The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-26

His Position While on the
Federal Bench.
Binghamton, N. Y. Oct. 26.-In re-
sponse' to letter from p. H. Grace.
member of the Brotherhood of Rail-
road Trainmen. inquiring about Mr.
Tafts record in respect to intunctions
and labor matters in general, Presi-
dent Roosevelt has written to Mr..
Grace. reviewing Mr.. Tafts attitude
toward labor and explaining the work
or the administration toward anchor
ating industrial conditions.
The correspondence follows:
Letter to the President.
brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen.
Binghamton, N. Y, Oct 16. 1908.
Theodore Roosevelt, President of United
States. Washington. d. C.
Dear Sir:-The question involved in
the approaching election must affect
the railway employees. On one side the
papers and speeches assert that Mr..
TAFT is the father of injunctions in la
Dor disputes and the enemy of the
working men. On the other side it is
declared that Mr.. Taft has recognized
the right of labor and has in fact been
ana now is friendly to the best inter-
ests OF organized labor. We are not all
clear in our minds as to just what to
believe and as to just how to act We
all have great confidence in you. 1 am
a member of the Brotherhood of Rail-
road Trainmen, being the financier of
Parlor City Lodge No. Sc of Bingham
ton. and in behalf of myself and many
OF my associate employees I wish to re-
spectfully ask that If you are willing
to do SO, you give us your views as to
how We can best serve our own inter-
est in this connection and why. trust
and I hope you can see your way to
comply with it. Yours. respectfully,
p. H. GRACE.
The Presidents Reply.
October 10, 1908.
My Dear Mr.. Grace:-I thank you for
your letter. need hardly say that I
take a peculiar interest in the men who
work on the railroads in this country,
ana prize as one of the honors of
which am most proud the fact that
am an honorary member of the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Firemen.
Throughout my whole term as presi-
dent, now in its eighth year, I have
devoted myself with especial interest to
the questions affecting labor. The last
ing prosperity of this country rests
upon the welfare of the wageworker
and the welfare of the tiller of the soil.
My greatest aim and desire have been
to do all that in me lies to advance
their interest. / wish to help them to
get the best out of their present posi-
tions; 1 wish to help them make those
positions permanently better of per-
manently greater Importance and re-
ward. No consideration of party fealty
or personal friendship would induce me
to do anything that was not for his
permanent benefit. With this fact
keenly before me, 1 earnestly advise all
working men, in their own interest as
working men, but above all as American
citizens concerned in the honor and the
prosperity of this great free republic,
to support Mr. Taft for president; just
as 1 advise all farmers. business men
and men of the professions.
Taft and Injunctions. \
1 do not believe the wage workers
of this country have ever had a better
friend in the White House than Mr..
Taft will prove to be. He has already
shown his faith by his deeds. In the
matter of the injunctions he issued he
was absolutely right. and the princi-
pies he laid down in those injunctions
have since then reen accepted by every
worthy leader of labor and they are
embodied in the principles and practices
of all the railroad brotherhoods at the
have been fearlessly exposed and at
tackled by Mr.. Taft. He recognizes, as
in my Judgment all fair minded men
must recognize. that again and again
in the past this process has been used
to the detriment of wage workers by
certain judges. He is doing and will
continue to do everything that can be
done to do away with these abuses He.
will no. make vague promises irnpossi-
Bile of fulfillment. He will actually and
in good faith try to secure action. Let
me give you an example of what he
has Just done.
Case of Iron Molders' Union.
A year or so ago the editor of the
paper specially devoted to- the Iron
Molders' union called upon me to say I
that a decree had been entered in the
United States circuit court at Mil
waukee in the summer of 1906. which
he regarded as grossly unjust and inn
proper and as practically fatal to
trades unionism. The case was that
of the Iron Molders' union against the
Allis-Chalmers company or MIL
waukee. The members of the union,
having made certain demands for the
betterment of their conditions of SER
vice, which were refused, went on
strike, and an Injunction suit followed
in the United States circuit court The
late employees were enjoined from
alleged illegal Interference. The fnal
decree was of the most drastic and
far-reaching character, and besides
enjoining the late employees from
doing acts which were clearly iilegal,
1t also enjoined them from any form
of picketing from inducing employees
to leave the service of the Allis-
Chalmers company by persuasion or
otherwise, and from any kind OF In
reference with the company direct or
Indirect SO sweeping were the terms
of this injunction that it practically
forbade the union from making any
effort, no matter how peaceful and
proper. to maintain their position in
this trade dispute. The editor of the