The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-03-30
LAWYERS CONFUSED BY. T
IGNORANT labor MEN
Wisconsin Worhngmen Legislat-
ors Put "Great Legal
Minds to Rout.
Socialist Representatives in Bad
ger State Legislature
Are Active.

cialists are making it fearfully uncom-
Portable for the "reformers" by con-
stantly showing how superficial and
unavailing their half way measures
are.
Another one of the Social-Democrat-
ic measures in the state legislature
has been advanced. Berner's joint re-
solution in behalf of an international
conference for universal peace has
been reported favorably out of the
committee. This makes the second
strong presentation which the Social
Democrats have been able to force up.
on the state legislature this fall
against militarism, in. behalf of peace.
The work which our representatives
have done along this line has attract
ed the attention Of the peace societies
in the country and the people seem
to be realizing the force of the
philosophy of Socialism along these
lines.
Struck a Snag.
The Merchants and Manufacturers
association, the big daily papers, the
"Greater Milwaukee association and
other capitalistic organizations have
lists in the Wisconsin legislature
Most OF the bills affecting labor 70
before the committee on manuracrur-
ing and labor. There are two Social
lists on that committee. And besides
another one Of the members is a
bricklayer, and the chairman halls
from Racine, a town so filled with
working people and Socialists, that no
man who hopes to stay in office, dare
antagonize labor's interests very
much.
Tables Are Turned.
The capitalist politicians and their
hired attorneys don't have so easy
snap in passing their measures, or in
killing labor bills as they used to have.
The tables are turned. And now al
most every day at Madison you can
hear some "wild-eyed" capitalist tear
ing his hair, stamping on the floor,
shaking mis- fists, and getting red in
the face about these unreasonable"
Unconstitutional" Revolutionary" de-
mands of the working class.
But meanwhile, the Social-Democrats
go calmly forward with their meas
| ures Many of them are so reasonable
that by the mere force Of justice the
committees, no mater how much they
DISLIKE 1T, dare not turn them down,
and In some cases the whole assembly
is forced to swing into line.
Bill Popular.
Some of the working class measures
introduced by the Social DEMOCRATS
are developing astonishing strength
For example, Thompson's eight-hour
Dill for telegraph operators is receiv-
ing support from all over the state
In most surprising ways. One Of the
Republican assemblymen grumbling-
ly complained that nearly every town
IN his district is sending petitions to
the legislature through him, urging
the passage Of this bill It's going
to be pretty hard to find any excuses
for not passing this law.
Berner Is to appear before the Joint
committee on judiciary next week in
defense of his bill which proposes to
hold the officials of the great railroad
corporations guilty Of murder in the
second degree in case of avoidable ac-
cidents. Probably there will be some
thing doing before that committee.
Lawyers bumped.
me committee Is made up. of course,
entirely Of lawyers. But a common,
ordinary working man, with good
sense, and a good cause, can fight a
better battle than a cheap lawyer in
the defense Of the railroads IN their
recent record Of recklessness.
The beauty Of 1t is that these
measures have basis in law. And It
keeps the lawyers guessing to find
way to dodge the arguments which
these working men bring forth, even
from legal standpoint. Berner in
ststs that inasmuch as the law holds
the engineer, the trackman, the
switchman or the telegraph operator
responsible in case OF accident where
there Is criminal neglect, then unon
the same ground and with much great
er force, the managers should be held
responsible. And the lawyers are
burning the midnight arc lights in the
state law library, trying to find some
technical loop hole for their companies
to crawl out Of