The morning journal-courier., 1908-10-22
PRESIDENT CROSS
 EXAMINES BRYAN
CcontInuad from First Page)

tGuntInued from First Page) injunction legislation; and if the state ment in hs letter is correct, this bill represents what Mr. Bryan and his party are pledged to in the matter of anurlnjunction legislation.
 The injunction plank In the Bryan ite platform may sound vague and ha2y, but there is nothing vague or hay about this bill,
 1t is more than a bill; it is a pro- gram of the most fixed and definite kind
 Does Mir, Bryan accept it as such?
 The counsel for the American Fed eration of Labor on his argument be fore tho house committee on Fcbru- ary B. at which Mr. Gompers himself was present, gave a very frank illus tration of what he and Mir Gompers perceived 10 be the consequences of that provision of this bill which says that the right to carry on business shall not be entitled to protection as a property right
 His words arc: Suppose that work ingmen by some operation or pro- ccedings in the community Qet us say by violence or persuasion or pickctng away from the premises) reduce those works to state of utter helplosSness and there was not wheel moving nor a process in operation and this company had no help at all-that would be an interference with his right to do business; and for that say he has no right to be protected by injunction"
 Is MT Bryan in reality pledged to this point of view?
 Win he definitely say either in writ ing or in a public address whether nc believes with Mir. Gompers thas the protection heretofore afforded by the courts of equity to the right to carry on a lawful business in a lawful way Is despotlc power, and that the judges who exercise that power are irrespon- sible despots?
 So far as the second section of this bill is concerned it Is perfectly clear that 1t would legalze the blacklist and 1 the sympathetic boycott carried Co any extent. It would leeai2o acts which have time and again been de- clared oppressive, unjust and immoral 1 by the best and most eminent labor l leaders themselves
 The blacklist and the secondary boy cot are two of the most cruel forms of oppression ever devised by the wit of man for the indicuon of suffering on his weaker fellows
 feel that have the right to speak frankly in thig matter because throughout my term as president II has been my constant ohiect to d, everything in my power. both by al ministratlve action and by endeavorina 10 secure legisative action to advance the cause of labor protect t from ur just aggression, and secure to t lt. legitimate rlehta I have accomplished sonething I hope to accomplish some thing more before I leave office; and have taken special and peculiar inter. est in MT. Tafts candidacy because believe that of all men in this coun 1 try he is the man best qualified fol | continuing the work Of securing to tht wage workers of the country then I ful rights I win do everything r my mower for tho wage workers of tn, country. EXCEPT TO Do WHAT Is WRONG
 have not the slightest doubt tha | n l,ra (, Bryan would, f enacted hy congress, h' declared uuconstitutonal by n unan' nous supreme court unless indeed MT Bryan were ahlc 10 pack this cour with men appointed for the special pur pose of declaring such law consti tutional ] happen Co know that cor tain great trust magnates have an nounced within the past few weeks Y answer 10 the question as to why thol were openly or secretly favoins NJ Bryon's election, that the jaws that MT Rrvan proposed including espociall this law, would bo wholly ineGrective because tho court would unsoubtedN throw them ont, and that tho promise to enact them would therefore be safe ly disreearded
 I believe both in the patriotism. an, intelligence of the workmgmen th laborlng men of America Therefore | do not believe that they can he mis led to their own deep hurt as Messrs Bryan and Gompers seek to mislea them: I do not believe that they vii permit Mr Gompers to deliver ther like chattels 10 Mir Bryan in exchang for a sham,
 Sincerely yours,
 (slgned) THEODORE ROOSEVELT Hon. P c, Knox. U. & g., Valley Torg,
 Penn,