The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-07-28
GAG RULE WRONG
The Eight of Petition Must Be
Preserved.
VITA. PRINCIPLE INVOLVED.

government Employees Cannot Be De.
prived of Rights In Common With All
Citizens-Free Speech a Fundamen-
tai of Liberty.
There have been introduced In con-
gress two bills, one by Senator La Fol
lette. S. 1162. and the other, II. r.
800, by Congressman Lloyd. These
two bills aim to nullify the executive
order issued by eX-President Roose-
welt and President Taft forbdding
federal employees from petitioning
congress for a redress of grievances
Hearings have been held before the
house committee on civil service re
form on the Lloyd bill, and much testi.
mony has been produced showing the
arbitrary and autocratic methods EN-
ployed by the postoflice department.
The executive orders above referred
to have been issued in plain defiance
of the constitutional rights of federal
employees and have been exceedingly
obnoxious to the men employed in the
railway mail service. AT a banquet
given under the auspices of the Cen
trail Labor union of Washington
Speaker Clark of the house of repre-
sentatives was an honored guest and
during his remarks gave expression
to his opinion relative to the rights of
the men employed by the government.
His expressions are so apt and to the
point that they are here given:
''The gag rule to the effect that en-
plOyees Of the government shall not
petition congress or any member Of
congress about their wants or for re-
dress r their grievances, first issued
by ex-President Roosevelt and made
stronger by President Taft. is undem-
ocratic, unrepubican, unAmerican
and unconstitutional. The art of type
setting has been described as the art
preseryativ of all arts. and the right
of petition might be as properly de-
scribed as the right preservative of all
rights.
80 far as l am individually con-
cerned, l have never paid the slightest
attention to this gag rule. | talk to
all government employees who come to
see me about anything.
81 tell them that they have a right
to talk to me. l may not agree with
them in all their ideas about improv-
ing their condition, but they have a
right to be heard, and so long as | am
speaker the doors of the speakers
room open inward as far as they are
concerned Free speech is one of the
fundamental principles of the Ameri-
can people.
Certain eminent pe-sonages would
DO well to read up the story of the life
of John Quincy Adams. Once when
James G.. Blaine was mad he said that
the Adamses began holding office when
they were weaned and held on until
they died Of old age. This was almost
literally true of John Quincy Adams
He began holding public office at the
age of fourteen and was in Office when
he died in extreme old age in the house
of representatives. He was secretary
of legation. minister plenipotentiary TO
TWO Vi llICe lClSn COuHll - uiltt
States senator. secretary of state and
president of the United States.
after he had been president he
served seventeen years and half in
the house of representatives and made
more reputation in the house after he
had been president than he did by
holding all the offices which | have
mentioned including the presidency it
self. and the towering reputation
which he made in the house was bot
toned almost entirely upon the Won
derful fight he made for the right of
petition. and certain eminent person
ages may find out that it is a hazard
Gus undertaking to try to squelch. the
right of petition
Il have no doubt that government
employees have good many things
to complain of and a good many things
10 suggest for the good of the public
service They ought to be heard, and,
so far as am concerned, they will be
heard"