The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-29
In A BITTER FIGHT.
Contest Over IreIan Pardon
Reaches a Climax.
Gardner LathrOp Makes Charges
Against Strikers.
WRECKS ON SANTA FE.
He Places Them at the Door of
Strikers.
All Company's Legal Talent to
Prevent Pardon.
ON SANTA FE.

Gardner Lathrop. of Chicago, head Of
the Santa Fe legal department, made
the direct charge at the hearing of the
a. e. Irelan pardon case before Cover
nor Hoch Thursday afternoon that the
labor unions are depending upon their
political power to intfmidate Governor
Hoch into granting executive clemency
20 the labor leader now languishing in
the Cowley county jail.
Your honor is made of sterner stuff
said Mr.. Lathrop, than to have any
fear Of the political influence of this
organization. Better retire from office
with a clear conscience than stultify
your office to satisfy the clamor of this
organization OF three million members"
In reply, c. T. Atkinson. of Arkansas
City said, his voice shaking with 'alf-
suppressed emotion:
When these attorneys say that we
are using our membership politically,
they utter what they know to be false.
we have never been a political Organi-
cation. If I thought your honor was
the kind of a man who would be in
duenced by such considerations, would
never have presented Arthur Irelan's
application for q pardon to you. When
7 grasped your hand, I felt that L held
the hand Of man 1 could trust"
T.
the vice presidents of the American
Federation of Labor, sent here to rep
resent that organization. said.
IF your honor sees fit to grant this
pardon, you viii make glad the hearts
OF hundreds Of thousands of laborers
throughout the country. If you do not,
Z want TO assure you that there viii
be no result to injure you politically
Governor Hoeh then said: 1T isn't
necessary to discuss this matter on
either side Tt doesn't enter into the
case at all"
There is no doubt that the Irelan case
IS one of the most interesting ever pre-
scented to a Kansas governor for action.
Irelan was third vice president of the
American Federation of Labor. When
The Santa Fe maChinistS went out on a
strike, Irelan was sent out to help or
ganize the strikers. He fell in with a
man named William Devine. who
proved to be a wolf in sleeps clothing.
DeVine pretended to be a trusted agent
of the strikers, but in reality was
PinkertOn detective hired by the Santa
Ee. AT TT. Madison, Iowa, where the
Santa Fe has big shops, >Irelan was
arrested for sluggtng strike breaker
name MatteSOn with a slung-shOt made
of rock in a handkerchief He was
tried, found guilty and fined $500. This
the organization PAID A few days Ia
ter he went to Arkansas City, where
he was very shortly arrested for strik-
ing j. D. HarrIty, a strike breaker, in
the DdGk Oh the HeaQ win a rock. lie
was again tried, found guilty and SEN
fenced to pay a fine and serve six
months in jail. He appealed to the su-
preme court and the decision Of the
lower court was affirmed. Then the
labor organizations came to Governor
Hoch with an application for pardon.
The most effective speeches before
Governor Hoch were made by Gardner
LathrOp on behalf of the Santa Fe and
IhOs. I. Kidd on behalf of the Amer
n n. g
speech was short. but it was impress
sive. Though he speaks with a queer
accent which indicates foreign extrac-
ton, Mr. Kidd possesses an earnest
ness and sincerity Of manner which
carries conviction. Incidentally, it
might be mentioned that Mr.. Kidd is
one of the strongest men in the ranks
of the American Federation of Labor.
LathrOp's Vitriolic Speech.
Gardner Lathrop, the new head of
the Santa Fe's legal department, made
one of the most bitter attacks upon
union labor leaders of the Irelan type
that could be imagined. His denun-
citation was most scathing.
What would be the effect of a par
don in this case o. he demanded. 'sThe
Santa. Fe railroad company has re-
Gently had repeated wrecks in the
state Of Kansas I want to ask you
what other body of men can be inter-
ested in producing these wrecks than
the same one that animated this man
1relan when he struck Matteson and
Harrity in the head with a rock? Our
management is convinced that these
repeated wrecks are due to men like
1relan, and I believe that by the grace
OF God. we viii some time bring those
men to justice, and prove our beliefs
TO be true.
IF YOU pardon this man Irelan, you
give your endorsement to these
Wreckers. A man who will slug a
nOnunion man in the back of the head
with a rock will not hesitate to draw
the spikes from the rail. or plug an
engine and send his fellow laborers
and fellow men to their death.
If the labor organizations did not
regard themselves as a force in poll
tics, they would not have had the eff
1rontery to come before your honor
asking a pardon for a man like Irelan.
In Chicago while the transfers strike
was in progress, the union men sought
10 secure President ROOsevelt's en-
dorsement. The president made his
reply in public speaking to the people
of Chicago. This is a government of
law, not of the mob he said, and if
you have not the strength to enforce
the law here in Chicago you should
call on the state, and if the state has
not the strength, the nation stands
behind it, Your honor, this is a gov
eminent of law, not of sluggers. 1t is
not a government of mawkish senti-
ment.
81 am here as head Of the Santa Fe
legal department because we are
vitality interested in this case. We
recognize the right of our men to