New-York tribune., 1908-10-26
TAFT LABOR'S FRIEND
Continued from first page.

in the Wabash Injunction case, which itself was
largely based upon Judge Tafts declslon' 50
that Judge .Taft's decision IS declared oy ~ Ctle
court to have settled the law as TO the suo-
stantiaI rights Of the parties, leaving only the
application of the principles so declared as ne"
cases arose.
INJUNCTION ABUSES CORRECTED
The great Importance of this opinion Is that
it corrects abuses that have .crept into ln1unC,
tfons and labor disputes in the federal as Wen
as the state courts This decision goes Tar 70
protect the rights of wOrkingmen, and II does
so because 1t is explicitly based upon the lapor
decisions Of Judge Taft; and this decision was
secured only in consequence of following the
advice given by Judge Taft as TO the pTope5
course of procedure. I speak from hrst hah1
knowledge as [ was personally cognzaht 0I az
the facts A more striking instance coulQ Iiot
be imagined of the Jealous effort OF pubic
servant which Judge Taft then was. 70 secure
justice for workingmen to whom ne tIlousIiI
Injustice had been done although the matter
was not within his Immediate control at the
time. In this one instance Mr. TAFT renqereo
to labor great and signal service. pracIICdl @
service, which shared the pecuiarlty OF M.
Taft's other services, for his services take the
form of dseds rather than of mere words
TAFT AND NARRAMORE CASE
While on the bench Mr Taft rendered ser
. vice to labor so great that 1t can hardly De
overestfmated This was in the Narramore case
against the G c. c. & St L. Railroad The
plaintiff while working in the employ of the
cornpanv had been hurt because the company
had not provided the protection which the stat
ute required 1t TO furnish its employees He got
q VerdlCt from LQc jury. ne ram Odu dppCo4Ct,
and its counsel, Mr. Judson Harmon, argued
that the verdict should be set aside because the
employe had kept at work although he knew
the railroad had violated the law. and that
therefore he had really contracted 70 take all
= the chances of being hurt. This conclusion 10
nv mind q cruelty iniquitOuS conclusion, had
up TO that time been sustained by most Of the
courts including the New York State Court or
Appeals Nevertheless Judge Taft refused TO
follow the New York case, stating that the
manifest legislative purpose was to protect the
employe by positive law, for the very reason
that it had proved impossible for him TO pro
tect himself by contract, and that the entlre
purpose of the law would be defeated II the
employe were allowed by any form Of contract
to exempt the railroad company from the con-
sequences of its failure to observe the law.
TAFTS DECISION AN AUTHORITY.
This. case has been cited all over the United
States by counsel for workmen injured through
the failure of their employers to furnish the
protection required by statute for their safety.
Judge Taft's decision that when law is
made applying to a dangerous business. in
which four thousand men are killed and sixty
five thousand men are injured every year, the
intention is that the railroads shall obey the
law and that it shall not be nullthed by judicial
construction. Very many judges. unfortunately.
judges. and the lawmaking bodies as well,
have followed it. and this great decision marks
one Of the longest strides taken in the effort to
secure for wageworkers full protection against,
and full condensation for. injuries received by
them in the line of their duty Here again
Judge Taft rendered one of the greatest ser
Of labor.
The two cases to which have referred have
further importance when II Is remembered that
the President to be chosen will probably
himself choose a majority of the justices of the
Supreme Court during the next four years 1t
would be dreadful calamity to have these JUS
tees chosen by a man OF less than Mr. Tah's
high purpose great knowledge of the needs of
the people and firm resolution 10 do justice 10
every individual ana every interest. This is
one of the vital questions now before the Ameri-
can people
LABOR ON PANAMA CANAL
Furthermore. l ask you to consider what Mr.
Taft has actually done administrator. The
Panama Canal has come specially under the
direction and control of Mr.. Taft as Secretary
of War. He has taken peculiar interest in
the men who digging that canal He has
He has made It his business to see that their
interests in every way amply protected: that
they have ample reward. that they we'll
housed well fed. and. so far as in his power
lies, that they receive compensation for injuries
incurred In the line OF their duty. special
committee which l have appointed TO look into
the conditions Of labor on the isthmus, which
included upon 1t Mr.. Samuel B Donnelly. a
labor representative. formerly the president OF
the International Typographical Union. has re-
ported to me in effect that Uncle Sam has
shown himself to be model employer on the
isthmus so that. thanks to Mr. Taft and the
care and supervision which he has exercised. the
men --'0 work for the government on the 18TH
mus are on the whole better said better pro-
dustrial enterprise in the United States Mr. T
J. Dolan. the secretary treasurer of the Inter
national Brotherhood of Steam Shovel and
Dredge Men. who has most carefully investi-