Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-09-11
Mr.. FERGUSON,
Friend Of WOrkingmen.


Nj. Ferguson is a candidate for
reelection TO congress and Is proudly
standing on his record. What he
has done, he claims, is an indication
Of what he will do. II reelected, which
Is q fair proposition.
Mr.. Ferguson has always claimed
70 be q friend Of the workingman and
to be bitterly opposed to what he calls
''the plutes," which is an abbrevia-
ton Of the plutocrats. Let US see
how he favors the workingmen, by
his vote, and opposes the plutes.
For many years the labor ~organiza-
lions have been urging the passage Of
q bill providing for a high tax on
matches in which phosphorus wa
used. The first match invented had
q tip composed Of sulphur and phos.
phorus, and these matches have been
used up to present day. In the match
factories the workmen would absorb
q portion Of the phosphorus which
would produce a sore on the jaw, COM
monty known as the "phossy Jaw" q
very painful and almost incurable In
Fiction. Other kinds Of matches had
been invented which did not use
phosphorus, but the Diamond Match
company, the great match trust, which
manufactured 80 per cent Of the
matches Of the country, continued the
manufacture Of the old fashioned
matches. II 1t stopped this it would
mean scrapping a large amount OF
machinery, and the purchase Of new
machinery. What did this great
plutocrat care II hundreds Of It's en-
ployes suffered from phossy jaw when
1t would only require the expenditure
Of q few hundred Of thousands Of dol
lars to save them from this fate? The
dollar always looked good to the Dia-
mond Match company.
A bill was introduced in congress to
put a tax on all matches containing
phosphorus. This tax was large
enough so that 1t would force the
Dimond Match company to scrap its
machinery, or II it did not other com
panies would be formed that would
put matches on the market at a
cheaper price, and grab the business.
The bill was we'll argued In the
house, the horrors Of the phossy jaw
we're explained to the members. II
was not a party question. 1t came tc
. vote on March %, 1912.
Did Mr.. Ferguson vote for the pro
lection Of the working men, and to
cinch the plutocratic Diamond Match
company Not to any extent. His
vote is recorded against the bill, and
TO q v the Dimond Match company
from scrapplng costly machinery.
However, there were enough men II
the house who were not particularly
enamored Of the Dlmond Match com
pany to pass the bill without any aid
from New Mexico's friend Of the
Workingmen, the Honorable Harvey
B. Ferguson.
This was not the only bill on which
our congressman voted against the
interest Of the workingmen. There
was = bill up providing for an exclu,
sive remedy and compensation for &C.
cidental injuries resulting In disabil'
lty or death to employees Of common
carriers engaged in interstate com.
merce. The railroads opposed the
bill. II would be cheaper, they
thought, to fight each Ease In the
courts then to have TO settle them
The lawyers opposed the bill because
It took from them a good deal Of pro
htable litigation In the line OF dam.
age suits against the railroads. The
bin was voted on on March l, 1918
Did Mr.. Ferguson vote for the in.
tsEest Of the hundreds Of railroad
men who had voted for him, or did he
vote for the interest Of the great
Santa Fe railroad and his brother
lawyers who need these damage suits
20 make . hviBgP
The LIBERAL Is SoTry 10 report that
Mr.. Ferguson said good bye TO the
railroad boys, and voted for the inter,
est Of the Santa Fe company and the
shySteT laWyerR
The LIBERAL h Investigating Other
peculiar votes made By Mr.. Fergus
son, and win report them later.