The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-11-03

pulsory arbitration law, and am with
them on that proposition, but do you
know that when you pass law by
which the Congress Of the United
States fixes your wage or creates a
tribunal by which your wage is fixed
that that is the first step towards COM
pulsory arbitration, and you are bound
to get to 1t just as sure as the man
is bound to go to the bottom when he
jumps over Niagara Falls.
The President submitted to us the
third proposition, to-wit: Making 1t
a penal offense, a criminal offense. for
a man to strike during the investi-
CATION What is that but compulsory
arbitration? And yet. my friends,
say to you it is logical. The President
is absolutely right. If you start in to
fixing wages by the government, the
are lived up to, and for that reason
should have voted against any fixing
of wage by any government tribunal
of any kind whatever, because II leads
inevitably to an enforcement of the
wage as the government fixes 1t.
The President said at Shadow Lawr
the other evening, and / have hi
statement here upon the desk, tina
when Congress met in December hi
proposed to see that this provision
with reference to making it crimina
offense to strike, and making the de
cree of the tribunal a decree of tn
| Court. is carried into effect and mad
part of the law.
/ don't know how you think
| about 1t. want to say to you
| that / am Just as much opposed
to compulsory arbitration as / was
opposed to the government of the
/ United States fixing the wages,
and il the working men of this
country are entering upon the
proposition of the government fix
ing the wages, either through
Congress or tribunal, they will
take the next step which the
President of the United States has
outlined in his message to Con-
gress.
i In the first place, therefore, Ii
Il is not an eight-hour day, but
wage question. I'm the second
i place, 1t Is fixing the wage BY
Congress-, which In my judgment
: Is dangerous. In the third place,
it leads to compulsory arbitra-
n ton. In the fourth place, COM
pulsory arbitration leads to inyol-
/ untary servitude, all of which is
Il un-American and contrary to the
best interests of the working men
of this country. (Applause.)
But, my friends, this law ex-
. pires of it's own force a few
{ months after the election. Why
81 should 1T be necessary, If you are
I establishing a principle as an
4 eight-hour day, principle of hui
l mainly or justice, as an eight
5 hour day, for 1t to expire in few
a months. Will 1t be any less an
s act of justice or humanity in nine
months as it is now? You will
e be precisely in a year from now
: where you were at the beginning,
e with this exception, that you will
d have established the precedent of
ell a government fixing wages, which
t l venture to say the working men
n of this country will never accept
v when it is finally understood in
n all of its consequences.
# MEXICAN SITUATION.
n Now, my friends, Fastening on.
t went to discuss for a few momer
i certain phases of the, foreign affairs
e the Mexican question. DO not oesl
i to detain you too long, but | do n
d come often. I want to discuss tn
d and then r shall have held you as 10
l. as / think in good conscience can.
e Will you read another plank frt
IS the Democratic platform adopted
d Baltimore: 1--WE pledge oursely
Is anew to preserve the sacred rights
American cltlZeHSHlp dl HUME q
re abroad" A fundamental principle
8, government. 1.-The constitution
10 rights of American citizens shot
I'd protect them on our borders and
10 with them throughout the world, a
i'd every American citizen residing
lie having property in any foreign coun
n is entitled to and must be given
T. full protection of the United sta
ct government. both for himself and
r property.
L believe in every word, sylla
BILE, phrase and sentence of tina
platform. The government of TIT
United States is under obligation
to protect its citizens and thei
property so long as they owe al
legiance to the Republic, upoI
whatever part of Gods footstoo
they may stray. (Applause.)
That is the Mexican platform.
discussing this Mexican question,
going to deviate from the better ri
of public discussion to a certain ext
by referring, in brief way, to my {
attitude upon this question. | do
not for the purpose of exhibiting
supposed wisdom which may be C
tanned in it. but for the reason thu
do not think it would be fair TO
man that has had the honor to b
member of the foreign relations c.
mfttee of the Senate to sit idly by
be silent while the President was d
ing with such an important quest
and make no suggestion of prime
or proceeding, and then, after the
tory has been written, to criticise
, I would deem myself estopped in
campaign from offering any sug
, tions now had I sat entirely silen
, member of the foreign relat
, committee while in the heat of
. controversy and had not spoken "
I was under obligation to speak.
: for this reason that / refer to 8
r matters concerning myself, in orde
: place me in fair attitude before
= audience.
:, AS I stated, have had the homo
being a member of the foreign I
: tions committee of the Senate for
5 last six years, and all these quest
: come Immediately before our com
tee. During the early struggle
of the Mexican question, and at
40 when they were seeking to get RI
the Huerta, the President invited the
md eign relations committee to the W
.ow House to discuss the situation. L
.ry. not privileged, of course, to state