The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-09
JUDGE DANIEL FISH
GIVES HIS PLAT ORM
LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATE AN
sWERs LABOR CIRCULAR. go
Refuses to Pledge Himself in Advance
to Support Every Labor Measure
That is Presented, But Will Judge
Each on It's Merits-Text of Reply.

Judge Daniel Fish, who is a candi.
date for the legislature in the forty
first district, has written the following
letter which will be read with interest
by members Of organized labor as well
as by those who are not members of
any labor organization:
Judge Fish's Letter.
"Mr. G.. w. Deacon, Secretary Treas
rer Central Political Committee,
State Federation Of Labor, Minneap-
oils, MINI.
'.Dear Sir: The circular letter
which your organization is sending to
legislative candidates is at hand. It
embraces ten propositions, occupying
nearly column of newspaper type and
including the eight-hour day for state
laborers; abolition of the fellow ser.
want rule in personal injury cases;
municipal ownership of all public util-
tiles; the initiative and referendum:
the recall; women suffrage, and
many. other topics Of great intricacy
and Importance. I am asked to saw
within ten days and by clear-cut YES
or no., whether I will PROMISE if
elected, to help enact a statute, as
provided in this paper, for establish
ing each of these proposals-some of
wshleh. by the way, have long been in
~ respectfully decline to answer in
| any such hard-and-fast manner. ANY
voter, or body of voters, may rightfully
question me touching my views upon
public questions and, doing 50, shall re
ce1Ve courteous answer; but the form
OF the answer will be of my own choos.
ing. / try to keep an Sopen mind
toward all such topics and the ives OF
no. answer here demanded would be
much too narrow.
Representatives, Duty.
'"My opinions, however, are not
asked for. The demand is for a def
nlte pledge, Cor an equally definite re
fusaD, to advocate certain measures not
yet expressed in the terms of a legis
lative bill. I reserve to myself il
elected, the right to Judge on its
merits every bill that is offered wbat.
ever it's source. That is nv concen
tlon OF a representative IS duty, and Il
is right that you should know it.
The circular intimates that if the
questions are not satisfactorily an.
sWered, men represented by the FEEDER
alton of Labor will be likely to oppose
my nomination and election. TO that
l say, their votes are their own, tc
oo wv o.Sy 'eAAHA PROPER. But OD
serve: :. man who would thus yielf
| to the dlctation of labor in order to pet
office would be too weak or too cor.
rupt to be trusted in office. Moreover
| a representative pledged as you require
could oppose no labor bill' so-called
however impracticable or mistaken he
might deem it, without risk of beine
denounced as traitor. In a word. he
could not intelligently serve, but must
, slavishly obey.
AS for me, I shall go to the legis
iature, If at all, pledged to no specia
interests whatsoever. If any man be-
li!eves OF. suspects that I would be: hos
tile to those who live by honest labor
ne should not hesitate to oppose me. II
would be mistaken, for T have been a
laborer and know what it means. but
an honest mistake is no crime. / car
not accept in advance, nor wholly re
4ect, the extensive program YOU offer
promise you only fair treatment
winch means willing attention to ever,
Just argument and conscientious ex
ercIse of such intelligence as Z have
and all other interests shall have the
same. If, upon these terms I cannot
have the support of the wageearners
L may at least claim their resnect anc
shall certainly retain my own.
every sincerely your.
- "Forty-frst Legislative District
Minneapolis, Sept. 6.