Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-03-30
LABOR MEMORIAL
Presented to President, Senate and
House.

Washington. - President Gompers
of the American Federation OF Labor
Ind the executive council of that or
sanization. with about 100 representa-
lives of trades unions. were received by
Speaker Cannon In the House lobby
Wednesday. They presented n document
concerning pending labor legislation.
which later was presented to Senator
Frye and President Roosevelt. The
document expresses the opinion that
the eight-hour law IL Ineffective and in
sufficient, and dcplores the govern
ment's attitude towards the law as af.
lectinE work on the Panama canal. II
complains that the workingmen have
not been protected against convict Ia
3or. and that appeals for relief from
undesirable immigration have been
without result.
'Recognizing the danger OF Chinese
immigration" says the letter. and re-
sponsive to the demands OF the people,
Congress- years ago enacted an effect
I've Chinese exclusion law: yet. de.
spite tho experience Of the people or
our own country, as well ns those OF
other countries. the present law IL
Gagrantly violated. and now. by act OF
Congress. Il Is seriously proposed To In
Nhluutc thut iiW anu 'S''Ibe Nho Po'
Icy"
The document concludes: THE
bcnefcent writ Of injunction intended
to protect property rights. has, as used
In labor disputes. been perverted so ns
to attack and destroy personal free
dom and In manner to hold that the
employer has some property rights In
the labor OF the woTkingmcn.
Instead OF obtaining the RELIEF
which labor has sought. II In seriously
threatened with statutory authority FOR
existing judicial uRurpation. Tho com
mittcc on labor In the House OF Repre-
scntaiIvcR In the past Congresses has
been SO organized ns to make incncct-
uai any attempt labor has made for
redress. This being the fact In the
last Congress-. labor requested til"
speaker TO appoint ON the committee
of labor mombcrA who from their cS'
pcrI"ncc. knowledge and sympathy
would render in this Congress such
service m the committee was origin
ally designed TO perform. Not only
was iaboT'H request ignored. but the
hostile makeup Of the committee was
Acccntuatcd.
Recently the President Issued an
order foFhiddins any and aii govern
NiEnt gtNnAhNNEs ulpNu Wv iAAA ~ ."
S,ant Dismissal from the government
service. to petition consrcHs for any
redress Of ETi-yane. for any Inn
pruvcmcnt of their condition, Thus
the constitutional right of citizens
10 petition must b. surrendered ,o
the cove lmcnt cmpioyr in order that
ha may obtain or retain his employ
m~ut.
We present these grievances to
your attention because ~" have long.
patiently and In vain waited toT re-
dress. There IL nos Asy matter ot
which Nc have complain-d but for
which Wr have in an honorable aud
lawful manner submitted remedies
Tho remedies t1T ,hrsr grievances
proposed by labor are in line with fun
danvniAl Law and with III" progress
and development made NECESSARY By
rhanE~d industrial conditions
Labor nos appeals q" you. and No
trust that u may not hU In vain Hut
II. prFrhanr-. sou may not hyvi us, NC
shall appral to the conscience and tbs
support uf cur tCiioW CiiissHs.
The memorial IL signed hY E'F~si
dent Gump~Fs and the "N"CuiitC com
mi,iCr Cg the American fc,i"Taiiuu "i
Labor.