Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-11
LABOR CHEERS HUGHES
HE ADDRESSES A MEETING IN
CITY OF BUFFALO.
Storm Puts Out the Lights, the Mer
Get Candles and Hold
Them

| A dispatch from Buffalo says Charles F.
| Hughes addressed two enthusiastic meet
| ings in that city last night. In both
speeches he pledged himself to an nvesti-
cation of the state banking department II
| would be fair and just effort on his par,
| to ascertain the exact facts, and, having
obtained them, he promised to deal with
the situation fearlessly and according to
| his best judgment. This pledge the crowds
greeted with unusual applause, punctuated
with shouts of I'VE know you WILL and
That's right, Charley
Mr.. Hughes first meeting was in the
Temple Theater, William street, in the
heart of Buffalo's east side and just out
side Fingy Corners district.
1t a meeting of laboring men which
Mr.. Hughes addressed there. and the tu-
multuous reception which he got in the the
alter gave the lie most emphatically to the
report that Buffalo's union men are behind
HearSt'S candidacy.
The republican candidate had the very
worst kind of weather to contend against.
Late in the afternoon a snow storm settled
over the city and continued until the streets
were covered with slush almost ankle
deep Along about I o'clock the storm put
the electric light service in part of the city
out of commission. Temple Theater was
in the darkened section, but the enthus-
asm of Fingy Corners labor friends re-
fused to down. They got wax candles and
lighted them. They didn't have any stand
ards to hold the candles, but they used their
hands. More than 200 lights were held in
the theater in this way.
Mr. Hughes said in part:
II am interested in that large class Of
legislation which is for the protection and
the benefit of our workngmen. l do not
call it a legislation for a class. 1 do not
like to hear the words working class used.
would like to stamp out every suggestion
and every basis for a suggestion of differ
ence between classes in a free country.
a \
be- workers, and | have no respect for an
idle man. But, of course, there is great
body of wage earners upon whom fall the
very heavy burdens of existence. No man
who loves his felow-men can be insensible
to everything that can be done to better
their circumstances, to increase their pros
perity and to tighten their burdens
Il am glad that much legislation has
been passed in this direction. l under
stand that since 1895 about 101 labor acts
have been enacted, and l am very glad 1T
has been done under republican auspices.
am very glad of the support that others
have given to that good work, a great va
riety of legislation, and l tell you it must
be enforced 1 stand for the enforcement
Of the provisions of the labor laws.
Il have heard that the appropriations are
too small to permit of the proper enforce
ment of the law. l want to see them large
enough to enforce it. 1 understand that
the equipment of the department of labor
is too slender to admit of the enforcement
of the law, that more inspectors are needed.
1 want to see that equipment made suffi-
cient. If we have a law it ought to be en-
forced. We do not want laws that are mere
ly good reading on the statute book; we
want laws that accomplish the benefits for
which they are intended. >. ss----s ss.'r.-
81 am very glad that the constitutional
amendment was adopted which permitted
the legislature to provide for an eight-hour
day in connection with public work; partc-
ularly good Is that when the state is enter
ing upon this great undertaking of building
the canal. l am in favor of these provi-
sions for the protection of labor What is
more pathetic, what is more cruel than the
introduction too early into the cares and
tolls of active life of the future man and
woman of this country? Oh. the child labor
law appeals right to ones heart, and / want
to see it lived up to.
laboring men in their organization to i'm
prove their condition, and it is with great
qualification that | note the increasing ten
dency to methods of arbitration in the set
Element of labor disputes.
Last year an act was passed by the leg
islature extending the liability of railroad
companies for injuries to their employees
doing away with the defense that one was
injured through the act of fellow servant
4 very important piece of legislation which
promises much for the protection of those
employed. the numerous class employed by
these companies
Il stand before you. fellow citizens, with
out any pledges except to do my duty ac-
cordng to my conscience ] did not seek
the nomination and | am under no political
obligations to any one in regard to it. There
is no person or corporation to which in any