Semi-weekly herald., 1908-10-29

ting political gathering of the cam
paign was held at Red Men opera
house lest night. The entire lower
floor vs. ooc pied, there being fully
500 in attendance. The audience was
surely representative one, the la
boring men comprising the largest
portion, there being more toilers pres
ent than at the Standard Oil special
meeting, and closer attention was
given the speakers who received
hearty applause as telling truths were
promulgated
La Plata county's next representa-
tive, DR.. w. W. McEwen, presided.
He introduced as the first speaker, our
next state senator, G. T. Cline of Man
cos. Mr.. Cline surely made favora.
BILE impression and as his remarks are
specially pertinent we give them spe-
cial place under another heading. Then
followed Hon. John b. Stephens, au-
thor and introducer of the eight-hour
measure. Mr.. Stevens does not pose
as an orator-he is laboring man,
having been locomotive engineer for
thirty-odd years, and he is more at
home holding the throttle than on
the rostrum, but If any of our read
ers think for a moment that Mr.. Ste
Vens cannot handle the English Ian
guage in logical and convincing man.
ner they should have heard him last
night. Mr.. Stevens gets right down
TO business. He is a plain sort of
fellow-not dresssuit individual, and
he delivered sledge-hammer arguments
instead of abuse. Mr.. Stevens said
he did not intend to take the stump
but when the Democrats began tell
ing the people what friend the Demo
cratic party was of labor and the en-
nifty of Republicans, he could not
stand it any longer and in behalf of
the laboring men of Colorado intend
ed to keep going until the polls closed
expounding the real facts. Mr. Ste
phens then explained about the eight
hour law; how he joined with the
Democrats and applauded their work,
but it did not take him long to find
out that the Democrats were playing
hide-and-seek. The first eight-hour
bill or law was passed by Democrat
/, ic assembly but so many strings were
attached that it was declared uncon-
stitutional This opened the eyes of
the laboring people. Mr.. Stephens
was importuned to stand for election
- tbo - ha Lob
element. He was elected and had the
honor of introducing bill No. Ian
eight-hour measure, and this bill pass
ed the house. The Democratic senate
sent back word that the Stephens
bill would not be considered but the
house must accept the Democratic
bill. Mr.. Stephens explained that he
was so interested in the welfare of
the laboring men that he agreed not
to stand in the way, but before ac-
cepting the Democratic measure he OBJ
tanned an opinion from the supreme
court that the Democratic eight-hour
bill would not hold water and would
be unconstitutional. Then 1t was Mr..
Stephens explained, that he insisted
on his measure which was prepared
by the representatives Of the laboring
men of the state, but the Democratic
senate was obstinate and refused to
take up his measure. Finally con-
ference committee was appointed and
Mr.. Stephens waited until the last
hour, turned back the clock in hopes
of having the bill go through, but the
Democrats smothered 1t and the as
sembly adjourned without the bill be-
coming law Mr.. Stephens was then
sent back for the second time and he
again introduced the same bill and
with Republican senate no time was
lost in placing upon the statute books
the eight-hour law which stood the test
OF the courts. For this law the la
boring men have only Republicans to
thank
Mr.. Stephens then covered other la
Dor legislation. He referred to the
employers liability law, and many
other beneficial labor laws, every one
Republican measures. He defied any
one to get up and point to a single
labor law In this state passed by 6
Democratic Legislature and the Demo
Gratis and Populists had control man,
years. And what held good in state
waA Aeaally true in national affairs
He challenged any one to show la
bor measure passed by the Democrat
&c party in the last fifty years. H.
then called attention to the vas
amount of beneficial Republican legis
,xlation by the national Republican
party, and the records backed him Vi
in every assertion. Mr.. Stephens ado
ed that the day Of strikes was abou
over. Arbitration and a better III
derstanding between employers an
employees was In vogue. The creates
of all labor organizations. the Brothe
hood Of Locomotive Engineers, ha
engaged in three big strikes since 1856
losing two of them and winning on
although In the latter wages were r
Ill