacity.
There was no representation OF organ
ized labor ut the ST. Louis convention
this year. because il was felt IL would be
better to let the two parties declare
themselves on the labor question. and
then 1t would be possible to make an
honest choice between them.
1t was apparent long in advance of
the st. Ions convention that the Demo
cratic nominee would be Judge Alton B.
Parker OF New York. He was entirely
an unknown quantity to the labor lead
ers. and they were willing in common
fairness to give him a chance to express
himself They were quite well aware OF
the fact that Judge Parker. in n cele-
brated opinion declared unconstitutional
the eight-hour law passed by the New
York Legislature. That law. as everyone
knew. was passed at the express request
of the la Dor leaders. who had their rep
rcsentatives at Albany for many weeks.
working for it day and night The de-
cision handed down by Judge Parker was
bitter disappointment. bat the men at
the head OF the great trade organiza-
tions of the United States nowadays are
sober. sensible leaders. They were quite
ready to believe that Judge Parker's
decision was based wholly upon the law
in the case. and that it would be unfair
to attack him on that account.
Deceived and snubbed.
For this reason the representatives Of
the mine workers. Of the railroad men.
OF the packing house men, OF the build
ing trades. and OF other great labor or
ganizations, waited with confidence for
Judge Parker's speech of acceptance.
They argued that it would be unfair to
judge him while he was on the bench and
while he was keeping his self-imposed
VOW of absolute silence. They were con-
fdent that when his lips were unseaied
he would make it evident to the labor
world at once that he was a strong friend
and champion of organized labor, and
that his decision in opposition to the
eighf-hou law was not born of any per
sonal prejuIre.
The surprise and indignation Of the
conservative labor leaders when they
read Judge Parker's speech of accept
ance cannot be described. They felt
they had been deceived and snubbed. be-
cause he devoted not a word to the in
terests of organized labor. Instead of
calling attention to the good results of
unionism and proelaiming the doctrine
ba$ he lah haa nj
to organize as the capitalist, the Demo-
cratic candidate for the presidency con-
tented himself with judicial dissertation
on what liberty means. winding up with
Q declaration that '.The essence of good
government lies in strict observance of
constitutional limitations" but without
one word Of commendation for the hon
est laboring man who is properly endeav-
cring to resist the encroachments of un-
scrupulous employers and to secure fair
wage when it is once fairly earned. and
who knows but little about constitutions.
Parker Untitled for Presidency.
Among a good many of the labor lead
ers Judge Parker's extraordinary silence
on the labor question has led them to the
conclusion that he is manifestly untitled
for the great Office he aspires to fill.
They point out the fact that for a dozen
years or more he has lived life apart
from the people, shut up in the seclusion
of his law library. where he has formu-
lated abstract opinions on questions of
right and wrong, but where he has had
no opportunity to learn the ways of the |
world They feel that 1t would be
great mistake to put into the office of
President Of the United States, where de-
cisions on matters Of great moment are |
dailv reouired man who has no Drac-
fical knowledge OF the industrial condi- |
tons which have grown mp in this coun- |
try since the advent Of the sky scraper |
sad the trolley car.