The Washington herald., 1908-06-19
LABOR IS WINNER
In THE PLATFORM
Convention Adopts Antrim
junction Plank.
LITTLE OPPOSITION ON FLOOR
Only Plight Against Document Made
on Ground that IL Il Not Radical
EnOugh-Fenr of ROOseveIt's Nom
inatiOn Said TO BE Responsible
for Early Agreement.

tional convention to-day adopted the
party's platform Of principles on which
it viii go before the people In the coming
campaign.
There was some opposition 10 the ap-
proval Of this momentous political docu-
ment but strangely enough the fight
against It was made Dccause * was not
radical enough. and not because it was
too radical
One Of the planks declares in favor OF
legislation prohibiting the issue OF any
writs OF Injunction or temporary restrain
ing orders by Federal courts without due
notice except when irreparable injury
would result from delay.
This is conhrmatory OF the present
practice, or unwritten law Of the courts.
The fact that the injunction question was
mentioned at all in the platform aroused
great dissatisfaction. but those who had
maintained strenuously that there should
be no plank dealing with court procedure
found some comfort in the qualifying
pledge in the Objectionable plank 10 up
hold the authority and integrity Of the
judiciary State and national
No Contest on Floor.
II was the expectation when the conven-
1 ton met this morning that the men who
had opposed this plank in the committee
on resolutions on the grouni that II was
revolutionary and unnecessary. would
( take their fight 20 the hoor. They did
not. however.
| II was the radical Wisconsin delegation.
/ imbued with the ideas Of Senator Robert
/ NJ La Toilette, which fathered the con-
test. though a platform containing all the
La Folletteism from physical valuation OF
railroads 10 the election Of Senator'S by
the direct vote Of the people was submit
! ted as a substitute, and was rejected on a
test vote OF $50 TO Is, the minority com
prising p votes from Wisconsin, 2 from
South Dakota, and l from New Jersey.
Separate votes were obtained in the con-
vention also on the La Toilette planks de-
claring In favor Of the publicity OF cam
paign contributions. for the ascertainment
Of physical valuation OF railroads. and for
the election OF United States Senators by
direct vote OF the people. All these were
rejected By overwhelming majorities The
Q
votes, respectively. out OF total member
ship in the convention OF $50.
Fear OF Roosevelt.
Fear Of the nomination OF Theodore
Roosevelt brought about the agreement
on the platform Up to last evening the
subcommittee OF thirteen. which was
charged with preparing a declaration OF
principles TO be submitted TO the commit
tee on resolutions. was apparently d.
vided hopelessly over the ROosevelt-Taft
plank declaring for statutory regulation
OF the power OF the courts 20 issue in
functions This subcommittee, packed
for anu-injunction by Senator Albert :.
Hopkins. Of Illinois. its chairman. in
whom the appointment OF its members
was vested, sat through most Of yester-
day discussing the various planks OF the
tentative platform draft prepared IN
Washington, but without taking I'D the
anti-injUnctiOn declaration
The crisis was reached late in the
afternoon. when the subcommittee. bv a
vote Of 10 4, adopted q plank which ad-
vocated permitting organizations OF la
! borers and farmers TO combine for GER
tain purposes without being subjected 10
/ prosecution under the antitrust law.
Bid for the Labor Vote,
This was a direct bid for the labor
vote, as It complied with the demand OF
Samuel GOmpers and his neutenants that
the statute should be so amended as 10
permit the maintenance OF an interstate
boycott such as the United states Su-
preme Court. in the Danbury hatters' case.
had declared 10 be & combination in re-
straint of trade.
Alarmed over this declaration. and hav-
ing been badgered all day by implied
, threats that II the anti-injunction plank
was omitted from the platform. President
Roosevelt would be nominated. the minor
ity Of the subcommittee. after consulta-
ton with Speaker Cannon. offered 20 COM
promise with the radicals. led by Wade
Ellis. the attorney general OF Ohio. who
, was Mr.. Taft's personal representative
on the subcommittee. and Frank b Kel-
logg. Of Minnesota, one OF the admlnistra-
ton trust-bUsters.
The radicals were only too anxious 70
reach any solution that would permit the
rendition Of a declaration Of the subject
of judicial power to issue injunctions, and
they assented at once 10 the suggestion
made. which was that II the exemption
declaration with reference 10 labor or
ganizations and farmers alliances was
omitted from the platform the conserva-
tives would accept a modified injunction
plank advocating only statutory COnflr-
! nation OF the present practice OF The
! courts In injunction cases. coupled with
a paraphrase OF the Nicholas Murray
Butler plank expressing faith In the in
tegrity Of the judiciary, State and na-
tiOnal
Fight Behind Closed Doors.
After that it was comparatively easy.
There was a fight in the committee on
resolutions over the injunction plank, but
those who opposed It on the ground that
1t constituted an attack upon the courts
exhausted their Efforts behind the closed
doors OF the committees meeting place
in the Auditorium Annex. and when they
{ had lost. decided not to carry their battle
TO the floor OF the convention.
Representative Henry A. Cooper, OF
Wisconsin La Follette's. spokesman on
the committee on resolutions. was dis
satisfied with the plank, because it was
not radical enough. IL was he who offer
ed the substitute platform on the floor
Of the convention, and was beaten all
along the line. The convention adopted
the majority platform without change.
The reading of the platform was not
marked by any striking incident When
President Roosevelt was referred 20 IN
one Of the planks there we're two or
three cheers and SONG handclapping but
that was all. Silence which some thought
significant. followed the reading OF sew
eral OF the most important planks.
When Mr.. Hopkins read that portion OF
the anti-injunction plank declaring that
: the Republican party would uphold the
5 courts at all times there was some cheer
inc and more general ha0dclepDgDo