The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-03-28
Mr.. Cannon Says He Believes Present
Congress Will Pass New Employers
Liability BilI-Amendment to Anti
Trust Law Is Agreed Upon and Bill
viii Soon BE Introduced in Con-
gress.

delegation led by Samuel Gompers,
president of the American Federation
of Labor, from eighty-seven national
and international trade and labor or.
ganizations assembled in a national
conference in this city. The delega-
ton called on the speaker to lay be
fore the house, through him, a me-
mortal entitled "Labor's Protest to
Congress" The scope of this memo
rial was set forth in the following
opening paragraphs:
"In the name of labor, we now urge
upon congress the necessity for imme-
date action for relief from the most
grave and momentous situation which
has ever confronted the working peo-
pie of this country. This crisis has
been brought about by the application
by the supreme court of the United
States of the Sherman antitrust law
to the workers, both organized and in
their individual capacity.
Takes Fling at Courts.
Labor and the people generally
look askance at the invasion of the
court upon prerogatives of the law
making and executive departments of
our government. There is something
Ominous in the ironic manner in which
the courts guarantee to workers
"The right to be MANNED and killed
without liability to the employer.
"The right to be discharged for be-
longing to union.
'The right to work as many hours
as employers please and under any
conditions which they may impose.
Labor is justly indignant at the be-
stowal or guaranteeing Of these worth
less and academic rights by the
courts, which in the same breath deny
and forbid to the workers the prac-
tical and necessary protection of laws
which define and safeguard their rights
and liberties and the exercise of them
Individually or in association"
The protest submitted by Mr. Com
pers and his associates refers to the
supreme court decision in the hatters'
case as the most recent perversion
of the intent of law by the judiciary
by which the Sherman antitrust law
has been made to apply to labor, al
though it was an accepted fact that
congress did not intend the law to so
apply and might even have specifically
exempted labor but for the fear that
the supreme court might construe such
an affirmative provision to be uncon-
stitutional."
No Property Rights IN Labor.
"The workers." says the memorial,
earnestly urge congress to cooperate
with them in the upbuilding and edu-
eating of public sentiment which will
confine the judiciary to it's proper func-
lions.
I'VE favor enactments of law which
shall restrict the jurisdiction of courts
OF equity to property and property
rights, and shall SO designate property
and property rights that neither shall
there be held to be property rights in
the labor or the labor power of any
person or persons"
The memorial submits to congress
for consideration two amendatory pro-
visions in substance as follows:
That nothing in said act (Sherman
ANTITRUST law or in this act shall ap-
ply to organizations or associations not
for profit and without capital stock, nor
to the members of such organizations
or associations.
That nothing in said act (Sherman
antitrust law or in this act is intend
ed nor shall any provision thereof here
after be enforced SO as to apply to any
arrangements or combinations of per-
sons engaged in agricultural or horti-
cultural pursuits made with view OF
enhancing the price of their own agri-
cultural or horticultural productions"
Other Measures Urged.
/. Congress is informed in the memori-
al that, additionally, "the most Inn
portant measures" which labor urges
are:
The Pearre bill to regulate and
limit the issuance Of injunctions; the
employers liability bill; the bill ex-
tending the application OF the eight
hour law to all government employees
and those employed on work for the
government by contractors or suh-con-.
tractors.
We come to congress-" says the
memorial, hoping for a prompt and
adequate remedy for the grievances
of which we justly complain. The
moment has arrived for
a change Of government policy toward
the workers.
While no member OF congress or
party can evade or avoid his or their
own individual or party share Of re-
sponsibility, we aver that the party in
power must and viii. by labor and its
sympathizers, be held primarily re-
sponsible for the failure to give the
prompt and full and effective con-