Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1906-04-21

Washington. March 2l.-Prcsidrnt
Roosevelt received a large body OF the
representatives of organized labor this
afternoon nj the White House and
talked to them about their urgent re-
quest for the enactment of labor meas
urCs now pending before Congress.
Samuel GOmpcrs, president. and
Frank Morrison, secretary, Of the
American Federation Of Labor. headed
the delegation, which consisted OF
about hundred members Of the exccu-
tive council of the federation and OH
Cials Of the organizations which COM
prise II. Practically all the important
labor organizations Of the country
were represented The men called by
appointment at the executive Offices at
$50 y. M, and were received soon al
terward by President Roosevelt in his
private Oillcc and the adjoining Cab.
met room.
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
President Roosevelt, after listening
TO the statements, replied in an extend.
ed address. On the subjects Of general
immigration aud the exclusion Of Chin
csc labor, he indicated that he was In
practical accord with them. but on
some points he differed from them rad
iCllly. Tho Presidents remarks fol-
low: H..
Mr.. Gompcrs: II your body objects
to the passage Of the proposed Anti
Injunction bill have no question that
you can stop II. for there Is not cap
italist concerned who, simply as cap
italist, 10 not against At; though ! be-
lIcvo that a goodly number. both OF
capitalists aud wage workers, who are
concerned primarily as citizens favor
II. .. -
The law was worked over and sub
stanually whipped into It's present
shape at n number Of conferences be-
tween representatives OF the railroad
organizations, Of the Department ol
Justice. and Of the Bureau OF Corpora
tions, with me. II gees az far as per
Gunally think 4 should go in limiting
the right Of injunction; ut any rate, no
arguments have hitherto been advanced
which make me think II should go fur
thcr. do not believe II has any chance
of passing. because there has been
great criticism In both houses Of Con-
gees against the attitude Of the admin
i8traliOn ~ going 20 far as we have
gone, and II you think II is not far
enough, why, YOU will have no earthly
difficulty In killing the bill. Personal
~ | think the proposed nlw most
admirable one, and | very sincerely
wish II would hc put through.
Az for the right OF injunction, II II
absolutely nc cyglry 10 have this pow
or lodged In the courts. though, OF
CCurEC, @ny allure Of the power IL
strongly to DO re- Irobatcd. uing thu
fUur and half years that have beet
president | do not remember an In
stance where the government has IN
yokcd The right Of Injunction agains
a combination OF labOrcrs. We have
invoked IL certainly a score Of time.
against combinations Of capital:
thirL, possibly oftcncr. Thus, though
we have secured the issuance Of In
iunCtl Ions In a number Ol cases agains
capitals iC combinations, II has hap
rCnCd that we have never tried to SO
,urr an injunction against n cOmbina
ton Of labor.
But, understand ne, gentlemen, u
ever thought II necessary, u I though
y combination Of laborers were doini
WRONG, ! would apply for an injunction
against them Just as quick as agains
so many capitalists.
Now, come TO tho general subjcc
~ your petition, ! wish, In tho hrs
place, 10 sta'e my regret that you di
not divorce 80 much Of the petition
~ refers to.thc action Or tho executive
from 80 much as refers to the action o
tho Legislative branch. because ! car
10 consider any petition that va
mako that reflects upon the CO,Ordnal
II Ia. anI
makes any charges whatever agains
II. would not even receive II, say
for the fact that In part II affects tn
executive. Therefore. In what hav
To Say ! shall limit myself solely
what YOU assert In reference to tn
acts Of the executive.
No Eight.hour Law In Panama,
You speak of the cight.hour Law
Your criticism, so far as II relates
the executive, bears upon the slgnatur
Of the appropriation bill containing III
money for expenditure on the Panam
Canal, with the proviso that the cigh
hour law shall not there apply. II you
statement Is Intended to mean that u
opportunity was given for a hcarin
before me then the statement Is lot
accordance with the facts. There wa
ample opportunity that any one coul
but not single request for such
hearing came 10 me. ! received, no,
over, some hundreds Of kilograms an
letters requesting the veto of the q
tire appropriation bill because II co
tanned that proviso. Frankly, | -four
Il dinicult to believe that you wei
writing and telographlng with any kin
oil knowledge of the conditions in Il
case