Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-10-20
TAFT LADOR'S FRIEND
Rendered Valuable Service to
Railroad Men.
THE T0LEB0-ANN ARB0R CASE
Advice Given In Judge Taft's Decision
Adopted by the Railway Brother
hooGs-Demoeratic Politicians Use
Trickery to Deceive tho Toilers.

Advice Given In Judge Taft's Decision
Adopted by the Railway Brother
hooGs-Democratic Politicians Use
Trickery to Deceive the Toilers.
The members OF the various brother
hoods connected with the great rail-
road systems of the country are gen.
orally regarded as possessing more
than the average degree of intelll-
gence. Their calllngs and the obllga-
tons sprlnglng from those calllngs
make the possession by them OF high
order of intelligence Indispensable.
Notwithstanding this fact the same
system OF absurd falsehood Is relied on
to deceive and trick them into with
dra wing their support from the Repub-
llcan party that Is in general use by
Democratic politicians to influence even
the commonest and most ignorant Of
the unskllled laborers Of the country.
One form which this system of trick
limiting ut what terrible things Will
liam II. Taft did against labor organ
lzatIOn and Its members while lie was
OH the bench.
The one official act and declaration
Of Judge Taft which Is being used in
that way OH railroad men Is his decl-
sloI In what Is known rs the Toledo
Ann .Arl,or case. Yet In that case
through his decision Judge Taft rem
dered an actual, tangible and really
Invaluable service to the cause Of labor
organization. His advice given to labor
organizations In that case has been
generally adopted by the various broth
erhoods and their members. One OF
the rules Of great labor organization,
the Brotherhood Of Engineers, which
was the cause Of the trouble rule ~
has long since been voluntarily drop
ped as being contrary to the best inter
ests of both the public and the organ
iZation Itself.
More than all that. Judge Tafts de-
cision In the Toledo-Ann Arbor case
contains rs good, broad and sound Ia
Dor doctrine as ever found It's way into
print.
Now, what was that Toledo-Ann Ar
Dos case? Most enlightened railroad
men know all about 1t. Many Of them,
particularly the younger generation OF
them. do not.
A strike Of locomotive engineers pre-
vailed on the Toledo, Ann Arbor and
North Michigan railway. One Of the
rules Of the brotherhood (rule 12) re-
qulred In substance that when so or
dercd by the head of the organization
the men Of the brotherhood or other
roads should refuse to handle the cars
vailed
This rule was q dangerous one. 1t
probably never should have been
adopted. The attempt to enforce 1t in
this ease brought eight or ten railroads
Into court. They sought protection
against what on It's face was at least
an unwlse policy for any body Of men
TO adopt and involved in operation
possible stoppage Of the carrying com.
merce of the entire country.
1t was a case Of sympathetic strike.
And the sympathetic strike stands to-
day. from choice, repudiated by all re.
sponsib!e organizations Of laboring peo
pie and their members
The principal outcome Of that Ann
Arbor case was that the right Of EN-.
ployees to leave their employment
whenever dissatisfied with Its condi.
lions was fixed beyond all possible fu
ture question and some admirable ad.
vice given to the members Of the or.
gani=ation. to which they have faith.
fully lived up. both individually and
collectively. since.
1--WE wish to make plain II We can"
said Judge Taft In his decision, ito the
intelligent and generally law abiding
men who compose the Brotherhood OF
Locomotive Engineers, as we'll as to
their usually conservative chief officer,
what We cannot believe they appreci-
ate-that. Notwithstanding their per.
feet organization and their charitable,
temperance and other elevating and
most useful purposes, the existence and
enforcement of rule II under their or.
ganlc law make the whole brotherhood
q criminal conspiracy against the laws
Of the country"
That the rendering Of this decision
by Judge Taft was. then, In result an
enduring service to all railroad men
instead OF embodying anything con.
nicting with their rights and privileges
before the law must appear plain to
any ordinary man. II there still re.
manned any doubt on that score It
would be removed by the reflection
that the rules laid down by Judge Taft
In that case are now made a part Of
the contracts and agreements Of all
great railroad brotherhoods.
Mr.. Taft can be trusted to exact JUS