Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-07
BRYAN ANSWERS VAN ClEAvE
SAYS BUSINESS MEN SHOULDN'T
CRITIoISE HIS PLATFORM.
Labor Plank, He Declares. Contem-
plates Improvement in Business
Conditions-As to Jury Trial.

LINCOLN. August w ]. Bryan has
issued a statement replying to circular
issued some weeks ago by the National As
sociation of Manufacturers and signed by
James w. Van Cleave. Mr.. Bryan de-
clares that the pamphlet Of Mr.. Van
Cleaves raises two questions:
First. Is there anything I'm the labor
plank OF the democratic platform to which
business men can Justly take exception.
and, second. is the labor question so inn
portant to business men as TO Justify them
I'm ignoring all other issues?
Mr.. Bryan declares that the provision
i'm the democratic platform for the ere
alton of a labor department with a cabi-
net officer at its head cannot possibly Of
fend business men. He then says:
The platform draws distinction be-
tween associations of wage earners or
ganized for the protection o. wages and
the improvement of labor conditions and
Industrial corporations which act in re-
straint of trade The difference between
a labor organization and a trust Is so ap-
parent that no disinterested person Will
deny that they should he treated separate
ly. To class the two kinds OF organiza-
tions together and deal with tmem under
one law is bound to do injustice TO one
or the other. The business men can have
no vital concern in including the labor
III tiic bSt laws
Discusses Injunction Plank.
Mr.. Bryan then takes up the plank pro-
viding for trial by jury in cases of In
direct contempt. He insists that this
cannot raise a question of vital concern
to business men, because every man has a
right to jury trial. He then says:
IAN attempt has been made to raise a
false issue in regard to the courts and
to make it appear that the demand for
trial by jury is an assault upon the in
tegrity of the courts. Those who make
this argument might as well insist on the
abolition OF the jury in all cases for the
jury system itself is just as much re-
Election upon the bench as is this demand
for trial by jury i'm these particular cases.
But there is another labor plank that
Mr.. Van Cleave probably has In mind.
This is the plank that declares that par
ties to all judicial proceedings should be
treated with rigid impartiality, and that
an injunction should not issue in any case
in which an injunction would not lie IL no
industrial dispute were involved. Do the
business men insist upon partiality in Ju-
dicial proceedings? Do they insist that
the mere fact that there is an industrial
dispute should justify an injunction That
plank does not attempt TO Interfere with
the issue of an injunction where other
conditions justify it. but IL does oppose
the issue of an injunction merely for the
purpose of bringing the court into the
discussion of an industrial dispute.
Does Not Arouse Glasses.
Mr.. Van Cleave asserts that this plank
rouses a class spirit and constitutes a
demand for class favors.' But this is
not true. 1t is a declaration that the
writ of injunction should not be used
for the purpose of creating a class or
favoring a class. The laboring men re-
sent ar attempt to discriminate against
them in favor of any other class"
Mr.. Bryan declares that Mr. Van
Cleave does the business man an Injustice
in assuming that his waking hours ar.
filled with fears of the wage Garner.
and that his nights rest is broken by
imaginary disputes with those who toll.