Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-13

! understood, said the report
"Labor's contentious OF many
years have become merged, or have
rather coordinated with those of the
progressive of all parties. The people
as a whole. irrespective Of class, con-
ditions. calling or partisan alignment,
/ have declared for freedom in fact, and
not merely in name They are taking
affairs political into their own hands
I They will no longer tolerate the sale
/ of LEGISLATION 10 the highest bidder or
/ the granting OF franchises TO the rich
/ est bribe giver. Under the coming re-
CINE, assuredly there are 70 be no
more court DEGREES entered as pre-
/ pared in advance and ordered by the
attorney for the stronger party
stronger politically and financially.
LEADERSHIP OF INTELLIGENCE.
In lieu of the political boss and his
machine. We shall have leadership of
intelligence. pleading for public JUS
tice. with adherence proportional in
number 10 the strength OF the argu-
ments. The stuffed ballot box, the
false count, and the peTjured election
returns will likewise disappear. With
these opportunities, with those stimu-
lating inducements to free thought
and action. the cause Of public justice
will be advanced in all directions.
Labor. acting from the point Of en-
Hghtened self interest. and yet with
full sense of responsibility respecting
the jury rights of all others in society,
will manfully and periodically meet its
enlarged responsibilities.
rule OF THE PARTIES.
Under the prevailing system Of cut
and dried platforms and slated nom
nations, preceded by fake primaries.
the ballot in our hands has not been,
in any adequate sense either pro
tecting shield against wrong or q
means OF redress. We may not for
some time be entirely rid OF the rule
Of parties. If they be an evil. they
are such as are incident TO all govern
meuts based on popular suffrage
deem il unWise or rather impOitic. to
waste our energies now in efforts to
abolish political parties. Perhaps they
are institutional in all free govern
mouts. But # We can not now destroy
them. We may. by more assiduous and
regular exercise Of our privileges and
rights Of citizenship do much in the
way of controlling them.
Under existing conditions. we must
ortaiu various measures Of legislation
at the hands Of dominant parties in
legislative bodies. and if party affairs
are to remain in the hands Of corpor-
arC agents and corrupt bosses as here
rofOre. then our interests will b. i'm
perilled and the desired relief retard-
Cd. no matter which party has the ma
jority."
Mr.. ComneTs refers very briefly 10
the contempt of court proceedings
against Vice President John Mitchell.
Secret airy Morrison and himself, which
are still pending before the courts in
the District of Columbia
The Mcnamara case. however, is
taken up at some length and fully re-
viewed. President Gompers expresses
MS faith in the innocence Of the men
now on trial at Los Angeles for al 4
legged dynamitiug outrages and de .
nounces III unmeasured terms their re
moval from Indiana 70 California.
NILSON BILL ENDORSED.
The Wilson bill, now peuiins in
sC-calied auti-iujuuction
measure. which has the support OF
labor. IS warmly endorsed and Presi-
lent Gompers calls upon all organized
labor 10 work Tor its early passage. ,
Mr.. Gompers expresses the belief thai
by united action the Wilson bill NAV
be passed at the next session, and h .
expresses the opinion that even should
/. be vetoed by President Taf- d great .
victory would be partly won. He de-
clared labor could expect little yolun-
tary help from the president on the .
antiinjunctiCn legislation
To the subject of iInm eration, much
Of the report IS addressed Several .
plans are proposed for bringing the
laboreT into the ranks of
organized labor. Further restriction
Of immigration is deemed necessary
and schemes of distribution Of immi-
grants are discussed
Turn which way we may the fact
Invariably coufronts us in our en-
.oavur to ameliorate the lot Of the
aboIers now in America that there
must be a restriction of immigration.
Restriction is recommended by the
-ufted States immigration commission.
s. II not The first step toward organ
ling migratory laborers. at least an
essential step. There are sufiCien7
workers on the Pacific coast at the
resent time. were their shifting about
nteliigeutly systemarized. 20 perform
~ the pressing work there through
IN, all the seasons Of the year. The
main trouble has been thar the en-
1loyers have not paid any adequate at
entiou TO the Iaborer as q social en-
ity except at the mcmau- when one
8 to he hired Society has not CON