Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-06-28
NONE WILLING TO OPPOSE IT
euizer's Measure 40 Pending Goes
Too Much into Detail and Might
Open the Way to Sc
rious Clashes Of Az.
thorlty.
By WILLIS J. ABBOT.

| WIN their Industry the united states
government maintains q department
of agriculture. Its secretary is the
Oldest in point Of service Of any mem
Der Of the cabinet. It's activities are
innumerable. The record Of what II
has done for the American farmer
would fill a volume and forms one Of
the most useful of documents fol
those amongst US who hold that the
United States government exists for
other purposes than to collect taxes
and spend them on forts. great guns
and dreadnaughts.
On the question Of wage earners
that element in society which we
roughly call labor-as II most Of US
did not labor in one way or another
the last census ia not so easily inter.
preted. Whether sailor and an un.
dertaker, commercial traveller and a
railroad brakeman should be put In
the same class did not seem to puzzle
the census omcials, but does befog
somewhat the student of census. A
reasonable estimate. however. Of the
1900 figures puts the roster of labor"
at about 100000.
But there is no department Of labor.
no secretary who can give his life.
thought and intellect to the advance
ment of labor's cause as Secretary
Wilson has given his to the good Of
the agricultural community
To correct this obvious injustice
there is pending before committee
Of the house of representatives bill
introduced by Representative Sulzer
to create department Of labor with
a secretary at its head. A month ago
should have said that there was
no chance Of its enactment. Today
there seems every likelihood that in
the gaps between deferred action on
postal savings. the conservation bills
and the railroad bill the measure may
be passed. Its favorable report from
the committee is almost a matter Of
certainty.
It is likely to be passed because
scarcely any congressman. facing a
contest in his district this fall. will
care to go before his constituents with
record Of having voted against II.
For nearly 20 years the labor unions
and the labor element. organized or
not. have been trying to secure such
a department. On the very verge Of
success they were baked by the
clever tactics Of their enemies. who
by amendment made the new depart
ment that of commerce and labor"
Commerce In Charge; Labor HumbIed.
Commerce has always been in COM
mand in the department. The secre-
taries have been George B. Cortelyou.
Victor H. Metcalf. Oscar g. Strauss
and Charles Nagel. Not one Of the
four by training. occupation or associ.
alton had any reason for particular
sympathy with the cause Of labor. or
possessed any exact knowledge of its
needs.
It is not urged that professional
labor organizer or agitator should be
put at the head Of this department II
It should be created. Indeed the
friends of the bill were gratifled,
though not surprised. when Samuel
Gompers. testifying before the COM
mittee having the bill in charge. re-
sponded to a sneering inquiry:
Il would rather be president Of the
American Federation Of Labor than
to hold any other position on earth.
The president should have q man in
the cabinet who knows labor condi.
tons, one who has not risen from the
ranks necessarily. but who is still In
the ranks
The bill as pending In committee
errs. perhaps. in going too much into
detail. For example. It provides for six
assistant secretaries. the scope Of
whose authority is strictly defined.
The second assistant secretary shall
supervise all matters relating to labor
engaged in the agricultural industry"
That paragraph opens the way for
Just such clash between the depart
ment Of labor and the department Of
agriculture as now exists between the
latter department and the interior de-
partment over the bureau Of forestry.
It is probable, however. that the
pertinacity with which Mr.. Sulzer has
pushed this bill in two congresses will
get it out Of committee this time. The
committee is not unfriendly.
Perhaps no man in the house Of rep.
resentatives is more popular with the
representatives Of his own party than
Sulzer, since he has always stood with
the sentiment of his colleagues. and
when necessary defied the mandates
Of the Tammany organization. Of
which he Is q member. but not q SER
vile servitor,
An illustration Of this was given
during the fight on the amendment Of
the house rules at the tins TX the re-
election of Speaker Cannon. Orders
we're sent to Washington by Murphy
of Tammany hall that all Tammany
members should vote for the Cannon
rules. Sulzer defiantly voted for the
revised rules. stalking his political fu-
ture on the act.
Tho New York 0overnorsh'p.
Much gossip goes about Washington
as to what will come to the New York
congressman out Of that act of bold
defiance. It Is conceded that he can
hold his district-which he has now
represented for 16 years-despite any
opposition CT the Tammany bosses.
But the Sulzer ambition runs high for