The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-04-13
ORGANIZED LABOR IGNORED
Republican Leaders Refuse 10 ALLOW
Peoples Representatives
Hearing.

Roosevelt. Speaker Cannon and the
presiding officer OF the senate. for
remedial legislation and relief from
conditions about which organized Ia.
Dor complains is one OF the greatest
political events OF this generation. In
effect II declares that, IL no relief X
granted, the American Federation OF
Labor will discard its no~n-political
garb and will enter upon the non
partisan plan Of uniting the votes OF
all its members against those politi-
clans OF all parties who have refused
or neglected TO vote for the legisla-
ton labor demands and who have
voted for such legislation as the re-
peal OF the eight-hour bill in Panama
II will also mass all its voters for
those candidates of either party who
have proved friendly.
The plan to be followed is to ques
ton those candidates whose position
on labor legislation has not been dis.
closed and combine the labor vote on
those who pledge themselves favor.
ably. That will be a pretty tough
proposition for many Republican IAN
didates who rely upon the Manufac-
turers' association for campaign funds
for the written pledges OF candidates
will be published and their usual plan
OF promising everything to everybody
viii hardly answer.
There was a test vote taken In the
house OF representatives on January
26. which will be found recorded on
page 1892 Of the congressional rec.
ord OF the present session OF
on the question OF repeating the ap
~plication OF the eight-hour law te
alien labor employed on the isthmiau
canal. The Republicans voted unani
mously for the repeal. and the Demo
Gratis solidly against the extension oil
the hours of work. That vote is ons
OF the questions raised in the memo
OF the American Federation OF
Labor.
The Republican managers reported
a special rule. TO be adopted without
debate. to force this repeal Of the
eight-hour law as an amendment to
the urgent deficiency bill. and the la
Dor side Of this outrageous action was
well stated by MIR. Underwood. OF Ala.
bama, who said:
"fou are depriying the great IL.
boring vote OF the United States OF
the opportunity TO come before the
committee and give their
evidence as TO why this proposition
should not be adopted and why 1t IL
detrimental TO the labor conditions OF
this country. IL they desire 10 do so,
and ! can say to you. | know they
do desire TO do so. You say that this
to alien labor. One might be
led TO believe that you did not know
anything about the principles or
which the contentious for the eight
law are founded when you state
that proposition. Is not the alien la.
borer the competitor OF American la,
Dor as any other American laborer? II
you want 10 keep up the standards of
American labor. must you not keep
up the standard OF his competitors.
IL you pull down the standard OF the
OF American labor and
open the field for his competitor, down
must come the standard OF American
labor with II of necessity"
And Mr.. John Sharpe Williams, the
Democratic leader. said:
Il said some time ago that the time
would come when one more drop
would overflow the drop OF your In.
and your triumph. This Is
about the drop hat will do II. You
talk about being peculiarly the party
representing American labor within
American union. | notice you
represent II in such a manner !
that the American capitalist may |
the returns. and whenever
is a chance for you TO stab
you stab II, and this is one OF the
you have had lately. and you
ire s%tabbing now"
So here Is a concrete case where
he Republican leaders refused TO al
the representatives OF organized
abor to even be heard in their own
on one OF the most important
questions that labor Is interested in.
70 memorabilia a Republican con-
yress or president is only time thrown
lway by the labor people. For at
east ten years organized labor has
'een begging the dominant party to
,ass an anti-injunction bill and other
but a deaf ear has been
urned to their request. although just
,efore an election the house once or
vice passed a bill, knowing II would
We allowed to lapse in the senate.
With this record Of the Republicans.
t Is no wonder that the labor leaders
ave at last decided upon more siren
ious action that will produce results.