The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-12-16
Speech at Civic Federation
Dinner Subject of Much
Speculation.
TAKES UP CUDGELS
FOR SHERMAN LAW
Defines His Attitude on Inviola-
bility of Constitution-Gath-
ering Is Representative.

NEW YORK, Dec. 17-Discussion is
fife today over the speech OF William
II Taft before the National Civic Fed
Grafton in New York last evening. in
which he clearly defined his attitude
on the. inviOlability Of the Constitution
and on the question OF labor and CAPT
tai, a subject on which the President
elect has had little 10 say.
I'VE have gotten along pretty well
under the old Constitution" he said.
and 1 think now we can depend upon
the acUmen and the Gbility of the mem
bers Of the Supreme Court of the United
States TO carry out the reforms needed
as The nation advances
Weighing his words carefully Judge
Taft also stated his position on the
anti-trus: law before a representative
gathering of capitalists and labor lead
ers including Samuel Gompers. August
Belmont. a. B. Garretson. chief OF the
Brotherhood Of Railway Conductors,
John D. Rockefeller. jr.. and Frank B.
Kellogg Side by side, at another ia
bic, but in position to pay the closest
attention to the speakers words, were
Andrew Carnegie and John Mitchell
Enforce Not Repeal.
Il want TO say" said Mr. Taft that
] am not quite ready to part with the
antitrust. or sherman law. 1 will agree
that it probably needs amendment. but
] do not think the amendments should
be too extensive. It is more important
10 enforce the law than to repeal it
Mr. Taft spent some time in discuss
ing his idea of the labor unions. He
declared that he believed laborers and
capitalists had equal rights and were
equally entitled to the protection OF the
Federal Government. He pointed out
that the Old-time luminosity between
employers and the labor unions had, in
a great measure, died out within the
last few years, and that each was be
glnnings to recognize the rights Of the
other.
Times Have Changed.
Time was when everybody who en-
ployed labor was opposed TO labor
unions Time WIS when these organi-
cations were regarded as a menace
That time now has largely passed
away, and the man who today objects
10 the organization of labor should be
reiegated 10 the last century. Labor
unions have done maTvels for Ia bOr
and IN the future will do more They
VIII avoid that reduction to q dead level
OF all Workin gmen, whether earnest and
energetic or shiftleSs IN their work
lime was, too. when those who labor
with their hands violently opposed the
introduction of machinery as a menace
10 labor But through intelligent dis
CuSSiOn and understanding that cOutrO-
Versy has passed away and ceases to be
contention between the ernplOver and
the employed. Trade agreements, which
have been the constant subjects Of dis
agreements In the past. have now come
= & "a In FTrr-
1T has been exceedingly agreeable to
me TO meet here tonight Mr.. Gompers
Mr. Mitchell. and other labor leaders
4 trust that they know that what hap
pened before the election, so far as my
conduct 60 any citizen Of the United
States as President Is concerned Is
wiped out as If Il never was I thank
Mr. Gompers for saying that / am 70
De his President as much as anybody's.
In the next Congress and the one that
succeeds il, many suggestions will arise
with reference TO legislation in assist
ance OF labor. To me one Of the most
important questions is as 10 an EN-
plOyers liability act
Dangers Of Delays.
In pointing out the dangers of delays
in the administration Of justice. Mr.
Taft said: in my judgment one OF our
greatest dangers lies in the delays In the
administration OF justice, civil and Grim
NAL BY q reasonable employers LA
biliJy act In both Federal and State gov
ernments. we could remove from the
courts nine-tenths Of the suits for dam
ages growing OUT Of personal injuries,
and have just awards rendered by quasi
judicial tribunals. This would help the
injured lab1rer TO q quick recovery and
would unClOC the courts and enable
for our trouble IS not so much with
wrong decisions as with the delay in