The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-05-04
tPaliadium specIaD

S6dIauIuH SpEciaD
Indianapolis, Ind. May 4.-Organizesl
labor Is not satisfied with the promis-
es which have been made by the Dem
ocrats of Indiana in their state plat
form. The Democrats inserted in their
platform about everything that organ
lied labor asked this year, and so far
as the mere promises themselves are
concerned the labor unions are salts
fled. but that is not all there Is to it.
The platform declares for a strength
ening Of the child labor laws. and for
sanitary Improvement of the work
shops; for weekly wage law in man
ufacturing and mining pursuits. more
rigid enforcement OF the factory inspec-
ton law; for the appointment of the
mine inspector by the governor on the
recommendation of the miners and
operators; for co-employes liability
law; for compulsory arbitration; for
some method OF eliminating competi-
ton of convict labor with free labor:
for curtailment of the use of the
Injunction in industrial disputes and
tor the right of trial by jury.
The Union, the official organ Of the
Indiana State Federation of Labor, is
edited by Edgar A Perkins. demo
crat, who has been prominent in both
the democratic party and in organized
labor for years. It represents what
organized labor stands for in Indiana
and when 1t speaks it speaks for the
State Federation of Labor with au
thority In this weeks issue OF the
Union there is a long editorial on the
subject of the democratic state plat
form in which it is made plain that
even in the face OF all these campaign
declarations. labor does not expect the
democratic party to carry out its prom
ises. 1t says in part:
THE republicans have made thei,
declarations: through the insurgeni
of which their candidate for senator is
one of the foremost. they have given
indication of their course. Senator
Beveridge is popular with the people
they have confidence in his honesty
and the fearless manner in which he
has attacked the evils within his own
party even though this attack has not
gone to the length that some think i,
should have gone, his position has
made him friends among those who
perhaps in former years were not in
clined to look with favor on him. This
the democrats must overcome If they
expect to win
'AThe platform of the democrat:
promises much; indeed, it promises
more than does that of the republi
| cans. And. the average voter will be
compelled to decide for himself JUS
| whether 1t is promises or whether b.
can expect performance: whether it i.
glittering generalities or whether it I!
the expression of those who are con
! WINGED of the business and the necessi
ty for their declarations: whether, al
expressed by one of the gentlemen
that drafted the document, it is framed
for results or whether it is the ex
pressed principles of men who are vii
ling to accept defeat rather than com
promise and win.
| With the exception OF the declara
tion for compulsory arbitration which
is opposed by trades unionists, thes
| declarations are all that could be ask
ed for. Yet 1t must be said that thes
same planks were found in the part
| platform two years ago. However
when those who were elected on tina
| platform were asked to abide by thei
/ pledges those who represented labo
1 were spurned These declarations tw
years ago proved to be promises.
What can be the assurance that the
will mean more this year? Thos
who are classed as workingmen are
component part of our citizenship
they do not differ in any material wa
from the general run. The same fore
that moves society in general has 1t
effect on those who toll. And thi
class OF society has been undergoin
the same process that is noticeable i
other walks of life. They have nc
been given over to much thinking
And they can not remove entirely fror