The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-17
Emphatic Defense of Right
of Laborers to Organize in
Notable Speech Delivered
by Mr.. Taft in Windy City.
LAW MUST BE RESPECTED
IN SUCH ORGANIZATIONS
Qualification Expressed That
Time Has Proven the Truth
of Assertions Made by the
Nations Chief Executive,
INCIDENTS OF THE VISIT

Chicago, Sept. ia strong de-
tense of labOr's right to organize in a
lawful manner was the feature of an
address by President Taft in Orches-
ira hall here tonight. The president
also said he would recommend to the
next congress the legislation on the
injunction as promised by the Repub-
liean platform. He insisted that the
rights of the nOn-union labOrer be
Iully protected.
President Taft devoted the second sec
tion of his address to the courts. He de-
clared no question before the American
people is more important than the inn
provement OF administration of justice
He said he would recommend to congress
the appointment of commission to take
up the question of the laws delay in the
federal courts and he hoped the report
or this commission would serve as
guide to the states in effecting remedial
legislation.
The president asserted the administra-
tion of criminal law is a disgrace to
American civilization, as the poor man
has not an equal opportunity with the
rich litgant He said he would discuss
the tariff later upon his Journey.
Mr.. Tafts address was the principal
event of his visit to Chicago. Before
speaking he rode through the South Park
system and reviewed 10000 school chill
dren assembled to do him honor, took
luncheon with the Commercial club and
attended a ball game in which the New
York Nationals defeated Chicago.
Address of the President.
Mr.. Taft's address follows:
1t is Just about a year ago tonight
that I made speech in this hall to some
1850 members of the railroad labor or
ganizatiuns, in which 1 attempted to con-
vince them that there was nothing in my
decisions as q circuit judge i'm labor in
junction cases which ought TO make them
vote against me for the presidency. Il
was a critical time In the campaign It
was a critical question, and as / review
that whole controversy there was hardly
another speech in my campaign Of greater
Importance to me than that one; that I'm
view of the result of The election, I look
back upon it now with special interest.
you will remember perhaps that the
head Of the Federation of Labor. who
had declared for my opponent, was anE-
iOus TO carry the whole union labor vote
against me, and as the ground for his
action was my decisions as a judge, I
was put under the burden which, I think,
no other candidate for the presidency
ever had to bear. OF explaining and Ce-
Tending in a political contest the deCis-
ions which I had made as Judge upon
the bench. 1t was assumed by many. who
thought themselves familiar with the sit
uatiOn, that I would lose a large part of
the labor vote which had heretofore
been evenly divided between the Republi-
cans and the Democrats.
Assumption Proved Incorrect.
1.-THE result showed that mis- assumption
was incorrect and that labor men-union
labor as well as nOu-uniOn labor men
thought for themselves, voted according
TO their own judgment and declined to
be delivered as a body to one party or
the other. On the whole, I do not think 1
suffered materially from the loss of labor
votes. In the discussions I asserted that
I was as much interested as anyone in
maintaining the cause of labor when la
Dor, organized or unOrganiZed, by proper
methods sought to better its condition by
legislation or otherwise. 7 said 7 eX-
pected TO recommend to congress, if We're
elected, that interstate railroads be re-
quired to adopt any additional devices
found useful for the purpose Of saving
from loss of life or limb employees en-
gagged in the dangerous business of rail-
reading I also said 1 favored the adOp-
tion of legislation looking to a proper
mary iniunctiOns might issue without no
tice, and defining the procedure in such
matters.
Promises Will Be Kept.
Now that the election has come and
gone, I want to take this opportunity of
saying that I have not forgotten my own
promises OF those of the platform, and
I propose in the next session of congress
TO recommend the legislation on the sub
iect OF injunction which was promised in
the Republican platform and to see
whether by such legislation it is not pos
sible to avoid even few cases of abuses
that can be cited against the federal
Continued or Page 2.