The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-09-25
DISCUSSES QUESTIONS THAT AZ.
Feet THE WoRklNoMAN.
MAKES LONG TALK INHABITANTS
Record Of the Republican Party as
Compared to That Of ths Democratic
Organization wtn Reference to Re-.
lief for Labor.

CHICAGO, Sept. 23.-Judge w. H
Taft tomorrow addressed the Railway
Mems Independent club. speaking a.
follows:
Z am glad to meet SO many mem
hers OF organized railroad labor.
have accepted this opportunity to adj
dress an audience of members OF the
Arouherhoods in order that / may
take up a question which has been
given great prominence in this cam
Deign, and II I must say that every
effort has been made 5unjustly tc
arouse the prejudice Of organized
labor against the republican party
and it's candidate.
I'm the first place, / wish to affirm,
without fear or contradiction, that
tie republican party has done vastly
lore than the democratic party. both
q state and national legislation for
tAe protection and IN the interest OF
labor. It rassed tn General Harri-
sons administration the eight hour
law for government workmen and
save an impetus to a reduction Of
hours in other employment. The safe
" appliance acts which the railroads
engaged N Interstate commerce were
required to make provision for the
safety OF their employees and thus to
reduce the shocking loss Of life and
limb Of railroad employees were pass
81 in the same administration. Amend
nents to this act making more de-
tailed specifications for improvements
IN safety appliances, including especi-
ally the fire pan, have been passed in
the present administration. An act
Tor bhe promotion Of arbitration be-
tween the railroads and their EN-
Dloyes in Interstate commerce is also
one OF Those acts of benef1cence to
both employer and employee. The
last congress enacted a law which
was declared Unconstitutional and
then in it's second session re-enacted
the law to avoid the constitution all
objections. By Uhis act railway en-
Dloyes. who bring suit for damages
against the company cannot now be
defeated on the ground that the
negligence was the negligence of a
fellow servant. IL he Is shown to be
guilty Of negligence himself in q
slight degree. he does not forfeit his
right Of action, but It is left to the
tsry to apportion the damages and
reduce them as equity shall Justify.
I'm addition to this, a law limiting
tie hours of labor Of interests rail-
way employees has been pas ed. "a
bill was also passed by the last SEES
sion OF congress providing for COM
Donsation to government employees
for injuries received IN the govern
nent employ. 1t is an inadequate
law and will doubtless be improved
BY the coming congresses. An issue,
however has arisen as to the attitude
Of the two parties on the subject Of
Instructions In labor disputes"
Judge Taft gave a detailed history
81 the labor injunction cases that
came before him while he was on the
bench, juatifying his decisions. He
continued:
MI. Bryan says / am the father Of
injunctions In industrial cases. This
- not trues The use Of injunctions
was In accordance with precedent in
. number Of cases which l cited, both
m the Arthur case and the Phelan
ease. I am not apologizing for what
I said in these cases, for they were
In accordance with my duty as a
Judge.
another point which I distinctly
decided In these cases was that no
temporary restraining order or in
Junction could issue TO prevent IA
mans leaving the employment of a
railway, and therefore that no in
functions could issue to restrain men
from aching In concert and going on q
strike.