Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-06-16

PLATFORM CALLS
FOR RATE LAWS
WOULD GIVE MORE POWER TO
COMMISSION
AMENDMENT IS PROPOSED TO
INTERSTATE LAW
Republican Party Declares for Re-
vision Of Tariff by Special Session
Of Congress Upon lnau-
guratIon
Continued from fagc ono,

unions and farmers associations from
responsibility under the law.
This was not the intention as was
soon discovered, and the language OF
the plank upon closer scrutiny was
passed as unobjectionable. The plank
intends to pledge the party to estab-
fish affirmatively the doctrine that a
farmers union, or labor union, or In
fact any duly organized aggregation
of individuals is not, for the simple
fact of its organization and existence,
illegal. This declaration is declared
necessary to avoid the conflict of
opinion which Is said to now exist on
this point.
Recent difficulties have been inter-
preted by some labor leaders as we'll as
by a portion of the, legal fraternity as
establishing this doctrine of Illegally
in the existence of such organizations.
While 1t is the intention of the franz
ers of this plank to clear up this point,
1t is decidedly not their intention, so 1t
Is explained, to go further or to the
extent OF declaring exemption to such
organizations for overt illegal acts.
However, in this connection 1t Is not to
be held an Illegal act for labor organ
ization to fix the price at which the Ia
Dor of its members may be sold. But
it is held to be illegal for such organ
izations to enforce this fixed price of
their labor through the boycott, black
list or other methods of force.
Opposition to the tariff plank seems
to have disappeared absolutely on the
ground that the party has irrevocably
pledged itself to tariff revision at a GER
tain time and along indicated lines.
Oppose Railroad Plank
AS to the railroad plank, the opposi-
u.iI1 hn 6nplQraff0n
favor of federal supervision of the issu-
ance Of stocks and bonds, but this
phase of the fight has as yet remained
under cover.
fhe currency plank pledges the party
to continue development on that sub
ject, and this pledge. it will be claimed.
is already in process of fulfillment in
the existence of the currency commits
sion.
The important conferences on the
platform situation today embraced first
that held in the morning between
Speaker Cannon and Senator Hopkins,
followed by a four hours conference at
the Auditorium Annex, participated IN
by Senator Hopkins, Senator Long OF
Kansas, Wade Ellis and Frank B. KEEL
logg. Still further conferences were
held durirS the evening. These confer
ences do not take In account the work
being done bv many members OF con-
gress against the anti-injunction plank,
which work went on increasingly
throughout the day and night. Its OBJ
ject is declared to be to present such
strong showing to the committee when
it meets that there may be doubt OF the
wisdom from the standpoint of the par
tvs good of eliminating the plank.
President Gompers, accompanied by
other members of the executive council
of the American Federation OF Labor,
paid their respects to Mr.. Ellis during
the day and gave notice that definite
demand would be laid before the COM
mittee.
What propositions are contained IN
the demand the labor leaders refused
to divulge. It is known, however, that
labor is most emphatically in favor of
the strongest declaration against the
use of the injunction which can be OBJ
tanned.
Corey Files Protest
A vigorous protest against the anti
Injunction plank was filed with Mr..
Ellis by George E. Corey, president OF
the National Commercial Industrial
league, representing commercial trav-
elers, manufacturers and employers OF
travelling men. The plank in question.
the protest sets forth, would constitute
a sinister reflection upon the highest
courts.
That the friends of the administra-
ton and Secretary Taft will have
good working majority on the resolu-
tons committee was assured today by
the action of many state delegations IN
choosing their delegates. The final
touches to the resolutions will be made
by a subcommittee, which has already
been practically decided upon. 1t Will
h COMPOSED Of nine members, and 1t Is
said at least six of them have been
selected. These are:
Senator Hopkins, chairman; Senator
Long of Kansas, Wade Ellis, Senator
Crane of Massachusetts,, Representative
Payne of New York and Representative
Dalzell of Pennsylvania. =.
1t is intended the subcommittee shall
be composed of representatives of the
various interests, but 1t will be so COM
posed as to make sure of the protec-
ton of the central idea that the presi-
dents policies shall be enforced and
Endorsed in no half-hearted way.
Cannon Is Dubious
Can Speaker Cannon eliminate the
Injunction plank from the Taft plat
form? This question and the inability
of any one to answer it presented the
platform problem of the day.
The speaker himself Is in doubt as
to his ability to erase or even modlfy
the plank Out IllS ldCI Olly SiFCo 90
a stimulus to the efforts he is making.
His active lieutenants in the fight
are the congressional coterie. Argu-
ments against the plank are being
made by many members of congress to
prospective members of the resolutions
committee.
what does this plank mean?" is the
question asked by it's opponents, who
at once furnish the answer that 1t can
undoubtedly cover any proposed law
containing the word injunction"
The defenders of the plank insist
there is nothing in its terms to be
feared. 1t does not, they say, contain
anything inconsistent with the position
taken by Speaker Cannon two years
ago and which he still maintains-that
the courts must not have one rule for
one class and a different rule for an
other.
The postal savings bank plank which
as yet has not been included in Taft
suggestions but which is favored by
President Roosevelt as well as by Mr..
Taft is the object of much argument.
There has also been a fight over the
plank that declares for federal super
vision over the issuance of stocks and
bonds Of corporations doing an inter-
state Business