The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1916-09-29
HUGHES DoQGES ISSUE
ON EIGHT HOUR LAW
Attacks Wilson's Plan but Won't
Tell Public What He Would
Have Done.
ONLY WAY TO AVERT STRIKE
Republican Nominee Is, Asked to De,
clare II He Would Have Vetoed the
Bill With Certain Assurance Of
Industrial Disaster.

SO DuSN HIS DttH 0ndllco ~.
Hughes criticisng the deeds of the
Wilson Administration that he has
had little time, or has purposely
evaded, telling the public what he
would have done had he been Presi-
dent under similar circumstances.
Lately Mr. Hughes has turned his
attacks upon President Wilson's sue
cessful settlement of the crisis in the
railroad world by causing TO be
passed by Congress the Adamson
eight-hour bill Mr.. Hughes has char
acterized this action as "surren'
der To- force; ne is opposed to being
dictated to by any power on earth
before the facts are known; and he
would not act until he had had fair
investigation and candid treatment.
Taking issue with the Republican
candidates attitude the New York
Times in an editorial, asks:
"WHAT WOULD MIR. HUGHES
HAVE DONE!
We'll. what way would Mr. Hughes
have taken?" continues the Times.
"What would he have done? Here
was Mr.. Wilson's position: The
brotherhood refused arbitration, the
railroad presidents would not accept
the settlement Mr.. Wilson proposed
granting the eight-hour standard day
with provision for an impartial inquiry
into its working There was no law
on the statute books to enforce arbi
tration.
THE President knew, knew witt
certainty and beyond question, thai
he could not get such law from The
Congress now in session. The sure
and inevitable alternative to his &C
ceptance Of the eight-hour STANDARD
day measure was a strike, the sus
pension of railway service, freight anC
passenger, all over the country, be
ginning on the morning of Sept. 4th
WOULD HUGHES HAVE DONE 1T
MIR Hughes would not surrendel
to anybody in the country Then M
would have surrendered the countr,
to the disturbance, Unreasonable loss
and peril of a strike. Would he, il
fact, have done that? Had he beer
President, confronted by that situa
ton, would Mr. Hughes have brouglr
on a strike by refusing to sign tn
bill granting q wage Increase? Their
was the strike in plain sight, a few
hours away. sure 10 come. Would MI
Hughes have vetoed the bill? On tn
contrary, would he not have done JUS
what Mr.. Wilson did, sign it?
The Republican candidate stand
for two things: First, for the prir
ciple of fair, impartial, thorough, car
did arbitration: and second, fo
legislation sOn facts according TO tn
necessities of the case Mr.. Wilso
stands for those two things and, niue
more, has pledged himself to use a
his influence to secure them.
What more could Mr.. Hughes do
Would il be too much 10 ask the RI
publican candidate to put little con
mon fairness into his speeches?
he afraid TO tell his audiences VIII;
the President actually did urge upo
Congress-?
AS true champion Of arbitration
President Wilson recommended tn;
arbitration judgments be madeN re
ordS of a court OF law, in order tn;
their Interpretation and enfOrcemel
may not lie with the parties TO IL
DISPUTE, but with an impartial or
authoritative tribunal 1t was h
purpose in this recommendation
provide against future emergencie
10 prevent the recurrence of SUI
dangers as then confronted him al
the country.
ADVICE TO RAILROADS.
1.-THE people of the United Stat
are not going to be put off with &
INSTRUMENTATION rs TO what the Pre-
dent did 10 avert q strike and to III
vent the threat of future strikes. Y
have reason To believe thnt the II
revelation of what he dill, what
tried II do. and what he nearly 81
ceedtd in doing in the White llou
conferences would put such Il fa
upon the matter that Republican
forts 10 make an issue Of it wol
fall entirely fat.
s.. But the people do know, for it W
before them in the Presidents addrt
10 Congress. that he proposed, not
single emergency act. but a bro
program of legislation 70 meet n pl
lie need and permanently remove
public danger. Ii was IroSr;
which We are convinced the railroa
would be very wise To accept in
entirety.
Certainly il seems 10 us that IN
are i'll advised 10 pray for the ell
tion OF Mr. Hughes. who. If We IL
him M his word. would have brous
on the strike. with AL its irrepara
injuries IL the country's business a
peril for the country's peace
1870 ~ras yorCor vfatSc -