Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-07

cfnof anu senator.
There seems to be more interest taken IN
analyzing the vote for president in November than
has heretofore been manifested before presiden-
tial election. / would like to make forecast OF
the result OF this election. The tariff, the Mexi-
can question and the foreign policies OF the admin
istratica are, of course, the leading issues. be-
lieve, however, that the next issue in Importance
is the so-called Adamson eight-hour law. This
measure, to my mind, is the greatest mi5take
made by this administration. have much re-
spect for the great ability and sincerely OF pres-
dent Wilson as man, but fear that he falls to
properly estimate the current OF public opinion
The president during his several conferences
with the labor representatives and the railroad
managers, acting as mediator and sincerely
desiring to avert the threatened strike, went 'ery
far especially in practically assuring the railroad
emily could to increase railroad rates, if on
investigation it was found that his eight-hour
proposition really operated as hardship to them,
as to which there seems to be little question:
Had he stopped there, having done all he could
as a mediator between the contending parties,
leaving them to appeal to congress if they de-
sired, but himself resting upon his record so tar
made it is possible that strike of more or less
magnitude might have resulted. l do not be-
lieve, however, that the threatened strike would
have been SO widespread or so disastrous as was
predicted The railroads had evidently improved
the delay during the negotiations between the
parties, enabling them to largely deal with and
minimize the effect of the strike,
Again, It is doubtful il a majority even of the
100000 employees the brotherhoods claimed to
represent would have joined in the strike, for it
is we'll know that many OF these employees were
openly opposed to the contemplated strike. Had
the president firmly and in no uncertain way de-
clared that il the strike occurred as threatened he
would exhaust every resource in his power to deal
effectively with it, as Cleveland or Roosevelt
would have done, it is doubtful il a strike would
have occurred, and the country would have been
spared the spectacle OF subservient congress,
yielding to menace and establishing prece-
dent without parallel in the annals OF American
legislation. Witness the practical failure of the
strike in New York as the result of the firm stand
taken by the local authorities, supplemented by
the effect OF public sentiment But assuming
that the strike had eventuated, tue administration
would have stood in more advantageous posi-
ton than it now docs The brotherhoods would
naturally have felt that the president had en-
deavored to serve them. The railroad people
would have felt that the president had done
whatever he personally could to avert the threat
ened strike. But the president went to con-
gress and made a personal and persistent fight,
which l believe will prove to be far-reach..
ing and most disastrous blow to the success OF
the democratic party in November ,
1t is the effect and the result of this meas
ure that have taken into account in making an
estimate of the coming election.
pass by the question OF the merits or de-
merits of the measure from legal standpoint.
This being and will continue to be discussed be-
fore the public.
tngcncy the question Of increasing railroad rates
to offset the loss to the railroads. invoked in the
public mind question which is vital to the inter-
ests Of the farmers and the consumers. The pro-
ducers and the general public, upon whose should
ers the burdensmus ultimately rest
Eight hours as days work is popular and
now generally accepted BY employers. To term
this Adamson measure an eight-hour work-day
law is msnomer. 1t is not measure provid-
ing for an eight-hour work-day but law max
ing change and largely increasing an existing
schedule of wages heretofore paid by the rail-
already better paid than most of the other en-
ployes OF the railroads. This measure originated
at the behest and Disseminated in favor of an
organization designated as brotherhoods, sys-
tematically organized and represented by So
called chiefs, having, among other things, de-
iberately accumulated large fund to enable
them to enforce their demands. These representa-
tives came in an attitude Of menace TO congress,
encouraged by the administration, and said in
effect, Unless this measure is enacted we will
precipitate disastrous railroad strike" After
passing the house this act was forced through
I on earth, during the last hours Of the session,
under whip and spur. The chiefs Of the brother
hoods, who witnessed its passage from the gall
leries being assured that the measure would be
approved by the president fastened to call off the
strike.
\ The much-exploited four pens which were used
to perfect the measure, il / do not greatly mis-
take the sentiment OF the country, will in the
near future he regarded as having, served in
conspicuous degree to insure the defeat Of the
democratic party. .
1t is said by many Of the advocates OF this
measure that it will serve to secure to the adj
mnistration the sympathy and support of the la
borers Of the country. The ,:reat mass of the
laborers Of this country is composed of
intelligent and thinking men, tho know that IS
a rule labor is fairly well remunerated and their
interests have been greatly conserved by the re-
publican party. They know that any widespread
effort to secure an advance in wages by assuming
an attitude of menace and the engendering of
strikes is likely to result in arousing public SEN
timent to such degree that in the end they might
be ground between the upper and the neither
mllstones Of the great producing interests Of the
country and the general public
The theory recently advanced that there. is
any grave question In dispute between warning
interests directly involving the public welfare,
which is not fair subject of arbitration, seems
repugnant to every fair-minded citizen.
stated at the outset of this communication
that there seemed o be more than usual interest
taken in the making of estimates upon the result
of the forthcoming election. | believe the fol-
lowing named states will give republican ma
jorities Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts.
Connecticut Rhode Island, Vermont, New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio Indiana, Illinois,
Wisconsin, N. iigan, Minnesota, Iowa. Nebraska,
Kansas Utah. Oregon, California, Wyoming,
North and South Dakota Colorado West Vir-
gina New Mexico and Idaho