WHAT The Republican Party HAS DONE For Labor WHAT The Democratic Party HAS FAILED TO DO For Labor A STRIKING CONTRAST EVERY WAGE-EARNER SHOULD READ THIS PAMPHLET Cd3k ' ~ " " PRESS OF DUNLAP PRINTING CO. PHILADELPHIA, 1908 ? 50 STATE LEGISLATION. A political party must be judged not by what it proposes to do, but by what its adherents actually accomplish when in office, The laws which the representatives of a party enact as legis lators, rather than the party platforms, are the true index to the real policy of that party. The Democratic party has for many years posed as the friend of the workingman, and during the present campaign special emphasis will be given to this pre tension. Let us see, therefore, what the two parties have act ually done in the way of legislation for the protection of the wage-worker. According to the provisions of the Constitution, labor legis lation is almost entirely within the province of the individual States, the powers of the Federal Government being restricted in this respect to employment in the Government service or Federal public works and in interstate commerce, to seamen, to immi gration, etc. We must, therefore, draw our conclusions mainly from the labor legislation enacted by the several States. For the purpose of the present study States having Republican legisla tures at the present time are regarded as Eepublican States and vice versa. A study of the history of labor legislation in the United States will disclose the fact that nearly all such legislation originated in Republican States and was afterwards adopted by the Demo cratic States. At the present time the statute books of the dif ferent States show a decided preponderance of protective labor legislation in the Eepublican as compared with the Democratic States. This is brought out in the following summary table, which shows the number and per cent of Eepublican and Demo cratic States which have enacted each of the important classes of labor laws indicated : Republlcan States. Democratic States. Legislation in force January 1, 1908. dumber. Per cent of all Re publican States. Number. Per cent of all Demo cratic States. 26 23 13 1816 232426 181215 2310 1714 28 8777 43 605377 80876040 507733 57 4793 7 6 24 24 13 9 10 36 10 2 51 12 44 Creating iactory inspection services Providing for free employment bureaus- Providing for boards of conciliation 37%12% 25 Establishing a compulsory 8-hour day 12 % Prohibiting employment of children un- 25 Limiting hours of labor of children Restricting employment of children of school age and of illiterate children Prohibiting night work by children Prohibiting employment of children in operating or cleaning dangerous ma- 81 56 19 Limiting hours of labor of women Requiring seats for females in shops or 37% 62% 12% Requiring wages to be paid weekly, 31 Protecting members of labor organiza- 6 75 4 REPUBLICAN LABOR LEGISLATION. An examination of these tables presents an interesting lesson in practical politics. We shall take up in rotation each of the more important subjects of labor legislation, and see which States have done the most for the workingman. Labor Bureaus. There are few agencies which have done more toward giving a clear insight into the problems of labor and capital,- that have brought employer and employee nearer together, or that .have furnished the laboring people with facts for arguments in favor of protective legislation, than bureaus of labor and labor statis tics. The above table shows that at present there are 33 State labor bureaus in the United States. Of these 26 are in Eepublican and 7 are in Democratic States. Reducing these figures to a pro portionate basis, we find that 26 out of 30 Eepublican States, or 87 per cent, have labor bureaus ; 7 out of 16 Democratic States, or 44 per cent, have labor bureaus. Factory Inspection Service. It is well known to all working people that protective labor laws are practically a dead letter in any State unless there is a factory inspection service organized for the purpose of search ing out and bringing to justice persons who violate such laws. It is easy enough to enact protective legislation, but it is another thing to enforce it. If a State, therefore, enacts such laws aud fails to organize a service for their enforcement, it is deceiving those whom it pretends to favor. Let us again observe the tables. We find that 23 out of 30 Republican States, or 77 per cent, have laws creating factory inspection services. We also find that 6 out of 16 Democratic States, or 37J^ per cent, have factory inspection services. In examining the other sub jects of labor legislation which follow, we must not lose sight of the fact that only 6 of the Democratic States have made provision for factory inspection services for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the labor laws which will be under consideration. Free Employment Bm-eaas, The movement to establish free public employment bureaus, where working people in search of work and employers desiring help might be brought together without expense to either, was started in Ohio by the passage of a, law requiring the labor bureau of that State to establish agencies in the leading cities. Other States followed Ohio's example, until at present laws pro viding for such agencies have been enacted in 15 States. Of these 13 are Eepublican and 2 are Democratic. Boiards of Arbitration and Conciliation. Twenty-two States have enacted laws providing for either State or local boards of conciliation and arbitration. Of these IS are Eepublican and 4 are Democratic States. Eight-hour law. For many years labor organizations have been endeavoring to secure legislation prohibiting labor on government works or public contracts for more than eight hours per day. At the REPUBLICAN LABOR LEGISLATION. 5 present time 18 of the 46 States have such laws on their statute books. Of these 16 are Republican and 2 are Democratic. In addition to these 4 Republican States and 1 Democratic State have laws declaring eight hours to be a legal working day in the absence of a contract. Child Labor. Ever since the introduction of the factory system, over a century ago, the greatest sufferers from the greed of inconsid erate and cruel employers have been the helpless children, who often at a tender age are placed in factories. It is a principle recognized in all civilized countries that children under 14 years of age should not be employed in factories, and nearly all civi lized countries have laws placing a minimum age limit of 14 years upon such child labor. In our country 27 States prohibit the employment of children under 14 years of age in factories. Of these, 23 are Republican and 4 are Democratic States. Many States have enacted laws placing certain restrictions upon the employment of children, usually 16 years of age, and in .some cases even upon the employment of all minors. Of this class are laws limiting the hours of labor of children in fac tories or stores, which have been enacted in 37 States. Of these 24 are Republican, and 13 are Democratic States. Thirty-five States have placed restrictions upon the employ ment of children of school age or of illiterate children, of which 26 are Republican and- 9 are Democratic. Twenty-eight States prohibit night work by children. Of these 18 are Republican and 10 are Democratic States. Fifteen States prohibit the employment of children in op erating dangerous machinery or cleaning machinery in motion. Of these 12 are Republican and 3 are Democratic States. -Woman Labor. Next to the children, the greatest victims of abuse by incon siderate employers when unrestrained by. law are women. In vestigations have shown that their condition is sometimes pitiful where employers are given free scope in their employment. Their protection, in the interests of humanity and morals, has also been the subject of legislation in nearly all civilized coun tries. In the United States 21 States have enacted laws which limit the hours of labor of women. Of these 15 are Republican and 6 are Democratic States. It is interesting to notice that of the 15 Republican States lim iting the hours of labor of women, 12 provide for factory in spection, while of the 6 Democratic States mentioned, only 3 males such provision. Seats for Females in Shops. Legislation on this subject needs no comment. Any man who has a sister or daughter employed in a shop or store, and every physician, knows what a hardship it is to a woman to be com pelled to stand all day at a benoh or behind a counter. Fortu nately, in 33 States legislation has been enacted requiring em ployers to provide seats for females. Of these 33 States, 23 are are Republican and 10 are Democratic. 6 REPUBLICAN LABOR LEGISLATION. Sweatshop Legislation. There is no greater menace to the health of the working people and nothing which tends more to lower and degrade hu man beings, than to crowd them together in small, filthy work shops, where they are often compelled to work, eat and sleep without regard to health or morals, and where the hours of la bor are often so long that the victims, who are usually foreigners unacquainted with our language, are shut out from all oppor tunities for education or betterment of any kind. The scenes observed in these shops by official investigators have been re volting beyond description. Long ago efforts have been made to regulate these sweatshops, and 12 States have enacted laws looking to this end. Of these 12 States 10 are Republican and 2 are Democratic. Wage Payments. In order to insure the prompt payment of workingmen's wages in cash when due, 22 States have enacted laws requiring employers to p?y wages weekly or fortnightly, and in some in stances prohibiting a longer interval than one month between pay-days. Of these 17 are Republican and 5 are Democratic. Protection of Members of Labor Organizations. Fifteen States have enacted laws, that are now in force, pro hibiting employers from discharging persons on account of mem bership in labor organizations, or from compelling persons to agree not to become members of labor organizations as a con dition of securing employment or continuing in their employ. Of these all but one are Republican States. Protection of the Union Label. Forty States have passed laws allowing trade unions to adopt labels or trade-marks to be used to designate products of the labor of their members, and prohibiting the counterfeiting or the use of such labels or trade-marks by unauthorized persons. Of these States 28 are Republican and 12 are Democratic. This is an era of great combinations both of labor and of capital. In many ways these combinations have -worked for good, bat they mnst work nnder the law, and the laws con cerning them mnst be just and wise or they will inevitably do evil; and this applies as much to the richest corporation as to the most powerful labor union. — President Roosevelt at Charleston, S. C, April 9, 10O2. Efficient regulation is the very antidote and preventive of socialism and government ownership. The railroads, until now, have been permitted to wield without any real control the enormously Important franchise of furnishing transportation to the entire country. In certain respects they have done a marvelous work: and have afforded trans portation at a cheaper rate per ton, per mile, and per passen ger, than in any country in the world. They have, how ever, many of them, shamefully violated the trust obligation they have been under to the public of furnishing equal facil ities at the same price to all shippers. They have been weighed in the balance and found wanting. The remedy for the evils must be radical to be effective. If it is not so, then we may certainly expect that the movement toward government ownership will become a formidable one that cannot be stayed.— Hon. Win. H. Taft, at Columbus, Ohio. Labor legislation in Republican and Democratic states. _ [States having Eepublican legislatures at the present time are regarded as Eepublican States, those having Democratic legislatures as Democratic States. The stars show the States which have enacted the legislation indicated on the left of the table.] 30 Republican States. 16 Democratic States. Legislation in force January 1. 1908. C3 '3 O «-i rt O * * * o 0o O * ** * # * * — "co ftBrt w •o 65 * * OS cof-iOJ&* * * * ** * * ** * O JH &a> 65 ** ** * * #** * rt o M a PJ3 o * o 3 o **** 0oM(D o * * *** * * ** d > waa r? *** * ***#** #* * # a CB -a o a « * **** * * * o -M rt PX3 O * * * X3 rt ** * * d o a M > ¦» ** d" o ba a rt ****#* * * .3 a5CO CO *** ** ** d 'to GOu 1 ***#* * ** * *** boaac ** rt* a rt X! rt ***** to rt cod < *** rt' 2 O ** ** rt* '5 ftcCJ O * « d +j d w *#** * ** * * rt a .5'55B o * * * ** * * * 73 d rt *F rt s * ** » * * ** * | CO '55 CO i *5 docoro a ** ********* rt> * dao Dxa *--o r5 ** 03aO o **# rtd p3 D x:+j O CO *** 8 tyd H* * * ** » ciM * es "3"3> * Providing for boards of conciliation and arbitration Establishing a compulsory 8-hour day for labor on Prohibiting employment of children under 14 years Restricting of employment of children of school age 1 Prohibiting employment of children in operating or 1 Requiring seats for females in shops or mercantile * Requiring wages to be paid weekly, fortnightly, . 1 | 8 REPUBLICAN LABOR LEGISLATION. REPUBLICAN LABOR LEGISLATION. Federal Legislation. Since its very inception the Eepublican Party has been legis lating in every Congress for the uplifting of labor and the bet tering of conditions for all working classes. Through our Tariff laws the working people oi the United States have been protected against the cheaper labor of the outside world, and wages to-day are from two to ten times the amount received elsewhere. Through our financial legislation the wage-earner has always re ceived a full dollar, and his savings and investments have been fully protected. Not only have wages constantly increased and hours of labor been reduced, but sanitary conditions have been constantly improved and inspection and liability laws have g-iven to eur workingmen and women conditions and advantages better, very much better, than in any other country. All the great National Labor laws on our statute books were put there by the Eepublican Party. Among the principal ones are the following : Slavery. — The great revolution which exalted labor and freed the country from the curse of slavery was acomplished by the Repiiblican Party, against the fiercest opposition possible by the combined forces of the Democrats and their allies. Still true to its original ideas of freedom, the Eepublican Party, after a lapse , of forty years since the emancipation proclamation of Lincoln, abolished slavery in the Philippine Islands. (Act pased by a Eepublican Senate and Eepublican House and signed by Presi dent Eoosevelt July 1, 1902.) Involuntary Servitude of Foreigners. — In 1874 the Forty-third Congress, which was Eepublican in both Houses, prohibited, un der heavy penalties, the holding to involuntary services of any person forcibly kidnapped in any other country. Peonage. — The act abolishing this kind of forced labor was passed by the Thirty-ninth Congress, when both Houses were Republican by a large majority, March 2, 1867. The Coolie Trade.— The legislation prohibiting the coolie trade is the work of the Eepublicans. The Act of 1875 closed our doors to the paupers and criminals of Europe, and the Exclusion Act of 1882 stopped the immigration of the Chinese. Upon the annexation of Hawaii in 1898 the immigration of Chinese thereto was prohibited by a Eepublican Congress, as was the migration of those already in Hawaii from the islands to continental United States. In President Roosevelt's Administration the Chi nese-exclusion laws have been extended to the entire island ter ritory of the United States. (Act passed by the Fifty-seventh Congress and approved April 29, 1902.) Immigration.— The Republican Party has favored the Ameri can standard of living, not only by abolishing compulsory labor, but also by excluding the products of the cheapest foreign labor through protective tariffs and by restricting the immigration of unassimilable elements from other races. The importation of foreign laborers under contract was first prohibited in 1885, but, owing to defective provisions for enforc ing the law, continued almost unchecked until the amendments made in President Harrison's administration. (Acts of the Fifty first Congress, which was Republican in both branches and of REPUBLICAN LABOR LEGISLATION. 9 the Fifty-second Congress, signed March 3, 1891, and March 3, 1893, respectively.) The Republican Party has increased the restrictions upon the immigration of cheap foreign labor in the new law of 1903. (Act passed by the Fifty-seventh Congress, both Hoxises being con trolled by the Republicans, and signed by President Roosevelt March 3, 1903.) Convict Labor. — The law abolishing the contract system of labor for United States convicts passed the House March 3, 1886, and the Senate February 28, 1887. All the votes against the bill were Democratic. The law providing for the construction of new United States prisons and the employment of convicts therein exclusively in the manufacture of such supplies for the Government as can be made without the use of machinery was passed by the Fifty-first Congress, which was Eepublican in both branches, and signed by President Harrison. (Chapter 529 of the Acts of 1890-91.) Protection Of Seamen. — This was accomplished by the Forty- second Congress, when both Houses, were Eepublican, and the Forty-third Congress, also Eepublican. Inspection of Steam Vessels. — Accomplished by the Fortieth Congress, which was controlled by the Eepublicans. Inspection of Coal Mines in the Territories. — Provided for by the Fifty-first Congress, both Houses being under the control of the Eepublicans ; approved by President Harrison. Safety Appliances on Railroads. — The original act providing for automatic couplers and power brakes on locomotives and cars used in interstate traffic was passed by the Fifty-second Congress, and signed by President Harrison March 2, 1893. Owing to decis ions of the courts, new legislation became necessary, and the Fifty-seventh Congress (Eepublican) passed a, greatly improved law, which was signed by President Eoosevelt March 2, 1903. Report of Accidents. — The Fifty-sixth Congress (Eepublican) passed a law requiring common carriers to make monthly reports of accidents to the Interstate Commerce Commission. (Approved by President McKinley March 3, 1901.) Eight-Hour Law. — The first eight-hour law in this country was enacted by the Fortieth Congress and approved by President Grant in 1868. It applied to all artisans and laborers employed by the Government. In the Fiftieth Congress (1888) the eight-hour day was estab lished for letter carriers. The bill passed the Senate, which was Eepublican, without division. In President Harrison's administration the eight-hour law was extended to include persons employed by contractors on pub lic works. (Chap. 352 of the Acts of 1892.) Department of Labor. — The Act creating the United States Bu reau of Labor was passed by the Forty-eighth Congress (1884) and signed by President Arthur. In the Fiftieth Congress (1888) the Bureau was removed from the Department of the Interior and made an independent Department of Labor, all the votes cast against the bill being Democratic. In 1903 a Eepublican Congress established the Department of Commerce and Labor and made its head a Cabinet officer. 10 REPUBLICAN LABOR LEGISLATION. ~, Boards of Arbitration. — Act passed at the Fifty-fifth Congress (Eepublican) and signed by President McKinley June 1, 1898. Incorporation of National Trades Unions. — Provided for by Act of Congress in 1886. Recent Legislation. — It is within bounds to say that no pre vious sessions of Congress have displayed a more active or intel ligent interest in. the needs of the wage-earners than the past three sessions, nor has there heretofore in the same length of time been as much important and progressive legislation in the interests of this class of our fellow-citizens. Congress has wisely co-operated with and supplemented the work of the Department of Commerce and Labor by enacting a law for the better protection of seamen and to prevent their being induced to ship through false representations. It has pro vided for an investigation into the conditions of working women and children; it has amended and strengthened the law to pre vent the importation of contract labor, and provided a plan for the further exclusion of that class of Asiatic immigration which enters into competition with American workmen. It has enacted a law limiting the hours of labor of employees engaged in rail way train service, and of railway telegraphers. The Congress just closed re-enacted the law passed by the Fifty-ninth Congress to conform to the opinion of the Supreme Court, making common carriers liable for accidents to their em ployees engaged in interstate commerce. It has enacted a law for the further protection of the life of railroad employees in their hazardous employment. It has provided compensation for labor ers and mechanics who may be injured in the service of the gov ernment, and making a provision for their families in the event of their being killed in the course of their employment. It has enacted a model child-labor law for the District of Columbia. It has directed a thorough investigation into the working condi tions of the employees of the telegraph and telephone companies doing interstate business ; and, in response to the urgent appeal from both capital and labor, Congress, before its adjournment, appropriated $150,000 for an investigation into the cause of mine accidents, with a view of promoting the safety of workers in our mines. Safety of Employees on Railroads. — The Ashpan Act. — An act to promote the safety of employees upon railroads b3' requiring common carriers engaged in interstate or foreign commerce by railroads to equip their locomotives with automatic self-dumping and self-cleaning ash pans was passed by Cono-ress on May 30, 1908, the author of the measure as well as its chief supporters being of the Eepublican party. The following are some of the principal aets of legislation by the Eepublican Party : 1. The Homestead Law, passed by a Eepublican Congress and signed by Abraham Lincoln. 2. The acts for the issuance of legal tenders and national bank notes, which gave the people a currency of equal and stable value in all parts of the country. 3. The system of internal revenue taxation, by which approxi mately one-half of the ordinary expenses of the Government have been visited upon malt and spirituous liquors, tobacco and cigars. 4. The thirteenth amendment to the Constitution, wnich abolished slavery. REPUBLICAN LABOR LF.GTSLATWy . 11 5. The fourteenth amendment, which created citizenship of the United States as distinguished from citizenship of the several States, and provided that no State should abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States. 6. The fifteenth amendment, which established equality of suffrage. 7. The Civil Eights Act, which extended to all persons the equal protection of the laws. 8. All existing laws for the payment of pensions to ve1;'i-:ui- of the Civil War and their surviving relatives. 9. The liberal legislation respecting mineral lands, which built up the mining industry, added enormously to the wealth of the country in the precious and semi-precious metals, and made it possible to resume specie payments. 10. The resumption of specie payments. 11. The reduction of postage, the money-order system, the es tablishment of the Eailway Mail Service, free delivery, Rural free delivery, and other improvements that make the Post-Office Establishment of the United States the most efficient agency of that character that can be found on the globe. 12. The Life-Saving Service. 13. The artificial propagation and distribution of fish. 14. The distribution of seeds and other measures of vast importance in the promotion of agriculture. 15. The endowment of public schools, agricultural colleges etc., by grants of land from the public domain. 16. The Administrative Customs Act, which insures justice and equality in the collection of duties. 17. The International Copyright Law, which respects the rights of authors in the product of their brains, but at the same time protects our publishing industry by requiring that books shall be printed in this country to entitle them to copyright. 18. The establishment of the Circuit Court of Appeals, to re lieve the Supreme Court and no longer require litigants to suffer a delay of three or four years in securing a decision on appeal. 19. The admission of the States of Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, Colorado, North and South Dakota, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Oklahoma. 20. The Anti-Trust Act. (This was drawn by Senators Sher man and Edmunds, and introduced by the former. In the House its passage was secured by William McKinley against au attempt to have it sidetracked in behalf of a bill for the free coinage of silver, which received the vote of every Democratic member with one exception. So it may be said that the law was placed upon the statute books over the united opposition of the Democratic Party as represented in the House.) 21. The National Bankruptcy Acts of 1867 and 1898, which relieved many thousands of unfortunate men from their burdens of debt and restored them to commercial or industrial activity. 22. The establishment of the Gold Standard, which placed our monetary system on a stable basis and in harmony with the great nations of the world. 23. Every schedule of duties on imports adopted within the past fifty years, in which the policy of protection to American labor has been distinctly recognized and efficiently applied, han been the product of a Eepublican Congress. 24. Railway rates to be fixed by enlarged Interstate Com merce Commission; rebates and other discriminations penalized; YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 12 3 9002 08886 9152 Vm sleeping cars, express companies Und pipe lines made common carriers ; railway passes prohibited. 25. Panama Canal to have 85-foot level, with locks ; Panama Canal bonds to enjoy same privileges as all other United States bonds ; Panama Canal supplies to be domestic products. 26. Pure Food : Label must tell the truth, especially on popular remedies. 27. Meat inspection, "from hoof to can," at Government ex pense. 28. Free alcohol, denatured, for use in the arts. 29. Consular service reorganized on merit basis. 30. Quarantine against yellow fever nationalized. 31. Financial law whereby banks in periods of financial stringency may issue currency to the amount of $500,000,000, de positing as security therefor bonds, commercial paper or other assets, such emergency currency being so taxed as to insure its retirement as soon as the stringency has passed. 32. National monetary commission created to devise a sound monetary system for the Government. 33. Consular service reorganized, abolishing unnecessary con sulships and consulgeneralships and establishing those most needed. 34. Widows' pensions increased from $8 to $12 a month and certain unnecessary restrictions abolished. 35. Importation of impure tea, tea siftings, etc., prohibited. 36. Model child labor law for District of Columbia. 37. Employers' liability law. 38. Government compensation law, providing compensation to certain federal employees for injuries received in line of duty. 39. Restrictions on lands of the Five Civilized Tribes re moved, adding $150,000,000 to taxable property of Oklahoma. Rigid Enforcement l>>- tlie Administration of tlie Eight- Tiour Law. [Extract from letter of Attorney-General MOODY to all United States District Attorneys, November, 1906.] "By order of the President your attention is called to the provisions of 'An Act relating to the limitation of the hours of daily service of laborers and mechanics employed upon the public works of the United States and of the District of Columbia,' approved August 1, 1892, commonly known as the eight-hour law. "The Government is determined upon a strict enforcement of this statute and you are directed diligently to investigate all complaints which may come to you from any source of violations of this law, and upon your own initiative to make investigation if there appears to you to be any reasonable ground for suspecting violation of this law. In every ease in which you will secure sufficient evidence you will submit that evidence to the Grand Jury, with a view to securing an indict ment. ******** * "I desire to impress upon you the importance of using every effort to execute these directions; of being vigilant and active in this matter. You will make prompt and full report to me of all cases, and your action thereon, with your reasons there for. You will report immediately the action of the Grand Jury and the result of all trialsJ with a specific statement of the penalty imposed."