The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-10-07
HON. j. E. WATSON ON
THAT PART OF CANDIDATES ADDRESS DELIVERED
IN HAMMOND, DEALING WITH LABOR
JAMES e. WATSON AT HAMMOND,
IND, OCT. 3, zoos.

JAMES T.. "AISON
IND, OCT. 3, zoos.
The republican party not friendly 10
labor. Why, my felIow-citizens, the re-
publican party passed the Chinese ex-
cIusion act way back yonder In 1879
and only three years ago we repassed 1t
for another period and 1 voted for IL
SO that no Chinamnn might
come into this country and compete
with the high-priced, Intelligent Ameri-
can Iaborer and American citizenship.
The republican party not the friend of
labor. The republican party passed the
laws which prevents the importation of
foreign contract labor into this country,
so that no manufacturer or other per-
son may go abroad and bring into this
country of ours cheap, underpaid, un-
derfed foreigners to compete with our
high-priced Amercain Iaborers. 1 voted
for that bill.
Not n friend of labor. The repub-
lican party has put every tariff law
that has ever been passed in this coun-
try on our statute books since the re-
publican party was BORN which pro-
tects the interests and the home and
fireSide of every man who earns his
daily bread by his daily toll.
Not the friend of labors My fellow
citizens, the republican party hns passed
every law that has been passed in the
interests of the 1abOring men. 1t was
the republican party that gave you
sound money, sound currency and made
every dollar worth one hundred cents.
Had it not done that, do you suppose
the Iaboring people of this country
would be in the condition they are In!
Never. my friends, for the Iaborer is
the first to feel the evil influences and
effects of such n policy and the last to
recover from 1t. 1t is the man who
don't need protection Capital can al
ways take care of itself, but the man
who works, the man who tolls, the man
of his face is the man who must be pro-
tected. and the republican party, true
to it's cause, came to his relief and said
that the currency of this nation must
never be permitted to become unsound.
In the lass three sessions of congress
we have passed more labor laws, laws
for the protection and weIl-being of Ia
Dor and of higher Importance to the Ia
boring man than any that has ever been
passed In the history of this nation ex-
cept the one abolishipg slavery. We
passed the employers liability act.
That was taken to the United States SUI
preme court and that court held 1t to
be unconstitutional and 1T is on your
statute books and is the law today.
We passed the sixteen-hour law,
limiting the time of continuous EN-
ployment to sixteen hours for tower
men and nine hours for all telegraph
operators; and just the other night at
indianapolis Samuel Gompers made the
statement, which he dare not deny. that
this bill was more nearly my child than
any other member of congress because
1 had voted for 1t twice: (Cheers.)
Not the friend of labor. My fellow
citizens. we passed that bill and 1t Is
the law and am glad of 1T. We also
passed those bills of which my friend,
Mr.. Garfield spoke-and, by the way,
this man Garfield is I'm position to know
the effects and results of these meas
ures for he has been put at the head
of the bureau of commerce and labor
and knows the great volumne of bust
ness that Is done and the quality and
character of the men who do 1T. That
is the very fundamental principle upor
which this republic is founded. And
want to say that the records of con.
| gress show that whenever these laws
these measures in the interest of labor
were up for consideration and my nam.
was called that L voted eyes" ever,
time In favor of these policies ant
principles. tCkeers.)
Not the friend of labor: Just at tn.
close of congress we passed what 1,
known the "ash-pan billc. Reports
showed that we killed three hundre.
and twenty-five fremen within the las
year by reason of the fact they ha,
to crawl I'm under their engines to dunn,
ash-pans. This law was passed and 4
provides that hereafter all locomotive
shall be constructed that this ash
pan can be drawn out from under tn,
engine and dumped without requirin,
the firemen to crawl in under the en-
gines to dump them as heretofore. Gu
republican senator, Mr.. Hemenway, go
that bill through the senate and gave 4