New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-12
.SPOONER TALKS AT
SILK MEMS DINNER
Ex- Senator Says Business
Is Enslaved by Laws
and Unions.

More than a thousand members anu
quests of the Silk Association OF America
attended the forty-second annual dinner
of tho association at the Hotel Astor last
night, Charles Cheney, president OF the
association. presided.
Ex-senator John &. Spooner. OF WiscOn-
sin. was the principal speaker. HIS SUD
iect was Industrial Liberty lie at
tackled the Sherman law. for which he
voted when I'm the Senate, and declared
that It was. in the light OF its subsequent
Interpretation. an obstacle TO liberty lie
knew more about the antitrust law noW'
he said. than when nc voted for II.
I'm discussing industrial liberty the
conator said. IT am I'm doubt as 10
whether. with the laws already IN eNis''
cnce strictly enforced. and those pendihs'
which undoubtedly will be passed, there
will no enough industrial liberty lett IN
the United States to be worth talking
about.
"If Congress shall pass the bills no"
pepding. which vitality affect industrial
liberty. we will have taken a backward
s,op and I see portents only of serious
trouble
The sneaker referred 10 the bills IN
tended TO regulate business and proVdlhs
for periodical reports from corporations
Of their business methods ana stahulns
os smelling bills" lie declared that the
business OF this country was threatened
On the one side by the government ana
on the other by organized labor.
Business was between the devil ana
the deep sea-" but he said he preferred
tho "decp seattle labor ORGANIZATIONS
81 proclaim tonight" he continued
that every man who carries on pus'-
ness which involves the employment OF
labor has a right. under the CONSTITUTIONS
10 carry an open shop, TO employ such
mon as he chooses: that il is an cnslaVe-
meut OF him and an invasion OF ms I'D
ertv that an outside body, care not now
numerous or how powerful or how
vicioSs, shall dictate to him successfully
how his business shall be conducted.
cit is an integral and vital part of in
dustrial liberty that YOU may carry on
lawful business, in your own way. nave
nothing against labor unions, restricted
within their lawful sphere and operations
"Thls matter OF industrial liberty is a
worry grave subject. You are all guaran-
teed this liberty under the constitution
and believe that / am not far wrong IN
saving that between the pending meas
ures on the one hand and the concen-
trated power OF the unions OF the other
the business Of the United States must be
continually managed by men, strong men,
1.fIt " AZ.
will not submit peaceably to oppression
and tyranny"
The other speakers were William IL.
Berry. Collector OF Customs. at Philadel-
phia, and the Rev. Ernest de +. Mel, OF
Hartford. Conn.
Among the honorary guests were SEN
ator William Hughes Of New Jersey;
Kametaro lima. Consul General OF
japan. in this city; Justice Victor j.
Bowling. Of the Supreme Court; Frederick
A. Higgins, Appraiser of Customs; Al
bertus II. Baldwin, Chief Of Bureau of
Foreign and Domestic Commerce; Ed
ward II. Gift, vce-president OF the
American Protective Tariff League;
Henry NJ Ciapp. special deputy appraiser;
George u. Hodgman, president or the
Rubber Club OF America, and James Il.
REYNOLDS, secretary OF the Republican
National Committee.