The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-07
HOCH IS FOR IT.
Tells LabOrers to Organize for
Protection.
Speech Before Society of Labor
Last Night.
DUMONT SMITH ALSO.
Wants to See Unions as Strong
as Trusts.
Judge Foote'S Drastic Lashing
of Combines.
DUMONT SMITH ALSO,

Before the State Society of Labor
and Industry at Representative hall on
Monday night, Governor E. w. Hoch
gave practically an unqualified endorse
nent to organized labor
mo fair or reasonable man in my
Judgment he said, land I choose my
words. can object reasonably to the
organization of 1aborers for mutual aid
and protection Everybody else organ
izes-farmers, newspaper men, and
many others-workers from all classes,
and they do it for mutual protection It
IS not only right but wise, that the
men who earn their bread by the sweat
of their brows, should also organize
There may be excuses as in other or
CARNATIONS, there may be unwise lead
ership as in other organizations but
the trend is in the right direction. and
it has done much, and very much to
ameliorate the conditions of laborine
men in this country"
These were the words of the COVER
nor in his address of welcome, and the
delegate-packed hall resounded again
and again to vociferous applause and
cheering.
4 come to you with no cut and dried
speech he said after being introduced
by State Labor Commissioner w. l. A
johnson, who had been chosen chair
man of the evening. Il simply come
to you as the official representative of
the state to bid you welcome. 1 have
come to this hall for years and looked
into the faces of Kansas legislatures
and this is q better looking lot of men
than any Kansas legislature. If this
be treason, let the present legislature
make the most of it.
I feel very much at home I am a
practical printer. 1 learned the bust
ness as q bOy-the first year $50 the
second SIS, and the third 500. This
was my wage. 1 am proud to say that
the very day I was drafted governor,
was setting type in my printing office.
The overwhelming majority of Kan
sas people earn their bread by the
sweat of their brow. Here there is no
ban upon Drawn.
What has labor accomplished. 1t
has tunneled every mountain. navigat-
ed every ocean, and has done every
thing worth doing. In the last analysis
everything resolves itself to the fact
| that it springs from labor. The chief
value of things is the value of labor
Kansas has appreciated its laborers
perhaps more than any other state. We
have put more law upon our statute
books for labOring men than any other
state in the country So we'll have the
/ laborers been cared for that you send
but few requests to the, legislature to-
day. The requests you make are so
reasonable and just that I think they
will be granted. The senate has passed
the child labor law and l hope the
house will also pass it.
Il want to speak of the protection of
miners from mine explosions. I hope
the Kansas legislature will not stop for
cost when it comes to the protection of
human life.
In behalf of the state I present a
cordial welcome, and then personally
extend to you an invitation to bring
your wives and visit us at the COVER
nor's residence
The response to the governors ad-
dress was made by G. w. Brandon,
president of the organization 1.-The
laboring people as was his predecessor, .
was one of his statements. This state
ment was cheered loudly.
Senator f. Dumont Smith, who spoke
on Labor and Law followed Cover
nor Hoch's lead, and with this state
ment emphasized a like attitude toward
labor organizations. He said: For my
own part, 1 hope for the day when
there will be freedom of contract; when
the laborer will be as free to give or
withhold his labor from the market as
the employer is to give or withhold en-
ployment; when employer and employ
equal footing; when the Amalgamated
Iron Workers shall be as strong as the
steel trust, and the United Mine Work
ers as strong as the coal combine
when that hour comes; when indus
trial arbitration shall have abolished
strikes and lOclSouts: when labor and
capital, equally strong and mutually
helpful and sympathetic, shall jointly
guard our Industrial peace, there viii
be no need Of labor legislation, and the
long struggle of the ages will end But
that hour has not yet struck, and until
it does the safety, the health and the
we'll being of labor demand the protec-
ton of labor legislation.
Continuing Senator Smith said:
.. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou
eat bread That sentence of perpetual
toll imposed upon the seed of Adam IS
the first labor legislation of which the
world has taken note. Pronounced 5000
wears ago. it remains today unrepealed
and not amended, and but little affect
ed nv human devices and human en-
actments. Between the time when
Adam deIved and Eve span and the
formation of the billion dollar trust is
a vast gulf a tremendous space of
time an interval beyond our power to
CRASH hut the prinleval fate of human
itv remains unchanged and the common
lot of man is still unceasing toll Yet
while that fate remains the same, while
still 80 out of every 100 human beings
are born % hard and unremittlng labor,
that sentence has been ml1gated. lis
harshness softened, its asperlty plunted
and, out of the long night OF bondage
and unrequitted toll labor is Slowly
emerging to the dawn or better lhlnSS-
Amid the triumphs OF the century
just ended, amid its unparalleled
achievements, not the least mas peell
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