The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-11-25

Chief Executive of the State of Missouri Delivers Address
on "Workmens Compensation and the Rights of Labor
that Has No Equal From Man Holding Like Position
Does Not Hesitate to Criticise the judiciary.

| ne lollOWlllS address was delivered
by Governor lladley. of Missouri. befor,
the convention of the American Fedora
tion of Labor now in session at st
Louis:
MIR. Chairman and members of tn,
American Federation of labor; | an
glad, indeed, to come here this mornin,
as the chief executive of this state
to extend to you cordial welcome anC
to express the wish that your meetin!
here may be pleasant one. ana taa
| your deliberations may result in gooC
to organized labor and to the entr,
country. | am very glad of the oppor
tunity to be here for this purpose.
regret that my welcome is about
| twenty.four hours late. but | assur,
You it loses nothing in its sincerity by
reason of the fact that it is delayed
twenty four hours. I am glad of the
opportunity to renew the pleasant as
sociations and acquaintanceship | have
| formed with some of the representa-
tives of the federation in public meet
ings in the past.
81 do not know but that | ought tC
take advantage of this opportunity tC
tell of an experience | had with the
president of the American Federation
of Labor and of Il very valuable ser
vice he rendered to me on the occasion
of our first meeting. 1t was at a meet
ing of the Civic Federation in Wash
ineton something over year ago at
dinner given the members of that
body. In company with a number OF
other cOrn-fed governors, who were
seated together | was fortunate enough
to be located near the president of the
American Federation of Labor. One
of the dishs given to liz at that dim
ner perpleXed us, because we didn't
know whether to eat it with sugar or
salt. or with n knife, a fork or a spoon.
l tOHSlllltu VII bIpbHNi vacuum W
and they were as much non -plussed as
I was. Finally in desperation we ap
pealed to the president of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor to advise us
what those delicate viands were and
how we should eat them. He told us
we had presented to us dish of ter
rapin. and that we should eat it as we
would a dish of roast beef or pork.
I told him when he was instructine
the governors of the state how to eat
terrapin he was no representative OF
labor, but plutocrat in disguise. and
I would take the first opportunity to
expose him to the country. He informed
me when he was cigarmaker in Balti-
more and was working at his trade he
carried his MONDAY lunch in a tin
bucket. and instead of the pork or beef
we would carry in this western country
he carried terrapin, because it was
cheaper than the other, and in that way
he entered into the mysteries of it.
hope I may have an opportunity on the
occasion of this visit to initiate aim
into the mysteries of consuming some
of our favorite products. perhaps how
he should eat the things we produce.
and if he wishes any further instruc-
tions in eating and drinking ! shall BE-
clad to recprocate for the service ne
rendered me a year ago in the city OF
Washington.
I am glad on this occasion to be able
to welcome the representatives of or
oanized labor to state that enjoys
the desirable experience of being so
evenly balanced beween the two great
political parties of the country that
neither of them can afford to be unfair
to or discriminate against any class OF
our citizenship. | regret that ! am not
able to welcome YOU to state in which
labor and capital are in entire accord,
but am glad to know that the fact
that their now existing differences are
not because the chief executive of the
state has not endeavored in every way
to bring about fair and amicable ad-
iustment.
'T am glad also to be able to welcome
you to the state that has already given
evidence bv concrete legislation of a
desire to do what can be done in
practical way to protect the interests
and advance the welfare of those who
live bv toll. We have here factory
inspeetion law and a child labor law
not ideal. it is true, but still they are
steps in the right direction and better
perhaps than exist in most OF the state
in tbe Union. And am glad to be abb
TO tell this convention that the maI
who is placed in charge of that depart
ment and has imposed upon him th'
duty of enforcing these laws is by my
anpointment a representative of organ
"a lahor himself and one who feel