Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-03-30
LABOR AND
THE BALLOT
Executive Council Of the American
Federation Holds Important Meet.
ing at Washington.
Remarks Made by President Recently
Excite Great Interest Among
Workers.

Federation Of Labor today reaffirmet
its decision and the decision of TIL
American Federation of Labor rela
tive to political action. as follows
We reaffirm as one of the cardina
principles of the trade union move
ment, that the working people mus
unite and organize. irrespective o
creed, color. sex. nationality or poll
tics.
That the federation of labor mos
firmly and unequivocally favors tn,
independent use of the ballot by The
trades unionists an, workingmen
united, regardless of party, and we ma,
elect men from our own ranks tt
make laws and administer them alOne
lines laid down in the legislative de
nlands of the American Federation O
Labor, and at the same time secure
az impartial judiciary that will moi
govern us by arbitrary injunctions OF
the courts, acting as the plant tools
Oh corporate wealth.
That as our efforts are centered
against all forms of industrial slavery
and economic wrong, we must also di-
rect our utmost energies to remove
All forms of political servitude and
party slavery, to the end that the work
ing people may act as unit at the
polls
The address recently made by Pres.
ident Roosevelt to a number of labO,
leaders who called upon him to pre-
sent memorial has been discussed
with much interest by the officials
OF the union organizations. Summar
les of the address have been sen
out, but the presidents position OF
many of tine more important question.
connected with labor can only be full,
understood by perusal of the address
in full. The president. on that occa
SION, spoke as follows:
Mr.. GOmpers: If you body object
to the passage of the proposed anti
injunction bill, have no question bu
that you can stop it, for there is no
a capitalist concerned who simply a.
capitalist is not against it; though
believe that goodly numbers of boil
capitalists and wage workers who ar,
concerned primarily as citizens favo
1t The law was worked over an,
substantially whipped into it's presen
shape at number of conferences be
tween representatives of railroads an
the bureau of corporations with me
1t goes as far as personally think
should go, in limiting the right of in
junction; at any rate no argument
have hitherto been advanced which
make me think it should go farther
do not believe it has any chance O
passing, because there has been grea
criticism in both houses of congress!
against the attitude of the administra
ton in going so far as we have gone
and if you think it is not fair enough
why, you will have no earthly diff
Guilty in killing the bill. Personally
think the proposed law a most ad
mirable one, and I sincerely wish II
would be put through.
Right Of Injunction.
las for the right of injunction, it is
absolutely necessary to have this pow
er lodged in the courts; though, Of
course, any abuse of the power is
ct ron DIV RI ho rooro++o1 D,,,;,, ~, r.
four and half years that have been
president l do not remember an in.
stance where the government has in.
voked the right of injunction against
combinations of laborers. We have
invoked it certainly a score of times
against combinations of capital.
think possibly oftener. Thus, though
we have secured the issuance of in
functions in number of cases agains
capitalistic combinations, it has hap
pened that We have never tried to sc
cure an injunction against comb
nation Of labor But understand nv
gentlemen, if l ever thought it neces
sary; if I thought combination O
laborers were doing wrong, woul
apply for an injunction against the1
just as quick as against so many car
italists.
Nov I come to the general subjec
OF your petition. l wish in the frs
place to state my regret that you di,
not divorce so much of the petition al
refers to the action of the executiv,
from so much as refers to the actor
OF the legislative branch, because
cannot consider any petition that 70,
make that reflects upon the co-ordinat,
branch of the government or tina
makes any charges whatever agains
it. l would never receive it save TO
the fact that in part it affects the ex
ecutive.
Therefore, in what l have to say
shall limit myself solely to what yo,
assert in reference to the acts of tn,
executive.
Eight-Hour Law.
You speak of the eight-hour law
our criticism so far as it relates tt
the executive bears upon the signature
OF the appropriation bill containing
the money for expenditure on the Pan
anna canal, with the proviso that the
eight-hOur law shall not aply thera