The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-05

GomperS, AUD some OF mem are not
new iuseongress.- rhe "a died
The SPECIALIZED SherIpan antitrust
law" continued Mr.. .Gofnpers. lis not
an antitrust law; it is an anti-com-
/ bination law 1t is law against asso-
ciated effort; it is a law something
like a law which obtained about 1000
years ago in Rome, that made every
form of association or organization
which was not approved by the emper-
or unlawful.
I'VE favor the enactment of laws
which shall restrict the Jurisdiction of
courts of equity to property or prop
erty rights, and shall so define prop
erty rights that neither directly nor
| Indirectly shall there be held to be any
property or property rights IN the Ia
Dor of any person sks s.
Recent Court Decisions.
b. Mr. Gompers reviewed the recent
! court decisions adverse 10 organized
I labor, but said that these organizations
would not be driven out of the country.
/ "You may drive the men and women
i out of labor organizations into secret
organizations" he said. You may
drive them into the dark, but they are
going to organize and remain organ
lied If not in the way you will per-
nit 1t, by law. they will organize In
secret, and neither ukase nor injunc-
lions are going to drive them out of
this country. Suppose you force them
to do in secret the perfectly legitimate
human activities they have always per-
formed in the open? I need not say to
you, gentlemen, that men in the open,
where they can express their views
thoroughly where they can promulgate
to the world their thoughts, their BUSH
ness, will always be more intelligent
and circumspect than If they were con-
sidering the same question in secret,
and where they are freed from the
criticisms of the general public.
Good of Labor Organizations.
what hope has the workingman to
protect his rights and his interest If
he, in modern industry, must be an in
dividual? I am afraid to give my mind
range to the possibilities of such con-
J dition of affairs.
II contend for our organizations of
, labor that they are the greatest con-
SENATORS of the public peace"
! Mr.. Gompers said that since the de-
cision of the supreme court in the DAN
bury Comm hatters' case seventy-five
WOrkmen in New Orleans have been
indicted on the charge of conspiracy
under the Sherman antitrust law in
, ordering a strike. He said that he
would give the fullest support to the
purposes of the proposed legislation,
: although his organization was adverse
: to the registration of labor organiza-
tons clause of the bill. He did not
think these organizations should be re-
, quired TO register in order to get inn
munity under the act. but thought they
: should be placed in the same position
| they occupied before the Sherman anti
! trust law was enacted. He suggested
an amendment to the bill under dis
cussiOn similar in terms TO the one the
} Ia Dor organizations tried to have in
: ccrporated in the Sherman act when il
originally passed congress.
Workingmen Feel Aggrieved.
THE workingmen of the country
, he continued, feel that they have beer
: outraged; that their interests have
, been invaded. In the interests of the
! workingman and woman 1 make this
appeal to you. We cannot wait much
longer for relief. If l judge the tenn
per of the American workman correct
, ly, and l think / do. they are going tC
hold to a strict accountability the men
! or parties who tail to fairly respond to
. this urgent appeal"
: In reply TO a question by Mr.. Little
field, Mr.. Gompers admitted that the
amendment he had proposed would re-
lieve organized labor from the opera
ton of the decision of the supreme
court in the hatters' case
do you, as a representative of or
, ganized labor, favor -,the boycott?'
asked Mr.. Littlefield.
'''I do, sir" replied Mr. Gompers
: And your organization contends fol-
that, does 1t not?"
> 1T does. sir"
Fighting for Their Rights.
. Mr.. Gompers concluded his argu-
ment with the statement that the mer
: and women of organized labor purpose
to fight for their rights, and that he
> purposes to fight with them.
A. B. GarretsOn of Cedar Rapids, Ia.
president of the Order of Railway Con-
ductors. spoke in advocacy of the pro-
9 posed legislation. as also did Theodore
! Marburg of Baltimore. During the
course OF his argument, Mr.. Marbure
, gave as the principal causes of the re-
: cent financial panic ''the crazy policy
OF the attack upon railroads, both by
federal and state legislation, and the
: unnecessary and revengeful fine i'm.
: posed upon the Standard ~-Oil com
= pany."
The committee adjourned until Mon
day morning, when the opponents o.
/, the measure will be heard.
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