The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-04

NOW the reason why All IN favor
\ of organized labor is that labor must
organize to be on an equality with its
| employers, and the capital that its en-
! ployers have. 1t has shown in the past
that by such organization and by
proper methods it can secure the
wages to which it is entitled. 1t can
secure an increase when the market is
going up and earnings are increasing,
and it can prevent the too hasty reduc-
ton when earnings are falling off and
the business is becoming light.
sit is at the hands of intelligent or
ganization that the cause of labor is to
triumph. 1t is when labor organiza-
tions are not guided by intelligence
and conservatism that the cause of
labor suffers, and with the suffering of
labor suffers the entire community.
Now, I was proclaimed to you, gen
tlemen, when I was nominated and
afterward, as the father of injunc-
tionS. Well. 1 am not so old a man.
The remedy by injunction. without re-
spect to labor disputes, is the remedy
in equity that is the most valued one
that 1 know in doing justice, because
instead of attempting to compensate
for injury. it prevents it being done 1.
II believe. and my predecessor,
Theodore Roosevelt, believed, that the
power to issue injunctions ought to be
defined and limited in such a wav that
there was to be in future no danger
Of ill-advised issuing of such injunc-
lions. We have got a bill of that sort
in con gress. My friend and quondam
enemy, Brother Gompers says 1t is no
good at all. My embarrassing friend,
Van Cleave. says it is very vicious.
And they are at the two poles. which,
my dear friends, is one of the best evil
dences that have that the bill is a
good thing.
"I don't know whether I am going
to get that bill through or not. We
promised 1t in the Republican plat
form. and that is the platform upon
which I was elected. But was talk
ing to gentleman yesterday about 1t,
and he said:
Two Good Reasons.
-" What is the good of passing it?
You will Just be damned by both
Sides
Il said: The good of passing it
seems to be this: that there are two
small reasons for it; the first is that
we promised it, the second is that it
is right
You do not believe, neither do I,
in boycotting: You don't believe in
the sympathetic strike; neither do I;
because it is a blind movement that
never accomplishes anything. You [
do believe in organization and stand |
ing together, and so do I. You have |
reached the conclusion that every
thing that does injustice to the rail-
road that employs you, does injus- |
tice to you am not defending the |
railroads. There was time, hope |
it has passed, and 1 believe it has, |
when the system of rebates was so |
general that they were all lawbreak- |
ers. 1t was a sad condition. But I |
believe that time has passed and the |
railroads of the country as general |
thing are trying to obey the law, and |
to get laws which they can reason |
ably obey. Now I am trying to get |
through-that is, I have followed my |
constitutional function OF recommend |
ing to congress that the bill be put |
through: it is not right for me to |
say that I am trying to get it |
bill amending the inter |
state commerce law, and one of the |
suited six railroad presidents before |
made my recommendation.
II consulted shippers; I consulted |
the Interstate commerce commission; |
I consulted everybody that had an |
interest; and then it occurred to me |
that possibly the railroad presidents |
knew something about interstate COM |
merce, and so I consulted them, and |
Hates Hypocrisy.
Now, gentlemen, if there is one |
thing that I hate. it is a sham: it is
hypocrisy; it is fraud in representing |
q virtue when it does not exist. I
believe in being fair to all. and
thorities in determining whether a law
ought to be put on the statute books. |
They know about the railroad bust
ness. 1 am not bound to follow what
[hey recommend, out l. am DOunQ TO
give them a hearing.
Justice for Railroads.
lone of the things that is good
the railroads is to have the railroad
men understand that in order to pro-
mote the public good and their good,
t is right to do justice to railroads. |
Ill to compel a railroad to do bust
ness at a loss. And it does not help
he employees of that railroad, either.
IT hope I have judicial mind
between the railroads and the men
who serve them. but I am in favor
If giving everybody a hearing. and
hen If the argument in favor of the
railroads appeals to my sense of jus
ice 1 yield to it. Why, one of the
'easons for fighting my bill-if I may
,aH it so, with Difference to those
who Objects that the railroads are
not there fighting the bill. If the
do not fight a bill, then you
IAN be sure that it must be corrupt
and rotten. Now, gentlemen, that
nay have been so in times past, but
he railroad authorities have learned
lot within the last ten years and
hey know that it does not help their
interest to fight bill that is just.
lone of the great things that your
has done is to bring to
he public mind the necessity for leg
Station with respect to safety appIi-
lnces and with respect to the employ
srS' liability act.
Just apropos of this / have a tel
sgram which I am asked to read:
+" The senate passed our amend
nents to the employers liability law
yesterday. The house concurred IN
hem this morning; now ready for
he presidents signature
1.-The newspaper men object that I
10 not announce my decisions in adj
7ance as much as I ought to, so as
o enable them to make a SCOOP but
will let you into my CONFIDENCE
Will sign that bill. l.