The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-10-26
ROOSEVELT IN
PRINT FOR TAFT
President Hangs a Political
Letter on Member of Rail-
way Brotherhood.
TRYING TO GET LABOR VOTE
NAMES OF THE CANAL THIEVES
NOT MADE PUBLIC.

Washington. Oct. 25.-In response 10 a
letter from p. II. Grace Of Bingham
ton. n. Y. a member Of the Brotherhood
OF Railroad Trainmen, inquiring about Mr.
Tafts record In respect to inJunctions
and labor matters in general. President
Roosevelt has written to M. Grace. re-
viewing Mr.. Tafts attitude toward labor
and explaining the work Of the admins
uauon toward amelioratng Industrial
conditions. The president. after express
Ing pride in the fact that he Is an hon.
orary member of the brotherhood of Lo-
coInotive ttremen, says in part:
Ihrorshout my whole term as presi-
dent, l have devoted myself with espe-
cial interest TO the questions affecting la
Dor. The lasting prosperity of this cOun-
try rests upon the welfare OF the wage
worker and the welfare of the tiller OF
tho soil. No consideration of party fealty
or personal friendship would Induce me
10 advise either farmer or working man
10 90 anything that was not for his per-
manent benefit. With this fact keenly
besore me. ] earnestly advise all working
men. in their own interest as working
men. but above all as American citizens
concerned in the honor and the prosper
tty Of this great free republic. to support
Mr. Tart for president; just as | advise all
farmers. business men and men Of the
professions.
Taft Injunetions Right.
Il do not believe the wage-workers of
this country have ever had a better friend
in the White house than Mr.. Taft will
prove 20 be. He has already shown his
faith by his deeds. In the matter of the
inJunctiOns he issued he was absolutely
right, and the principles he laid down
In those tntunctiOns have since then been
accepted by every worthy leader of la
Dor. and they are embodied In the prin-
cipies ard practices OF all the railroad
brotherhoOds at the present day. The
abuses Of injunctiOns have been fearless
" exposed and attacked by MT Tart. Let
me give you an example of what he has
"A year or so ago the editor Of the
paper specially devoted to the Iron Mold
ers union called upon me to say that a
decree had been entered In the United
States circuit court at Milwaukee in thu
summer of 1906. which he regarded as
grossly unjust and improper and as prac-
tically fatal 70 trades unionism. The case
was that of the Iron Molders' union
against the Allis-Chalmers company of
Milwaukee,. The members of the union,
having made certain deman1s for the bet
terment Of their conditions of service,
which We're refused. went on strike. and
ar injunction suit followed In the United
States circuit court The late employees
were enjoined from alleged Illegal inter-
ference.
Drastic Action OF Court.
The final decree was of the most dras-
tic and far-reachlng character, and be-
sides enjoinine the late employees from
also enioined them from any form of
picketing. from inducing employees 20
leave the service OF the Allis-Chalmers
company by persuasion OF otherwise. and
from any kind Of interference with the
company direct or indirect So sweeping
We're the terms of this injunction that II
practically forbade the union from MAX
ing any effort. no matter how peaceful
and proper. TO maintain thei- position IN
this trade dispute The editor OF the Iron
MoIders' Journal. M. ]. p. Fry. brought
hafnrR staring that
union did not know what TO do that It's
funds were limited. that he felt that they
which they were powerless to remedy. I
called I'm Mr.. Taft and asked Mr.. Fry to
lay the case before him. as. OF course.
Mr. Taft was far more competent than
| was TO express his judgment as to the
legality and propriety OF the action
taken.
Taft Became Indignant"
''Nr. Taft satisfied himself Of the facts
and at once became exceedingly indig-
nant at such an injunction having IS
sued He stated that IN his opinion the
position taken by the court in Issuing the
Injunction was clearly untenable. and
what was needed was that the union
should get some first-class lawyer TO rep
resent them and should bring the case
before the higher courts He suggested.
in response to Mr.. Fry's request that the
union retain f. n. Judson of st. Louis,
who had represented the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen In the Wabash case
iu 1893, and who. by the way. is the au-
thor of the review of the labor decisions
or Judge Taft. published in the Review
OF Reviews In 1907. Mr.. Taft explained
that one of the troubles of the unions
was that often they did not get the best
type of counsel. so that their cases were
not properly presented. and that In his
Judgment Mr.. JudsOn would he sure to
present this case Alright. He stated that
the decision OF the court ought certainly
TO be in their favor. The case was ar
gued before the United States circuit
court of appeals by Mr.. Judson and Mr.,
Rubin of Milwaukee,, for the union. and
by James NJ. Beck. counsel for the Ma
tional Manufacturers association, for the
company.
Union Finally Won.