The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-05-05
Gov. Bell Doesn't Reply to
A. f. Of |. Letter.
Congressman Haskins, Another Candi-
date for Second District Republic
can Nomination, Says He's
Laboring Man Himself.

The questioning Of candidates for Of
flee by the Vermont Branch, American
Federation of Labor, according to the
programme outlined by the national
body, Ii continued III the case Of the
candidates fer the Republican Congres-
sional nomination III the second dis-
| trict. Alexander Honsidc of this city,
secretary of the State Branch, a. HI of
~, addressed four questions to Governor
Bell and Congressman Haskins, who are
the only avowed candidatcs-if they
would support the anti-injunction bill
in Congress, the S-hour day in govern
ment contract work, the peoples adSis-
ory system Of national representatives,
and ii they would vote as the people
by referendum advise.
To this questioning Gov. Bell made no
response within the ten days allowed
by the executive committee OF the Fed
erstion, which silence the Vermont I'm
ion Signal constructs ~can have but one
meaning, and 1T il safe to assume that
the governor feels safer iii dealing with
gcneralities than when lined up against
stubborn facts in the form oil specific
questions from trades i,nioil.
Representative Haskins did reply, but
the labor paper calls it hardly TO the
point Tne letter was as follows
Washington, D. G., April 27, 1906.
Alexander Iionslde, Esq,
Barre, VI.
My Dear Sir: Your letter Of the
9th inst, written in your capacity as
secretary Of the Vermont state branch
of the american Federation Of Labor,
propounding four several questions and
demanding from me All answer to each,
yes" or mo-" within ten days from
the date thereof was duly received and
in reply would say thar have been
too busy with other matters demanding
my attention, SO that have not been
able to acquaint myself fully with the
provision OF the measures in order to-
give categorical answers
II would have you and all Others
10 know that these hands Of mine are
not unusued to manual labor. [ was
born and brought up on a Vermont
farm and have performed all kinds OF
lhbor necessary 10 be done in the slic-i
eessful cultivation of the land and the
work OF the dairy, and this was before
the Introduction o. the labor-saying mas
chinery Of the present. | commenced
the study Of law in 1854, and to secure
the means Tor the prosecution of said
studies and to obtain d better education
! would work at telling hcmlock trees
and peeiing the bark at fifty cents per
cord; in July and August in the hay
field from SIX o'clock in the morning
until sun down, and oftentimes until
after that, at one dollar and one dollar
and twenty-five cents day; in the late
fall in chopping cord wood at fifty cents
per cord, cut split and piled; and in the
winter taught school at fifteen dollars
per month and board round among the
scholars, sleeping in the north west par
lor bed room without fire. As a young
lawyer l worked in the hay field each
year until ] became volunteer soldier
In the fall OF 1862, and since the war
was over, | have been laborer and
wage Garner with both head aud hand.
No one appreciates the condition of
the laboring man more than myself,
Tor | know what work means from start
to anisiI. and for this reason my sym
pathies have always been aud still are
with the laboring men and women Of
the country. Farmers, lawyers and ply
siclans organize into associations for the
Advancement OF their interests morally,
socially and financially and for the bet
terfnent OF their condition. respectively,
and for the same reason ! believe IN tho
right OF that class Of men and women
known as wage -earnefsp 10 organize
and associate Themselves tegettner for
the bettcrmcnt of their condition and
protection Of their own interests, al-
ways, Of course, rendering obedienee To
law and living the lives nf good, loyal
citizens to state and country.
Our laws are made for the protse-
ton of all classcs Of our citizenship
alike, and ii il is shown that the law
bears unequally upon any particular
be amended or repealed and q new law
enacted that win afford equal and exact
justice TO all alike No one has any
right to ask more than this.
AS a member of Congress | am un-
der Il solemn oath TO support the cen
stituuon Of the United States and 10
discharge faithfully the duties Of my
Office according to law. 50 help ME
Cod Legislation enacted in behalf Of
one class Of our citizenship, which does
not and cannot be made TO apply to
all the citizens OF the country alike, is
reptignant TO the constitution of the
United States and therefore uneonstitli-
tional and would be so held BY the
courts. ] am ready and wiling to favor
the enactment Of any measure into law,
for the benefit OF the wage Garner
and all other classes OF onr citizenship,
that il fair and reasonable, If can do
50 without violating my solemn oath of
Office. Certainly, ii you are fair man,
YOU must conecdc that neither vonr or
ganization nor any other organization
or person has a right to demand amy
thing further Of me "a q representative
a the whole people Of the second con-
.aessIonai district of Vermont,
Bcggng pardon for this lengthy let
ter, Which have presumed 10 write BY
geascAl Of our former pleasant correspon-
dence, remain,
Yours truly,
Kittredge llaskins.'