Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-03-24

hington-President Roosevelt
received a large body OF the repre-
sentatives of organized labor We'd
nesday afternoon at the White House,
and talked to them about their urgent
request for the enactment Of labor
measures now pending before con-
gress.
Samuel Gompers, president, ana
Frank Morrison, secretary of the
american Federation of Labor, head
ed the delegation, which consisted of
about 100 members of the executive
council of the American Federation
of Labor and officials of the organic
ations which comprise the federation.
Practically all of. the important la
hor organizations of the country were
represented in the delegation. The
men called by appointment at the ex-
ecutive Offices at 2,30 p. M, and were
received soon afterward by President
Roosevelt in his private Office and the
adjoining cabinet room.
Secretary Morrison read to the
president memorial of the execu.
tive council of the American FEEDER
alton of Labor, urging action on the
various demands for legislation being
made by the organized labor interests
of the country
The memorial dwelt particularly on
the eight-hOur law and its inforce-
ment on government work, including
the Panama canal, and the immigra-
ton laws, especially the Chinese ex.
cMsion laws.
President Gompers and James Dun
can of Quincy, Mass, first vice-presi-
dent of the federation, and president
of the Granite cutters union, followed
with brief addresses on the lines of
the memorial.
President Roosevelt, after listening
to the statements, replied in an eX-
tended address.
On the subjects of general immigra.
tion and the exclusion of Chinese la
Dor the president indicated that he
was in practical accord with theE.A'
but on some other matters he differed
from them radically. The text of
the presidents remarks, as given out
at the White House follows in part:
"Mr. Gompers, if your body objects
to the passage Of the proposed anti
injunction bill, have no question
that you can stop 1t, Ar there is not
a capitalist concerned who simply as
capitalist is not against it, though
believe that a goodly number, both of
CAPITALISTS and wa9a worlsars u,ho
are concerned primarily as citizens,
favor it.
The law was worked over and
substantially whipped into its present
shape at a number of conferences be-
tween representatives of the railroad
organizations, of the department of
Justice and of the bureau of corpora
tiOns, with me.
1T goes as far as I personally
think it should CO. In limiting the
right of injunction; at any rate, no
arguments have hitherto been ad-
vanced which make me think it
should go further.
II do not believe 1t has any chance
of passing, because there has been
great criticism in both houses of con-
gress against the attitude OF the ad-
ministratlOn in going as far as we
have gone; and if you think it is not
far enough, why, you will have no
earthly difficulty in killing the bill.
Personally, | think the proposed law
a most admirable one, and | very sin.
cerely wish it would be put through.
"As for the right of injunction, it
Is absolutely necessary to have this
power lodged in the courts, though, of
course, any abuse of the power is
strongly to be reprobated. During
the four and half years that have
been president | do not remember an
instance where the government has
invoked the right of injunction
against combination of laborers.
1--WE have invoked it certainly a
score of times against combinations
of capital; | think possibly oftener.
Thus, though we have secured the is
suance of injunctions in a number of
cases against capitalistic combina.
tions, 1t has happened that we never
have tried to secure an injunction
against a combination of labor.
But, understand me, gentlemen, If
| ever thought it necessary, il
thought combination of laborers
were doing wrong, | would apply for
an injunction against them just as
quick as against so many capitalists.