Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-10-01
WHAT LABOR WANTS.

The following editorial from the
cincinnati Post should appeal to
every laboring man:
Labor unions are in polite his
year for the first time. Why? what
ails labor more than formerly? Il
Its condition different now? Has
labor any new grievances, arisen
since the last presidential elect on?
And III conditions have chanseI
are the demands of labor for the'~
amedioratioh, just or unjust, safe
for the nation or unsafe?
There are momentous questions.
IL labor is right Il will be a great
calamity to the nation IL the gov
eminent is wrong. For right de-
mands finally to win. To divide
This country into labor party seex-
ing justice and an anti-labor oar
ty espousing plutocratic triumph
VIII arouse bitterness and class di-
visions fraught with peril to Amer
lea for generations. The voters
should be sure that labor Is wrong
before turning down its demands.
Hence, every man should try to
get a. both sides OF the demands OF
labor in this election. If the un-
Ions are asking what ought not to
be conceded they should be turned
down. Blu. it should not be done
In ignorance. far less in prejudice
and bitterness.
The chief labor issue concerns
government by injunction. The
Democratic platform is what the la
Dor leaders asked and what the Re-
publican leaders rejected. Bryan is
heartily in sympathy with his plat
form, and Taft just as strongly with
his. While not, perhaps, the "faeh-
or" of the injunctions in labor dis
putes, Taft, while on the bench was
leader as a labor-enjoiner, and
wrote some OF the strongest injunc-
ton decisions.
The Republican platform, while
1t seems 20 declare for change in
the direction OF having defendants
notified before being enjoined, does
not really do so. 1t says notice
must be given, except in cases
where irreparable injury will be
done II there is delay.
This is our law now. 1t has long
been our law. No injunction has
ever been issued in a labor dispute
except on showing that irreparable
injury would ensue to the plaintiff
II the injunction were not issued at
once.
So, in spite Of anything which
candidates may say, the issue is,
Shall that injunction law be
changed from what it Is now?"
The Republicans stand pat on the
present law and practice. The Dem
ocrats take the lab T side and de-
mand changes.
The ordinary citizen wants light.
This editorial and some which may
follow are meant to give suoh light
to the man who Is neither laborite
nor anti-laborite, but just plain
man, with a duty in his heart.
Space confines to only one state
ment, but that is a portentious one.
The greatest industrial nation I'm
the world is Great Britain. From
her we get our language and our
Injunction law. Those who op-
pose the demands OF labor this fall
take the position that the labor de-
mands constitute an attack on the
courts in an important power which
shey have possessed from time i'm
memorial The truth is, however,
that in industrial Great Britain,
whence our injunction law comes.
they handle their labor disputes
without any injunctions, either
with or without notice, so far as
sympathetic strikes are concerned.
How they do It and how well Is
20 be considered. But they do Il,
and do il well, and with no weak
ening OF courts.