Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-09-05

Democracy Prstsnss In Maine.
While in Maine Democratic politi-
clans and press are STOPPING to the
lowest and most cowardly methods of
lying and deceit in effort to fool and
win the labor vote, a comparison Of
the records Of the Presidential can
didates is interesting. II not pleasingly
to the credit Of the Democratic side.
President Wilson has never shown
solicitude for the laboring mems well
fare-his efforts to settle the railroad
embroglio was the first time the Presi-
dent manifested the slightest interest
in labor's affairs, and that interest
was not due to any love for labor but
to the spur Of public opinion which
demanded there should be no strike.
The dispute had been brewing many
months but the President waited I'M
til little more than so days before
the national election to summon the
brotherhood chiefs and the railroad
heads to washington-and then only
after they had voted to ask him to use
his good offices.
Perhaps there was psychological
reason for that, If not the reason OF
political advantage.
Labor unions are justified in looking
askance at the President in view OF
his spoken and written utterances re-
garding labor.
In Mr.. Wilson's History of the Am
erican People" he says: THE Chinese
were more to be desired as workmen,
if not as citizens, than most of the
coarse crew that came crowding in
every year at the Eastern ports"
The coarse crew. the President de-
scribed as "crowding in" included the
millions of foreign-born persons of
every nationality who are now loyal
citizens of the United States.
In the same book the President saic:
And now there came multitudes Of
men of the lowest class from the south
Of Italy, and men Of meaner sort out
of Hungary and Poland, men out of
the ranks where there was neither
skill nor energy nor any initiative OF
quick intelligence"
What do American citizens Of Ger
man. Italian, Hungarian. Polish, or any
European ancestory think Of that?
On June 8, 1909, in an address to
the graduating class Of Princeton
University, DR.. Wilson expressed his
remarkable views on labor in the fol-
lowing words: You know what the
usual standard Of the employee Is in
our day. 1t is to give as little as he
may for his wages"
At a dinner in the Waldorf Hotel in
New York, March 1s, 1907. DR.. Wood
row Wilson spoke as follows: I'VE
speak too exclusively Of the capitals
tic class. There is another as formid-
able an enemy to equality and freedom
of opportunity as II is, ana tHdL IS
the class formed by the labor organ
izations and leaders Of the country"
Contrast the labor record Of Presi-
dent Wilson with the labor record Of
Governor Hughes.
Governor Hughes has never written
or spoken a single word inimical to
labor On the contrary he was the
greatest friend Of labor that ever &C.
cupied the governors chair at Albany.
Legislative records at Albany show
that during his two terms as governor
Of New York he signed Sc labor laws.
In New York state, during 1872 years.
only 1872 labor laws were passed. One
third Of these were signed during
Hughes's two terms as governor.
With these records known it will be
easy for organized labor to select it's
candidate in the November election.