The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-04-20

The foolish virgins who spend
nine teenths of their time in learning
to decorate china, would do well
to remember that a young man in
search of a wife is more likely to
tie to a girl who knows how to
decorate her china with a good
square meal well cooked and daint-
lily served.
President Taft is not a man who
wobbles in his attitude when con-
fronted with important questions.
He is not a man who hesitates to
take his stand on the side which
he believes to be right, regardless
of the consequences to himself or
his party. He has only one stand
ard of measurement That he is
very much opposed to boycotts, was
evidenced on the occasion of the
visit of the committee of so promi-
nent residents of South Bethlehem,
at the National Capitol last week.
They appeared to bring before the
Chief Executive of the nation the
matter of the strikers of the Beth
lehem Steel Company, making an
effort to do injury to the business
of the concern, by advising the for
eign countries with whom they have
contracts, to withdraw them, alleg-
ing that the plant was not in a pos
ition to do the class of work de-
sired. When the President met
the gentlemen composing the COM
mittee he told them in no unmis-
taken terms that he was opposed to
boycotts of all kinds. This posi-
tion of the president will be of in
terest throughout the entire coun-
try.
In his speech to the delegation,
President Taft said
"I haven't followed closely what
has happened at Bethlehem at all.
| don't know. | don't know what
the statements are to which you
refer. | don't know what Govern
ment contracts there are that would
naturally go to Bethlehem, or on
which Bethlehem would have an
opportunity to bid. | can only say
this-that l am utterly opposed to
the principle of a boycott. Every
issue ought to be settled on its own
merits. If the Bethlehem work
isn't up to contract then the Gov
ernment ought not to give the con-
tracts to it. If it is, then the con-
tracts ought to go to it without
regard to controversies that Beth
lehem may have with third persons,
whether those third persons be
customers or employees. The merits
of the controversy between Bethle-
hem and its employees, insofar as
the public are concerned, will be
settled on the merits of that con-
troversy and the mutual relations,
or lack of relations, between the
Bethlehem Companies and their
employees; and there is no relation
between the one controversy and the
other, because-I say that with en-
phasis-because TO hold otherwise
is to introduce into Government
methods the system upon which the
boycott rests, to wit: that third
persons are to be involved against
their will in a controversy, with
respect to which they have no nat
ural relation.
Therefore without knowing any
thing about the facts, l say to you
that if Bethlehem doesn't do good
work, it is for the Government to
find out and to act on it, and to
refuse its contracts on that ground,
and not because it is concerned in
a fight or in a controversy with its
employees. Insofar as the public or
the Government or a part of the
public is interested in the contro-
Versy between the employees and the
companies-that is determined on
the merits of that controversy and
not with respect to the Govern
ment business. That is the posi-
tion / occupy. 1t is the position
my administration, as far as can
control it, will occupy"