La Junta tribune., 1915-12-04
s0arE OBSERVATIONS.
These Are Contributed Ar
ticles and : Record Of In
dividual Opinion Only.
N,OxoMlc PRESSURE
W.. Ll1GIsl4ATlON.

A NC ituSt aca3tOu VI tuc COuvcuGVR
OF the American Federation Of La
Dor. recently held at San Francisco.
was marked BY Z dispute between
President Samuel Oompers and John
Fitzpatrick OF lilinoih. concerning
the method BY which the federation
would seek to obtain = universal
eight hour Law. Fitzpatrick favored
legislative methods while Gompers
advocated economic pressure.
For over twenty years Samuel
Gompers has been 1t the head OF this
great organization, and seems now to
possess more influence over its mem
bers than ever before. He has been
OF vast service 10 the cause Of labor.
and ia wholly devoted to Il. He 10
incorruptible. and although often ac-
cused Of treason to the cause. has
never lost the confidence OF the mil
lions he both serves and leads. He
possesses also the respect OF the en-
ploying class. They may denounce
his methods. but they admit his in
tegrity.
But in his debate with Fitzpatrick.
Gompers was wrong. To seek to
shorten the hours Of labor BY econ
omic pressure. rather than by lesis-
lative methods. is an economic blum
der.
Nor does IL seem that Gompers has
always held this position. In August
1906. he announced the determine
tion Of the American Federation Of
Labor TO carry the war for justice
and fair play deeper into politics"
Referring TO the labor group In the
English House Of Commons. he said:
Docs the British labor situation en-
courage or discourage political &C
ton oa the part Of intelligent labor.
conscious Of its power and needs?sss
Have you heard Of the Trade Union
bill which has passed the House Of
Common? when the politicians
fear Tie peepls. shsy lsgislate- -aftsr
. fashloa-for the people.
Chancellor Bradford. In bis re-
eeat lecture-rhich every citissa
ought TO have heard-said. that u be
bad his way. hs would prorogus co..
grsss and al the state legisiatures
for . pss,od Of ten years. His
thought vss that we we're too busy
making laws 70 enforce them: that
our great need vas better eaforcs-
ment Of the laws we have.
But In the learned chanccllor's ~
marks. n we'll ~ in the argumcnt Of
President Oompers. there Il the germ
Of wrong thinking.
Il 10 . popular germ. Tue farmer.
the merchant. the iaborer. the pro
fsssioaal man. In other words. the
average citisen. obssrvins the man
asr aad form IL which the average
| legislature attsads % the Iaw.mak-
/ iag buslseD os the state. aad sosias
Tie rssslts. summed - In the sssssea
laws. b ~ - viah With ths eoed
chancellor. that is might not msee
asais fos ~ ysass.
Somewhere 10 the unfornsd
thought a ths avsraes citissa. thsss
10 the iaDsssstea hat The tAiags -
elred eao - ohealDo6 n oome o1hog
vay than through statutory Iav. Al
| ~ refleeeioa shows bin hat the
terms os psogrsss. u this eountsy.
caa - formulated and naAe effective
u no olhes vay. Ard refIeetioa fus.
tAss shows hat we have ns1s apDee-
ciatls progrssa. svsa With ths cen.
sssscae usshisssy of leeislstuses,
10 wsiting into our statutory lsvs.
The suanaties os equity.
n then lesislatloa 10 ths oaly IT.
fective way % secure he dselalls
statement ana saforcsasat os Stgtos.
Il would sesa legieal - sssk ~
shertsse roa1 20 sueh Iesislatjo0.
AsA hsssla Iiss ths seosonie bjus1er
ef 0onpeea
ecoaoale ps0asuss means uoes
| fass. 1s 0eons ~ aDDoleatloa -
eogee, an1 lovo0ves seslfs aa1 eoooo-
| qusat loss y beah s66ss. II sheso =
| . vay - aseenUllsh ~ ~. vhleA
viil sves1 ~ strife ed ~, = =
usleuoeel1y the bseese vay.
II ~ have lslsgals1 ~ peves -
! IIeGlslaeleo. as1 tovs feusl ~ no(hr
| - lssssDooeove - err wisAsa. ~
~ sossns ~ funeelea. = ~ hsvo
| y : oshbes - seaaes. 80 Degl1ooeo
llsoeolvs
n oehee Wee1e r ~ labssiag ~
/ g ~ ~ 1ou1go - soesoeo ~
hees5 - 0obess - ~. = tAe(e ~
ogo1 sla1ony og1no oooul ~ a1oOo1oa
. - - 0n1o0n11uo ~ nn1nGnn1mm