The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-13
PROMINENT men
IN ATTENDANCE
Fifth Annual Meeting of Ma
tiOnal Civic Federation in
New York.
ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT
GOVERNMENT BY INJUNCTION
DISCUSSED.
ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT

New York, Dec. 12.-With well-nigh
$50 persons in attendance. including
some of the best known men in all
walks of life, the National Civic Fed
Grafton began its fifth annual meeting
today in Park Avenue hotel. Among
those present were: Andrew Carnegie,
Cornelius n. Bliss. Oscar Straus. Mich
olas Murray Butler, Archbishop Ire
land, Bishop Potter, Ex-Governor Da-
vid r. Francis. Henry Phipps, Clarence
H. Mackay. Samuel Gompers, John
Mitchell, the Rev. DR.. Washington
GLADDEN., Clarke Howell and James
Speyer.
August Belmont president of the fed
Grafton, in his opening address urged
the appointment of a committee 10 in
Vestigate the problems growing out Of
the accumulation of great fortunes.
This subject will be considered tomor-
row.
mo subject can bring greater good
to this country if correctly solved,
said he. cor greater harm, If for wise
and just taxation. punitive spoilation
and the destruction of our boundless
spirit of enterprise through hampering
regulations be substituted.
Government by Injunction.
Government by injunction was char
acterized by Mr.. Belmont as another
burning subject to be discussed" He
said he was not sure that President
Roosevelts proposition for compulsory
investigation of industrial disturbances
is advisable. He doubted the wisdom of
government interference, but the great
est justification for such policy would
be in the case of quasi public corpora
tons.
Mr.. Belmont also called attention to
that portion of President ROosevelt's
message wherein the president de-
nounced the effort TO prohibit all COM
bination of capital.
Organized Labor Views.
The federation then took up the gov
eminent by injunction question. Carl
Spelling, general attorney for the
American Federation of Labor. said to-
day in labor disputes judges have sent
forth DEGREES which were special legis-
lation, and have paralyZed and rem
dered abortive all the efforts on the
part of the labor side of that dispute
An injunction. he said, should never
he granted except to protect property
or property rights
1t was deplorable, said Mr.. Spelling,
that men should be advised to commit
crimes, but more deplOTable if irrespon-
sible men on the bench are to be al
lowed TO ''usurp authority above the
l'w and become unrestrained despOts;
TO take one side in every trade dis
pute. to decide exDarte that hundreds
and thousands of men are about to vio-
late the law. and send out these special
DEGREES to paralyze and destroy the
rights of all these men.
Tendency Is Dangerous.
That is the most dangerous tendency
-.
and far-rea ching presidents are to be
recognized or permitted to so on build
ing more on top Of these they will soon
constitute and erect a power as des-
pOtic as that which destroyed Rome.
He declared that it was seldom strik-
ers ever resort to actual violence, but
that they frequently appoint commit
tees to help the police preserve the
peace.
The speaker said the peace bill
which is before congress embodies the
proper and legitimate demands of or
ganized labor.
Walter Drew, commissioner of the Ma
tiOnal Iron ErectOrS' association, in reply
ing to Mr.. Spelling, declared that the lat
ter's argument was fallaciOuS in that 1t
went to prove that inJunctions would not
issue in any case, while he sought to
prove that they should issue to protect
not thing but purely physical property and
physical property rights.
Samuel McCune Lindsay, secretary or
the national child labor committee. said
tie observation-disclosures bill recently intro
duced in congress for a national child Ia
Dor law would cut the heart out of the
child labor evil at single blow.
a resolution was adopted providing that
the presidents of the national assO ciatiOn
of manufacturers, the American Fedora
ton Of Labor, the General Federation of
Women's Clubs. the National Educational
association. the American Economic as
sociation. the National Conference of
Charities and Corrections and the Ma
tiOnal Child Labor committee, be invited
TO name seven members to act with like
committee of the National Civic Fedora
ton as a committee to make a thorough
investigation of the whole subject of child
labor in the United States.