The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-07-27
He MADE GOOD
LABOR PLEDGES
TAFT ADMINISTRATION RECORD
soAREs WITH ITS PROM.
(springfield Republica1nL. !

| Fioh the uay tnTee years ago when
1t placed Its interests in the keeping
OF William Howard TAFT To this hour
labor has critically scanned his every
act, and with discriminating mind it
is Judging him as one who, without
clamor or demonstration, has kept
the faith.
/ On September 9. 1908, Theodore
Roosevelt, then president Of the Unit.
ed States. wrote letter to Conrad
Kohrs on the issues OF the campaign
and, addressing himself to the labor.
ing men, said:
IF there Is one body OF men more
Than another whose support feel /
have right to challenge on behalf
ttof Secretary Taft II is the body Of
wage-workers OF the country. A
lstancher friend. a fairer and }truer
representative they cannot find within
the borders OF the United States. He
VIII do everything iii his power for
them except to do that which is
wrong. He will do wrong for no man
and therefore can be trusted by all
men," 9. n
Mr.. Taft Labor's Friend. 4
The workingmen OF the country
judged Mr. Taft in 1908 by record
OF twenty,seven years as a statesman,
administrator Of national affairs and
presidential adviser, and they helped
TO give him the magnificent majority
, which put him In the Waite House.
During the three years he has been
I president his excellent record has
been maintained SO splendidly that
the laboring men have been confirm.
ed in the belief that they never had a
better friend III the White House. "
t3REhe establishment Of the postal
savings banks, which was recommend.
ed by President Taft, was one OF the
things that organized labor favored.
The $l6,000,OO0 now on deposit in
these repositories represents the saw.
fngs Of the wage earners
Taft's Personal Interest.
President Taft approved a law on
| May 80, 1908, to compensate workmer,
for injuries received while in the EN-.
ploy. OF the United States. After the
passage OF this ae, a number OF work.
men In the employ OF the federal gov.
eminent were killed, and their 'faml
lies, mot being familiar with the pro.
visions OF the law, failed to- file aifi.
diyits within the specified time. The
secretary OF commerce and labor had
no power to set aside the provision of
the law aud was therefore obliged to
dlsapprove the claims. n
The matter was taken up by the
president, and he satisfied himself
that Justice was not being done to-
the families OF the men who had been
killed. He sent special message to
congress Recommending that gener.
al act be passed allowing all such
claimants compensation If their
claims were otherwise meritorIous.
This was an instance that, proved the
president to be broadminded and anx.
ious to aid the workfngmen in any
way that he could
An employers liability act APPROX.
ed June II. 1906, was on January g.,
1903. held to be unconstitutional. An.
other of'thts sort was passed on April
%, 1908. which as yet has not been
tested in the courts. Through the eff
forts OF, the president a commlssionJ
was appointed to make an investiga.
ton OF the subject OF employers Tia.
bility and workmen's compensation"
The report Of the commission, the
evidence taken before 1t aud the draft
Of the bill prepared as result OF the
findings OF said commission have been
transmitted to congress, accompanied
by a special message by President
Taft, in which he recommends theI
passage Of the proposed measure. mi
their deliberations the members OIL
the commission had the benefit Of fre-i
qnent consultations with the presi.
dent. It is believed the act win stand
the test Of constttdtionality.
In order thaf tile Commission might
have the benefit Of the experience OF
n practical man President Taft ap.
pointed as one Of its members Daniel
L. Cease. Tho edll0r OF The Railroad
Trainmen'a journal. the Official organ
Of the railroad trainlncn. ;ir. Ceaset
has devoted the best years OF his use
ful lie 10 the cause OF labor. rhet
president also appointed experienced
labor men as inspectors under the 10.
connective boiler Inspection law. TheyI
were John F. Ensign. OF Colorado,
and Frank McManamy, OF Oregon, for
chief inspector anda ssistant chief In,
apector, respectively a
The defects In the present eight
Hour law. have not escaped the atten.
ton OF President Taft He has rec.
commended to congress amendments
Which will make 1t really effective byI
providing that public works shall be
construed to include not only build.
/ iags ana works upon public grounds,
but also ships amor and large guns
4 when manufactured in private yards
or factories
! With regard % the ihish costSot lis;