Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-03-23
Presidents Forthcoming Mes
sage Expected to Demand
Laws Opposed BY Unions
GoMPERs ASKS AMENDMENTS
Changes in Sherman Antitrust Law
Will Not Exclude Combinations Of
LaborPresident Stands Firm on
Boycott-Favors Relief From In
junctions-klessage Important.

Washington March 2S.-Presidcnt
Roosevelts special message To cong
ress, which will be transmitted TINS
week. is a document of more far reach
ing Importance than has been gener-
ally supposed. 1t has been made known
to the presidents friends that the mes
sage is intended to form the basis for
the republican national platform OF
1908 instead of being merely group
ing of suggestions as to legislation
which the president desires to have
adopted at the present legislative ses-
sion.
What Is regarded as one of the most
important, if not the most important
features of the message from po-
litical standpoint is the presidents dis
cussion of LABOR boycotts.
1t is declared that he takes issue with
the demands of Samuel Gompers and
the representatives, of organized labor
and the Sherman antitrust law should
ions from the operation of the law, and
lays down principles interpreted to
mean that the republican party should
meet organized labor squarely in the
next campaign on the boycott propo-
Sition.
Stands Firm on Boycott.
To attempt to explain this understood
attitude of MIR Roosevelt in the face
of the knowledge that the administra-
ton has put an embargo on prosecu-
tons of labor unions for boycotting
would be plainly speculative upon the
basis of the information at hand as to
the position taken in his forthcoming
message. But the Information that Mr..
Roosevelt virtually locks horns with
organized labor in regard to the liza
bility of labor unions to prosecution
under the Sherman law for maintaif-
ing boycottS is direct and positive and
comes from reliable source
Enough is known to show that at the
several conferences between the presi-
dent, members Of the civic federation.
and others with the object of prepar-
ing a bill amendatory of the Sherman
law. Mr. Roosevelt and Mr.. Gompers
came to deadlock.
Mr. Gompers was insistent that the
amendatory bill should include a direct
exception of labor unions from CLASH
fication as combinations in restraint
of trade" and it is declared that cor
poration lawyers who participated in
the conference We're willing that this
suggestion should be accepted. believ-
ing that the mandatory legislation
might fall If it We're not. On the face
of the proposition, however. it APP
peared to. be unconstitutional in that
it provided for giving special exemp-
ton.
Mr.. Gompers declined to sanction the
bill without this exemption and the
president. ii is declared, declined to
change his position. Mr.. Gomper>; put
his suggestions in the following pro-
posed amendments to the Sherman
law:
THAT nothing in said act or in this
act is intended, nor shall any provis-
ions thereof hereafter be enforced so
as to apply to organizations or asso-
Citations not for profit and without cap
ital stock nor to the members of such
organizations or associations.
'"That nothing in said act or in this
act is intended or shall any provision
thereof hereafter be enforced so as to
apply to any arrangements. agree
ments, or combinations among persons
engaged in agriculture or among per-
sons engaged in agriculture or hort-
culture made with a view of enhanc-
ing the price of their own agricultural
or horticultural products"
Gives Relief on Injunctions.
The Forthcoming message will con-
tain. however. a recommendation for
the enactment of legislation in regard
to the issue of injunctions against la
Dor unions.
The president will urge the passage