The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-10-01
LABORs DEMANDS
lconthucd fron, page II

Ass4AA "a tAc iueu WIZ HOTh6ut ana II
also meant danger and death to the
passengers on their trains. Many of
the railroda wrecks where thousands
have been manned and killed were
caused by this brutal practice spring
Ing from the greed Of railroad own
ers. ' So we passed a law forbidding
this practice. and today such exhaus-
tion dims no engineers sight. makes
nerveless no brakenian's hand, con-
fuses no dlspatchsr's brain. That
Law was urged by a Republican
President, drawn by Republican
statesman - Senator ;LaFollette -
passed by a Republican Congress.
Organized labor demanded that
every railroad should be compelled
to adopt safety appliances. This de-
mand was reasonable and right. Why
should thousands of brakemen be
crushed to death, when aqittle money
saved from DIVIDENDS would prevent
1t? Why should hundreds of mil
lions be spent for new grades, heavier
rails, larger cars. more powerful
engines and bigger profits. and not a
cent for the protection OF the human
beings without whom all these were
useless? Why should money paid
by shippers and passengers go to
swell charges on watered securities
when a little of it would have the
travelling public from danger? So
we passed the Safety Appliance Act.
and today only fraction OF the rail-
road men are killed or manned who
yesterday were crushed and murder
ed, and the safety OF the travelling
public is increased.
Organized labor asked that De-
partment of Commerce and Labor be
established. Today that department
is one of the most important of our
government, and is doing more for
labor's welfare han any other single
agency in the Nation. 1t is labor's
friend in the cabinet; it is labor,s
advocate before Congress; it has
urged upon the Nations legislature
sound laws for labor's benefit; it is
a most notable advance oward secur-
ing the rights OF the toiler. But
once more, this law was drawn by a
Republican SENATOR; Republican
President insisted on 1t; Republi-
can Congress passed it.
Organized labor demanded the
eight-hour day for Government en-
ployes-they have it-a Republican
Congress and President gave it to
themi an eight-hour day for the men
employed by government contractors;
they have ia Republican President
and Congress gave it to them. They
demanded law forpIdding railroads
to discriminate against union labor
ing men; they have it-a Republican
President and Congress passed 1t, and
today no national railroad dares
blacklist any laborer because he is a
union man.
Each one OF these laws is Repub-
lican law; each one was drawn by
Republican statesmen; each one
urged upon Congress by Republi-
can President; each one had Repub-
lican and Democratic support; each
one had Republican and Democratic
enemies.
Labor has asked and received much
righteous legislation; 1t is asking and
will receive still more. But always
1T must have employment. Work
and wages, not speeches and laws.
clothe the workingman and his fam
lily. argue not but state merely the
fact that under Republican admin
istrations labor has had more work
and gotten better pay than ever be.
fore in our own or any other coun.
try's history.
We had little panic, but we are
recovering from it more rapidly than
our own or any other people ever
recovered from any panic. Brief as
1t was, that panic would have been
shorter II the agitation for an alb
surd political program. which II sue
cessful would ruin all business, were
not now being carried on with in
creasing violence. When Mr.. Taft il
elected President the skies of BUSH
ness will clear once more. Thous-
ands of men, for a shor. time, have
been thrown out OF employment; but
already they are going hack to work
every day-and when Mr.. Taft has
been mad chief magistrate every one
{ them will be at work again in six
months.
How Many Mills Would Bryan's Elec-
ton Open?
But suppose Mr.. Bryan should be
elected President. Does any laborer
think that would help the rapidly re-
covering business of the nation. on
which the employment of labor de-
ponds? How many mills would Mr..
Bryan's election open? How many
idle workmen would it send back to
factory and mine? Let the working
man discuss with his family this prac-
teal question of their daily bread.
and then vote as the interests of his
own fireside tell him to vote. Let
him compare the panic of 1898 with
that of 1908 and remember thai
whereas this last panic began to blow