Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-07-15
HEPBURN ON THE
LABOR QUESTION
His Speech at Banquet at Homo
lulu Is Receiving Quite a
Little Comment
FRANK P. sARcENT's REsukE
Guest o. Honor on That Occasion De.
tended Unionized Labor and Exalt-
Cd II, Directing His Remarks Some.
what Pointsdly to Col. Hepburn -
Rumors Of Turmoil in Ninth District.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Dos Moincs July 15.Honolulu pa
pers which have reached this city tell
OF mn interesting incident which occur
red at a banquet there July at whicn
Colonel W. p. Hepburn, congressman
Of the Eighth district was present, and
spoke in response to the toast Our
President" and at which Immigration
Commissioner Frank p Sargent was
the guest of honor. Colonel Hepburn
fs reported as saying that the labor
unions were trying 20 rewrite the
constitution of the United States and
hsked II the labor question was about
10 wreck the country to which Com
.nnissloner Sargent took exception and
said congressman were sometimes az
dangerous as union laboring men.
The Honolulu Commercial Advertis-
Ter OF July 4, gives this account Of the
banquet: "The toasts and responses
were matters not only Of local interest.
but some parts cannot fail to be of in
terest to the nation, as for Instance,
Colonel Hepburn's remarks on unioniz-
ed labor. Of which he does not approve,
and his attitude on the colonial ques-
tion, the distinguished publicist COM
Ing out In favor OF the retention Of ev-
cry foot of soil orer which the flag
may have noated. His remarks on la
Dor were not In line with Mr.. Sar-
gents view point, and when the latter
arose to respond to Mr.. Tenney's toast
on 'Our Guests" Mr.. Sargent directed
his remarks in somewhat pointed man
sner to Colonel Hepburn Mr..
Sargent defended unionized labor and
exalted 1t, and In concluding his de-
fense remarked with some warmth that
"ts1ere are members Of congress who
are more dangerous and irresponsible
than are the American laborers"
Colonel Hepburn's address as report
ed in the Honolulu paper was an effort
worthy his great reputation as an ora
tor. He said that when speaking Of the
president of the United States there
was always something more In the
minds eye than the person who for the
time being was the incumbent of the
office He praised Roosevelt and
spoke OF the wonderful progress which
the country had made and then launch
ed into the labor question, saying: No
such question as the labor question OF
today confronted George Washington
or Thomas Jefferson or any man that
has preceded Theodore Roosevelt. Is
1t to be the question that is to wreck
this government of ours? 1t Is old
know. It had Its origin away
back in the legendary age
when Cain and Abel were actors
and 1t has been with every people since
but never as it is today. Are we to
allow an interest in this country = a
labor interest though It be--to rewrite
the constitution of the United States.
or are we going to adhere to our be-
lief that all men have the right to the
pursuit OF happiness embodying as it
does the right to make contracts: to
control labor embodying as 1t does the
right to select ones own employees and
the amount Of stipend and the dura-
tion Of the hours of labor? Ae we go
ing to say that certain gentlemen who
claim to be the special guardians Of
labor, shall determine and make it
their right that no American citizen
without the card of some union and
who pays tribute in the form Of tax
to some labor organization, shall
work."
Rumors continue to reach this city
to the effect that, the ninth congress
sional district Is in q condition more
or less Of turmoil. Every now and
then there is some one drops into this
city from that corner Of the state who
tells that conditions In that standpat
stronghold are not altogether in llar-
mony. Ernest Hart, at one time ma
tional committeeman disposed Of his
controlling interest in the Council
Bluffs Nonpareil, it Is learned, to Mr..
Binder, the present editor, and this ac-
counts for the loss of that newspaper
to the standpat element. In addition
1T is told here that recently friend
went to Hart and told him that man
big enough to be president of the
First National Bank of Council Bluffs
was too big a man to engage in ward
politics. This is what Hart is suppos-
ed to have done at the last campaign
and made some enemies by doing 1t.
His response was that he knew 1t and
didn't propose to ever do so again.
In this same connection 1t is reported
that Hart is on norfe too friendly terms
lust now with the standpat element In
that section as he feels that he has not
heen shown proper and due Difference.
ont thru the district too there are NUT
terings, that thus for have not taken
definite form, but all indicate that the
Cummins forces are gaining some
strength in that section of the state
and the reports are giving the Cum
minis people considerable encourage
ment.
There was an incident in the hear
ings before the executive council on
the matter Of railroad assessment that
did not get into the local papers here.
Just at the noon hour when the coun-