The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-06-27
LABOR ACTIVITY IN
PRESENT CAMPAIGN
STATE FEDERATION SUBMITS
FOUR PERTINENT QUESTIONS
TO ALL CANDIDATES.


cts in Oklahoma were sent letters
Saturday by the secretary of the
State Federation of Labor. demand
ing answers to four questions of
particular interest to labor
The questions are:
Do you favor the fu' enfranchise-
ment of women?
Do you favor 10-hour law for
women and girls of lawful age?
Would you cooperate with the
people of this state in initiating a
petition whereby the state could
construct operate and maintain a
system of electric lines for passen-
ger and freight traffic, provided
the foreign transportation compa-
nies of this state refuse to become
amendable to the laws of Oklaho-
ma?
Would you oppose any effort to
, amend the constitution OF the state
| of Oklahoma extending to the rail
road, transportation and transmits
sion companies any privileges not
now contained in the present state
constitution?
The activity of organized labor
! in the present campaign, prior to
| the primaries Aug. 2, will depend
| largely upon the extent of opposi-
tion to any or all of the four above
! questions. Any candidate, irrespec
| tive of party affiliation, must ans
wer the four questions affirmatively
or organized labor will oppose his
| candidacy Not only will organized
labor oppose candidates who are un-
| friendly to labor, but the Farmers
union Of Oklahoma is also a party
| to the demand on the aforesaid can
didates.
/ The first question asked has refer
ence to woman's suffrage. Organic
ed labor favors woman's suffrage.
Nearly ten years ago the American
Federation of Labor, the highest
: organization of labor in the United
States, declared in no uncertain
terms in favor of woman suffrage,
and five years ago the same action
was taken by the State Federation
of Labor in Oklahoma. However,
woman suffrage is favored not from
woman property owners sta1d-
point but a working woman's stand
point. The argument is that a wo-
man who works and with majority
/ of whom it is necessity, needs
/ the protection from the office hold
ers, the men who make and enforce
the laws.
/ 1t is contended by organized IA
/ Dor that office seekers do not heed
/ the demands of the working wO-
men as they do the men workers,
because the former class have no
suffrage. If the women could vote,
it is declared, laws that would tend
to make the working life of women
I laborers more pleasant and prcfita-
ble would be passed The questiOH
is not treated from the standpoint
of card playing woman's stand
point, as said by a local labor led
ef Saturday, but from the stand
point of woman who earns he.
living.
In asking the second question, or
eini7ed labo" leaders say tIIt
woman OF 81! should 70. be com
PEELED 70 V. II more tn "a ter hours
Ler day. I, has been tIeerted that
women ami girls who work at
laundries and restaurants in Okla
homa City have been forced 10 la
Dor for sixteen hocrs a day. An
other proposition that is being con-
sidered at the present Jitne y tnat
OF demanding the passage OF 4 Sta:a
law that would increase the daily
wage of the laboring girl or woman
to not less than 50 per day. 1t is
argued that the average monthly
expense of woman or girl, who
enjoys the pleasures of life, is at
least S35 per month, and yet the
average wage at the present time
X far below that amount
The third question has special
reference to state ownership o.
electric railroad lines. This ques-
tion has not been seriously con
sidered by organized labor in Okla
homa. though discussed at differ
ent times.
No mention is made Of the repeal