The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-10-26
Reviews Record of His Candi-
date in Respect to Labor and
Injunctions.
ADVISES WAGE.EARNERS
TO BE REPUBLICANS
Says Mr.. Taft Will Be as Good
a Friend as Labor Has
Ever Had.

WASHINGTON, Oct 25-In re
sponse TO letter from p H. Grace OF
Binghamton, ~ y, a member Of The
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, in
quiring about Mr., Taft IS record in re-
spect to injunctions and labor matters
IN general, President Roosevelt has
written to Mr.. Grace, reviewing Mr..
Tnft's attitude toward labor and ex-
planning the work OF the administration
toward ameloration of industrial cou-
ditions, The president, after expressing
pride In the fact that he is an honorary
member OF the Brotherhood of Locomo,
tive Firemen, says, IN part:
Throughout my whole term as presi-
dent, / have devoted myself with espe-
eial interest to the questions affecting
labor The lasting prosperity of this
country rests upon the welfare of the
wage worker and the welfare of the
tiller of the soil. No consideration OF
party fealty or personal friendship
would induce me to advise either farmer
or worklngman TO do anything tbat was
not for his permanent benefit. With
this fact keenlv before me. I earnestly
advise all workingmen, in their own
interest as workingmen. but above all
as American citizens concerned III the
honor and the prosperity Of this great.
free republic, to support Mr.. Taft for
president; just as J advise all farmers
business men and men OF the profe5-
sions.
Wage-Workers' Friend.
81 do not believe the wage-workers
of this country have ever had a better
friend IN the White House thnu Mr.
Taft will prove TO bo. He bas already
shown his faith by his deeds. In :ho
matter OF the iniuncGions he issued he
was absolutely, right and the principles
ne iaid down IN those iujunctIons have
since then been accepted by every
worthy leader OF labor, and they are
embodied in the principles and practices
of all the railroad brotherhoods az fine
present day. The abuses of ipjunetion
nave been foarlessly exposed and at.
tackled by Mr. Taft, Let me give YOU
an example of what he tas Just done:
y year or so ago the editor of rhc
paper, specially devoted 10 the Iron
Monlders union called upon me 20 saw
that decree had been entered in fhe
United States circuit court at Milwau-
kee in the summer of 1906. which he
regarded rs grossly unjust and improper
and as practically fatal 10 trades union
ism The case was that of The Iron
Mouders union against the Allis-Chal.
mers company of Milwaukee, The mem..
bers of the union. having made certain
demands for the bettcrmeut of their
conditions os service, which were re.
fused. went on q strike, and an iniupc-
tion suit followed in the United States
circuit court, The late employees were
enjoined from alleged illegal interfer.
rncc. The final decree was of the most
drastic aud far.reachiug character, and
besides euioining the late employees
from doing acts which were clearly ii
legal, IL also enloined them from any
form of picketing, from inducing enT-
ployees to leave the service OF the
Allls- Chalmers company by persuasion
or otherwise, and from any kind OF in.
interference with the company direct or
Indirect.
Sweeping Injunction.
$50 sweeping were the terms of This
injunction that il practically forbade
the union from maxim" any effort, no
matter how peaceful and proper, 10
maintain lis position in this trade dis
pute. The editor Of the Iron Moulders
Journal, Mr.. j. p. Fry. brought the case
before me, stating that the union did
not know what to do; that It's funds
were limited; that he felt that they
were suffering from a gross injustice
which they were poworless TO remedy
I called in Mr. Taft and asked Mr.. Fry
10 lay the case before him. as, of course
Mr. Taft was more competent than I
Continued on Page Two.