Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-10-15
THE LABOR VOTE

among laboring men Is toward the
democratic party. This is as IT
should be for the democrats I'm
their natiolial platform have en-
dorsed many progressive measures
which iaGJring men have long ask
ed, but which have been refused by
the republican party.
In the state. too, the labor vote
should go to the Democratic candi-
dates, because IN Its advocacy Of
Improved mining laws, anti-injunc-
'tion laws, employers liability Jaws,
the democratic party stands sor
that which labor has Bong asked.
but which has been refused by re-
publicans.
Louis Bennett, the dem ocratic
candidate for governor, at the re-
quest of the Labor Argus, the lead
ing labor paper of the state, out
lined his views upon the following
questions that are OF particular in
terest to laboring men:
Bonding Guards-"If permanent
guards tsuch as employed in and
around mines and numbering
camps), private detectives and rail-
road police, are employed as peace
Officers, then / favor such perma-
nent Officers being placed under
Bond and answerable to the state
for their acts the same as regularly
elected peace officers
Mining Laws-"Unquest' onably
mining laws to protect life and
property should be enacted, and
there should be a rigid enforcement
OF same.
e Employer'sLiability act stand
on the democratic national and
state platforms which call for an
equitable Employers Liability Act.
Free text books-"My experience
as a teacher In the common schools
of the state, and as principal of the
normal school at Glenville, as we'll
as my general interest in the free
school system of the state has con-
WINGED me of the need OF an M
proved compulsory education law,
and free text BOOKS as soon as the
finances of the state will permit
Free text books could have been
provided for before this time, ex-
cept for the extravaganza of the re-
publican administrations
Good roads and convict labor
mo one knows better than ! do of
the crying need OF a law that viii
guarantee the very best roads pos
sible through out the state This
has been for years a special hobby
of mine, and ! know of no greater
blessing along progressive lines
which could be conferred upon our
people than to give them good
roads. If elected governor / shall
recommend that convict lal,orers be
used in improving our public roads
and thereby remove them from the
field of competition with free labor.
Injunction abuse-'A law to cor
rect the abuse of the Injunction
process in labor disputes has been
demanded by both national and
state platforms OF the democratic
party, and l stand on those plat
forms.
Honest ballot-"The enactment
OF an election law that will guIaran-
tee the purity of the ballot has been
demanded by the democratic party
for years. The fundamental prln-
ciples of our entire political system
is based upon a fair and honest bal
lot and we should never cease
our efforts hhtil We have attained
1t. This is a question which inter
ests the whble people and it should
not be an issue in this campaign
were it not that the republican ma
chine Of the state relies mainly up
on the ignorant and vicious element
to maintain itself in power. tbs
statement is not merely from a
democratic viewpoint but It is like
wise the statement lof "A large num-
Der of the better element Of the re-
publicans Of the state. In fact,
many Of the leading republican
newspapers, and men whose stand
Ing is high lin that party, make bold
to so express til themselves as one OF
the reasons why they oppose the
election Of a Swisher ticket. A large
and respectable element OF the re-
publican phrty assert thai the state
machine has made use of the igno-
rant and corrupt element of that
party, and, too, of the democratic
party to defeat the reform elemen.
which dared oppose its wicked pur-
poses. Charges 'of the gravest char
acter have been preferred and
proven by honest republicans
against the machine organization
and its corrupt practices TO con
tnue itself in power. But the ma
chine won, and in consequence
thereof the democratic party and
the REFORM element Of the republic
can party have to meet and oppose
at the general election these and
other dishonest practices Of the ma
chine Thus the purity OF the bal