Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1916-10-28
FOR THE PRINCIPLE
M. II L.

bill would have averted this strike Just
as effectively and would have protected
for the future. Under the Adamson bill
the trouble is merely postponed But
the principle involved in the Adamson
bill of yielding to force and legislating
without Investigation, is more important
than even dollars and cents. Arbitra-
| ton and not force is to be the method
! of decision in the future and the party
which has yielded to supposed politi-
cal advantage is out of tune with the
spirit Of the American people. Fair
play and justice, with a hearing for
every one is fundamental On this is
sue, the Republican party makes con
fdent appeal to the hearts and minds Of
the American people.
Senator Underwood one of the strong
est Democrats of Congress, introduced
an amendment to the original bill which
provided for raise in the wages Of all
employees, In support of this amend
ment he said in part as follows:
There is no coercion in this matter,
but | say that the bill as it stands with.
out this amendment is an absolute
abandonment of the court OF arbitration,
and Congress has taken unto itself the
right to fix the wages of interstate com
merce without hearing from either
side. 1t may be satisfactory to the men
employed on the great railroads Of the
country today to take this verdict Of
Congress because the verdict is Tor them,
but | ask those men if tomorrow they
will be satisfied with a verdict of the
Congress in reference to their rates of
wages if that verdict is against them
If Congress is to render these verdicts
without consideration and without an
opportunity for one side or the other to
be heard, or what | am proposing is a
permanent court of arbitration, a court
that compels no man except SO far as
public sentiment will compel him
''If we do not present some afirma
tive legislation at this stage Of the bill
then the American people are Of neces-
sity compelled to say that Congress paid
the price of peace without attempting
permanently to solve the great question
that they were confronted with. We,
as representatives of the American peo-
pie, can not afford to take that stand.
1t is not just to our constituencies.
There must be a solution of this ques-
ton that viii be fair to all railway EN-
ployees and fair TO the shipping public
of this country. You must ind il. III
vo' ."F that you can neg f.-'-a oecarSe
the time is too suoru, then you shouid I
postpone action on this bill"
Mr. Clark, Democratic representative
from Florida, said in part
81 want to say this, gentlemen, that,
so far as | am concerned and ] freely
say it, because | do not want to take ad-
vantage of or misead any body am
opposed to this legislation, but if you
intend 60 legisate, then, for Gods sake,
legislate fairly and give all these people
the advantage of what you propose.
81 feel sadder today than at any time
during my II years experience here, be-
cause have seen the legislative body
of the Nation taken practically by the
throat by the representatives of four
organizations and made to do what they
say, made to do their bidding, and given
a limited time in which to do it. 1t is
the work of the highwayman it is char
acteristic of the banditH to hold up
Congress and say, "If you do not do this,
we will do the other We will plunge
this country into chaos, and we will
bring misery and untold suffering upon
all the millions of people in this land.
Mr. Voter, have you considered that
in the passage of this bill the farmers
and millions of others were not consid
cred by the Democratic President and
Congress. Following is an exact copy
of a telegram sent to President Wilson
by Mr.. Pope, the President of the State
Farmers Union of Texas;
"We ask that you make no conces-
sions or commitments that will in any
manner cause an increase in freight rates
on products produced or consumed on
the farm. The men who pay the freight
have an equity in this dispute, which
| neither the railroad trainmen nor the
railroad managers have authority to
represent. If it is your intention to per-
sonally dispose of this matter, we ask
that you postpone further consideration
until a committee Of farmers can prepare
information and data TO present their
side of the case. If you conclude 10 set
tie by arbitration, then the organized
farmers should have representation on
| any arbitration committee that may be
formed to dispose of this question, for
the men who pay should have repre-
sentation as well as the men who receive
il. We again urge that all questions in
volyed be settled by arbitration, where
all parties and all interests can be heard
aud the subject be dealt with aside from
haste and intimidation"
Was that appeal from the farmer given
any consideration whatsoever Abso
lutely none.
It's up to you Mr. Voter TO put il
power the party that deals fairly with
all that enacts no such class legislation
as the Adamson bill that will not allow
itself to be led into submission by any
organization working purely for selfish
ends.
Election judges should remember tina
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