The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-06-15


States.
If, furthermore, il is true, as has
been argued, that the kidnapping of
Mcnamara was merely the result of
fraud and imposition pracriced upon
the governors OF Indiana and Cali
fornia, this fact is initself an indict-
ment OF theDresent laws and proceed
ure in such cases, and further proof
of the need of congressi enal action.
The house of representatives,
therefore, has NOT only the right to
investigate this case, but very good
and urgent reasons for doing so. II
the senate refuses to join, so much
the worse for the senate. The time
has come when the second chamber
the popular branch of the legisla-
ture-- needs TO assert itself.
OF course, there ~ n class of cit
liens in this country--a small class
in number, but great in power and
influence--that would like to see
the liberties of the people that have
been gained by the >ncrifice of many
millions of human lives. during
struggle Of many centuries. entirely
| destroyed. Freedom has become a
| word in which this class ascribes to
the agitator and tthe demagogue
only.
And this small class of our people
derives its greatest help and assist
ance from much larger class, that
always meets any suggestion Of pro-
press with the assertion that the
proposition is upconstitution =
| that the congress has no jurisdiction
In other words. it is urged that all
our thoughts must be shaped by
| the form given TO us by our ances-
tors.
Now | ask, is that right? Is it
just?
In order TO determine the right or
wrong of political questions, must
we turn always to the old establish
ed precedent? Must we always have
somebody construe this precedent
for us? Are we to be bound by that
precedent forever? Have we no right
to add or alter?
| why should one generation have
the right to bind 4 succeeding one I?
Are not the deeds OF human society
| always changing? Are they not de-
veloplng into something new-into
something higher and better? Will
any one assert that the principles
] which control economic conditions
!
the concentration OF wealth - the
problems of trusts. pauperism and
! many others--that all of these uues-
| tons are not better understood to-
day than they were fifty years ago
Ana why should we be bound bv
| laws passed years ago when many
or these problems Gid not exist at
all?
The principles involved in the alb
duction of Mcnamara is of vital in
| terest to about. 100000 voters to-
| DAY. 1T WEI interest several more
million voters tomorrow. Both the
republican and the Democrats par
les will be held responsible by these
voters. 10 ~ < 49,
There is not only the question of
equality before the law to be set
tled-not only the question of safe
ty of The persona question which
brought on the English revolution
OF 1858 and the habeas corpus act.
mere Is even greater thing for
thls committee and this congress to
decide on this occasion. You will
in some measure help to decide what
form the class struggle is to take in
he future.
The class struggle-the struggle
"eL"een the master class and the
wage earning class-iS not of orr
making. 1t is not here because we
want It, nor can we, under the pres
ent economic system, abolish II If
we don't want it. This class strug-
gle is the outcome of economic con
ditions
NOW. I am not goin. to read Won
lecture on Socialism,.
Moreover whi1a do W..
Namara. I know that he is not and
never was a Socialist. He is what
they call pure and simple" trade
unlonlSt. He is one of the many Ia
Dor leaders that are bitterly opposed
to Socialism,
His case. however is a typical in
cldent of the class struggle. Tt grew
out OF the fight between the National
Erectors' association and the Inter-
national Bridge and Structural Iron
Workers.
The association Of the masters
wants TO demolish the union of the
workers. because the union has de-
cldedlE improved the working con-
d1tions and more than doubled the
wages Of that class OF labor within
the last ten years.
VI course, the members of the Ma
tlonal Erectors' association this
corporation is in some way connect
ed with the steel trust-did not get