Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1910-10-29
THE ATTITUDE OF THE REPUB-
LICAN PARTY TOWARDS
LABOR

Since its birth in 1886, the attitude
of the Republican party towards labor
has been such that it is universally
conceded by those in any measure
conversant with it's achievements along
that line that all benefits of note that
have been received by the laboring
class have come through the Repub-
lican party. 1t has ever been their ex-
ponent and its most notable achieve
ments stand out distinctly as having
been potent factors in materially adj
vancing the interests of labor in this
country. From that juncture in our
history when Lincoln attached his
signature to the homestead law and
thereby provided homes for millions
of his fellow citizens who made their
living by the sweat of their brow and
whose heart ever beat in unison with
those of the common people OF whom
he was one, the party OF which he
was a great leader has eXerted itself
for the laboring classes. From that
day to this good day when there is
such an era of prosperity as was never
excelled in the annals of our history, it
has sought to better their condition
and has by its benign legislation
elevated them from a condition Of
want to a position of plenty; from
serfdom as it were to a position of
constant progressiveness made radiant
by a golden vista of future opportuni-
ties. II has protected the labor of this
country from the cheap labor of
Europe, and through its judicious tar
if laws has made that class unable to
enter into competition which would
Z have been accomplished if the free
trade theories of our Democratic
friends had been formulated into laws.
By protecting the factories and other
Industries of this country, it has pro-
vided wages for the laborerS and
through it's protection of them, pro-
"a Irnf fats Of
the farmers.
The memory of the administration
of the late President Cleveland and
| the disastrous Democratic tariff law
that closed factories throughout our
country and threw millions of labor
ers out of employment, is too fresh in
the minds of the people for the De-
mocratic party's appeal to be suffi-
GENTLY potent for it to be again placed
in power and given an opportunity to
evidence its incapacity to effect sue
oessful tariff legislation.
To the credit of the Republican
party as a national party are to be re-
corded the following achievements
which have added UNNECESSARILY to
the present prosperous condition of
| the laborers of this country:
1t passed laws prohibiting the
Coolie trade, closed doors to the
paupers and criminals of Europe,
stopped the immigration of Chinese to
Hawaii and the immigration of Chi
nese to the United States from Hawaii
and passed laws excluding Chinese
from our entire island territory. Not
only did it abolish compulsory labor,
but excluded the products of the
cheapest foreign labor through a pro-
tective tariff law and made it impos-
sible for that class to enter competi-
ton with the American labor In 1886
it abolished the contract system of
labor for United States conVicts and
thereby protected American labor.
Significant fact, indeed is it that all
votes cast against this measure were
those of the Democrats. A law re-
curing common carriers to make
monthly reports of accidents to the
Interstate commerce commission and
the first eight hour law ever adopted
also stand to the credit of the Repub-
lican party. Another law still advance
ing the interests of the laboring class
was passed by the Republican party in
1892. 1t extended the eight hour law
to include all persons employed by
contractors on public works. This is
the record of the Republican party in
the United States and it can be said
without fear of successful contradict
ton that the Republican party in the
state of Idaho has ever demonstrated
its friendliness for the laboring class
whenever opportunity presented itself
In fact, it has given indisputable evil
dence that it stands for the laboring
class of Idaho. The last legislature
enacted much legislation favorable to
labor of which may be mentioned the
law moking Monday after the first
Tuesday in September a legal holiday
it being designated Labor Day" the
Employers Liability Law" the
Eight Hour Day for Shelters Law"
the law for the protection of persons
furnishing labor and material of pub
lie buildings.
Now careful investigation will re-
veal that the Republican party as a
rational party has given the laboring
class all the legislation that has ever
been enacted in its interests while
the Republican party of Idaho has
ever been found cOntending for the
advancement of all that was calculate
ed to promote the interests of labor
| TIniOnisf