Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-05-11
LABORING MAN HIMSELF
CONGRESSMAN HAsKINs REPLIES
TO ORGANIZED LABOR.
Relates Experiences as Working Man
Believes in Right Of Labor to Or
ganize for Bctterment-w Favor
Fair and Constitutional Measures.

Fair and Constitutional Measures.
The questioning Of candidates for Of
fee by the Vermont branch, American
Federation of Labor, according TO the
propram outlined by the national body,
Is continued in the case Of the candi.
dates for the republican congressional
nomination in the second district. Alex.
ander Ironside of Barre, secretary OF
the state branch, A. +. OF L., ad'
dressed four questions to Governor
Bell and Congressman ilaskins, then
the only avowed candidates-if they
would support the anti-injunetion bill
in congress. the eight.hou day in gov
ernment contract work, the people s adj
yisory system of national representa-
tiyes, and if they would vote as the
people by referendum advise.
To this questioning Governor Bell
made no response within the 10 days
allowed by the executive committee of
the federation, which silence the Yer
mont Union Signal construes "can have
but one meaning, and il is safe to as
sumo that the governor feels safer IN
dealing with generalities than when
lined up against stubborn facts in the
form of specific questions from trades
union.
Representative Haskins replied as
follows:
Washington D. C., April 81, 1906.
Alexander Ironside, Esq, Barre Vt;
Nv Dear sir--Your letter OF the 9th inst,
written In your capacity as secretary OF the
Vermont state branch Of the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor, propounding several
questions and demanding from me an answer
to each. yves" or no." within 10 days
from the date thereof was duly received and
in reply would say that have been toe
busy with other matters demanding my at.
tention, so that have not been able to ae'
quaint myself fully with the provision Of the
meas sures in order to give categorical an
swers.
/ would have you and all others to know
that these hands Of mine are not unused 70
manual labor. ! was born and brought up
on Vermont farm and have performed oil
kinds OF labor necessary to be done in the
successful cultivation Of the land and the
work OF the dairy, and this was before the
introduction OF the labor saving machinery
of the present I commenced the study OF
law in 1854 and to secure the means for the
better education would work at Telling
hemlock trees and peeling the bark at Sc
cents per cord; in July and August in the
hay field from o'clock in the morning un
Ill sun down, and oftentimes until after that
at 81 and sl.25 a day in the late fall in
chopping cord wood at So cents per cord, cut
split and piled; and in the winter teach
school at SIS per month and board round
among the scholars, sleeping in the north
west parlor bed room without fire As q
young lawyer | worked in the hay field each
year until | became q volunteer soldier In
the fall of 1862, and since the war was
over. | have been a laborer and wage-earnei
with both head and hand.
No one appreciates the condition Of the
laboring man more than myself, for / know
what work means from start to finish. and
| for this reason my sympathes have always
been and still are with the laboring men and
women Of the country. Farmers, lawyers ano
physicians organize into associations for the
advancement OF their interests morally, so
cially and financially and for the bettermen
Of their condition, respectively, and for th'
same reason believe in the right of tha
class of men and women known as wage
earners' to organize and associate them
selves together for the betterment of theii
condition and protection of their own inter
ests, always, OF course, rendering obedience
to law and living the lives of good, loya
citizens to state and country.
Our laws are made for the protection o.
all classes Of our citizenship alike, and If i
is shown that the law bears unequally upoi
any particular class of citizens, then tina
law should be amended or repealed, and I
new law enacted that will afford equal ant
exact justice to all alike. No one has an!
| right to ask more than this.
As a member OF congress | am under
| solemn oath to support the constitution o
the United States and to discharge faithful
ly the duties of my Office according to law
| $50 help me Cod Legislation enacted il
behalf of one class Of our citizenship, whicl
does not and cannot be made to apply Il
all the citizens of the country alike, is repug
'nant to the constitution of the United State
and therefore unconstitutional and would b.
so held by the courts. ! am ready and will
| ing to favor the enactment of any measur
into law, for the benefit of the ''wage earn
err and all other classes of our citizenship
that is fair and reasonable, if ] can do s.
| without violating my solemn oath of once
| Certainly, IL you are a fair man, you mus
concede that neither your organization no
any other organization or person has righ
TO demand anything further of me as a rep
resentative of the whole people Of the sec
ond congressional district of Vermont.
Begging pardon for this lengthy letter
which I have presumed to write by reasol
of our former pleasant correspondence, I re
main, Yours truly,
Kittredge Haskins