Milford chronicle., 1908-10-09
WITH INTENT TO DECEIVE.

In his address of acceptance, as In
his public speeches since, William H
Taft has met in manly fashion every
issue which concerns working people
raised by the Democratic National
platform,
Not so Mr.. Bryan. In his accept
ance speech he deferred the discus
sion of these and other issues to a
| later occasion. The later occasion
chosen for the full exposition of his
view of the rights and exemptions of
working people before the law was
the occasion of the delivery of his
Labor Day speech in Chicago.
In that speech Mr.. Bryan does not
meet those issues manfully. He does
not meet them at all. And he has not
attempted to meet them since, as he
doubtless would if his position or the
position of his party was an honest
one.
On the single issue of the injunc-
| ton Mr.. Bryan has adopted his par
| tvs policy of scuttle. He does so to
the accompaniment of much rhetoric,
but he does so none the less-indeed
all the effectively. He believes
with his party that working people
are readily deceived by effective ap-
| peal to their prejudices and emotions.
and in dealing with the injunction
question and with every phase of it
his intent is plainly to deceive.
The Democratic platform and Mr..
Bryan have promised that there shall
be jury trial in all cases Of contempt
of court committed out of the pres
ence of the court. What both the
Democratic candidate and the Demo-
cratic platform wanted to promise
was that every union working man on
strike charged with violating an in
junction should have his guilt or in
noeence submitted to a jury.
That promise they dare not make
without committing themselves to the
doctrine that the striking workman
should be granted a standing before
the court not accorded to other mem
bers of society.
But the promise made is incapable
of performance, as every enlightened
man now recognizes, without depriv-
ing the courts of the land of their
power to enforce their own mandates. /
The Democratic platform and Mr.. /
Bryan have also promised that no in
junction shall be allowed to issue in .
any case where a labor dispute is in (
volved If it would not be issued If a
labor dispute were not involved. .
What both wanted to promise was
that no injunction should issue in
any case where a labor dispute was
involved
That promise they dare not make
without committing themselves to the
doctrine that a striking workman
should have especial favor before the
aw not conceded to any other class of
,itizen. That promise is, therefore,
ike the other, incapable of perform
lnce.
Neither promise would ever have
)een made if the purpose did not ex-
st to deceive working people into the
,elief that they are to get a degree of
adorable consideration before the
aw in the event of Mr.. Bryan's cleo
ion that cannot in the nature of
hings be extended to any other class
f people in the community.
If working people, especially those
elonging to the unions, have bene-
ted in increased intelligence to any
hing like the extent claimed by their
eaders, through the propaganda car
led on through the unions for the /
asst few years, It will be impossible
D impose this deception upon them.
The stiffness of Mr.. Bryan in dis !
osing of these two false promises is
-orthy of admiration. But the cam +
align is long and the orators art is
Getting, and there may be another ?
.ory to tell before the end has come. Z