Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-14

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themselves the very principles which
are now embodied in the laws or
practices of every responsible labor
| organization No responsible or
| ganization would now hesitate to con-
| denim the abuses against which Judge
Taft's injunctions were aimed The
| principles which he therein SO wisely
| and fearlessly laid down serve as a
| charter of liberty for all of us. for
wage workers, for employers. for the
general public: for they rest on the
principles of fair dealing for ALL Of
event. handed justice for all. They
mark the Judge who rendered them as
standing for the rights of the whole
people; as far as daylight is from
darkness. so far is such a Judge from
the time server, the trucker to the
mob, or the cringng tool of great, cor
rupt ana corruptng corporations.
dcred these services. not when it was
the Philippines, in Panama, in Cuba.
in the War Observation-Disclosures him
self to be a wise, fearless. and an
upright servant of the whole people.
whose services to the Who'll" people
were beyond all price. Moreover let
all good citizens remember that he rem
dorcd these services. not when 1t was
easy to do SO. but when lawlcss vio-
lence was threatened. when malice, do
nestle and civic disturbance threat
enod the whole fabric of our govern
ment and of civilization: his actions
showed not only the highest kind IF
moral courage but of physical courage
as well, for his life was freely and vio-
lently threatened.
Let all fairlnnded men. wageW or;1-
crS and capitalists alike, consider yet
another fact In one of his decisions
upon tn" bench Judge Taft upheld In
the strongest fashion and for the first
time gave full vitality to, the principle
of the employers. liability for injuries
Done Workmen. This was before any
national law on the subject was enact
ed. Judge 'Taft'S sense of right his in
dignat ton against oppression in any
form. against any attitude that is not
fair and just. drove him to take posi-
ton which was Vloently condemned by
Short-Sighted capitalists and employers
of labor, which was so far in advance
of the time that it was not generally
upheld by the state courts, but which
We are now embodying in the law OF
the land Judge Taft was a leader. a
pioneer. while on the bench. in The ef-
fort to get justice for the wage wolk er.
in jealous championship of his tights:
and all upright and farsighted labor
ing men should hold it to his credit
that at the same time he fcarlcssly
stood against the abuses Of labor just
as he fearleSSly stood against the abus-
es of capital If elected, he has shown
by his deeds that he will be President
of no class, but of the people as
whole: he can be trusted to stand
Stoutly against the two real enemies of
our Democracy-ag ainst the man who
to please one class would undermine
the whole foundation of orderly liberty.
and against the man who in the inter-
est of another class would secure bust
ness prosperity by sacrificing every
right of the working people.
| have striver as President to cham
p'nn in every proper way the interests
OF the wage worker: for | regard the
wage worker. excepting only the farm
err. the tiler of the sell. as the man
whose w"]lbeing is most essential to
the healthy growth of this great ma
ton. ] would for no consideration
advise the wage worker to do what l
thought was against his interest I ask
his support for Mr. Taft exactly as
ask such support from every farsighted
and right thinking American citizen:
because | believe with all my heart that
nowhere within the borders of our
great country can there be found an
ether man who will as vigilantly and
efficlently as Mr.. Taft support the
rights of both rich and poor, and he
ne rights of every man who in good
faith strives to do his duty as an AM
er'can citizen. He will protect the just
rights of both rich and poor. and ne
VIII war relentlessly against lawless-
reSS and injustice whether exercised on
hehaif of property or of labor.
On the bench Judge Taft showed the
two qualities which make great
Judge: wisdom and moral courage
hey are also the two qualities which
make great President.
Sincerely yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Mr.. Conrad Kohrs.
II1.