Oregon labor press., October 21, 1916, Page 5, Image 5

P O R T L A N D LA B O R PRESS
Oregon Xabor Erees
Owned and controlled by Organised Labi
C. M. RYNERSON, Editor aad Manager
O ffic ia l Publication o f tba Control L abor Council of Portland
Vicinity, aud tba Oregon St« ' a Federation o f Labor.
progressive laws than are to be found in any other state
in the Union.
He is the special object of attack just now’ because
he is supporting the People’s Land and Loan law.
Under the feature heading of “ Prominent Men of
Portland” the Evening Telegram has this to say of him:
W. S. U’Ren, of Portland, lawyer and prophet prophesies abolition of
poverty in Oregon. Every man is to have honorable and profitable employ­
ment all the time. A thousand dollars a year will be common earnings
Subscription, <1.00 per year in advance
Advertising rates tarnished on application
for a laborer. Every woman will have a home. All the children will
Office, Room 802 Oregonian Building, corner Sixth and Alder Streets, have good clothes, plenty to eat, go to school every day and be taught
the habit of useful work as well as books. This will come with the
Portland, Oregon.
abolition of land speculation and landlordism as provided by the People’s
Entered at the Post Office, at Portland, Oregon, as second-class mail matter Land and Loan law initiated by organized labor. He prophesises that
the people will re'.rjanize the state and local government of Oregon in
rtich form that the.c will b< no unnecessary public officers or employees;
that the public servants will render to Oregon as loyal and devoted serv­
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1916
ice as Colonel Goethals and his co-laborers gave the United States at
Panama, and far better than any private peison or corporation can get
from hired men; in that day the taxpayer will get a full hundred cents
HOME PHONE COMPANY ON THE BOOKS.
of value in public service for every dollar of taxes. Then the courts will
administer
more jv .ice and less law than now, completely and without
The Home Telephone Company has defaulted in the delay, and at
It less cost. These good things in government are to
payment of interest on $3,000,000 of 5 per cent first lien come when the nr people
adopt the short ballot with proportional method of
bonds, due October 15.
(.lection for lc-islative and other group officers, and the first, second
The president of the company, Samual Hill has issued and "other choices” method of electing the governor and other executive
a statement in which he says that “ the general business officers, so that we shall have actual majority rule in the state.
From the ordinary fortune teller this is too good to be true and
depression and persistent efforts of the Bell monopoly to no one
would pay much attention to it. But U’Ren foretold the abolition
prevent competition in Portland” are the two chief causes of political
bosses and party machines in Oregon, the coming of the
of the predicament in which the company finds itself.
Australian ballot law, the initiative and referendum, direct election of
Those of us who have kept in close touch with the United States Senators and some other good things.
matter know that there is another reason for the failure
of the institution.
When this company first came to the city the City
Council refused to grant them a franchise and the com­
pany appealed to the people with the result that thev
secured the franchise.
Tn the campaign which preceded the election at
which the franchise was granted the promoters were A. W. Lafferty, Progressive Inde­ lumber exporter, put up $100. R. W
Hoyt’s affidavit filed at Salem under
extremely liberal with their promises to labor. Arrange­ pendent candidate for Congress, the
corrupt practice act admits that
against
the
present
incumbent,
C.
N.
ments were made to operate the plant under the same (Pat) McArthur, is making a hard he raised $1739.05 and spent same
last May for McArthur’s renomina­
labor conditions as were in force with the competing com­ fight for the place.
tion.
No man put up a penny for my
pany’s plant and for a time all was well.
That McArthur fully realizes that
then or now. If I am
The forces that are so interested in the welfare of I-afferty is gaining strength every campaign
elected all these lands, with the
the workers that they want them to work for the wage day is proven by the fact that Pat timber growing thereon, will be
is using every artifice known to opened to settlers within one year,
and under the conditions imposed by the boss, the politicians
or I will give my life in the attempt.
calibre to hold
Employers’ Association, got in its work and to make a supporters of in his
Secured Largest A ppropriation.
line.
my four years in Congress
long story short the institution was placed on the unfair As a “friend of labor” Pat is one this During
district received the largest ap­
of these “I’m-with-you-when-you’re- propriations in Oregon’s ihstory. We
list of organized labor of this state.
$1,000,000 for the new post-
As a direct result of this company’s attitude toward right” boys -and he is the judge of received
office building soon to be con­
when
we
are
right.
When
it
came
organized labor thousands of phones were discontinued to a vote on the Adamson Eight- structed. We received over $2,000,-
000 a year for the Columbia and
and the company is still losing patrons daily.
Hour bill he did just as he has al­ lower Willamette Rivers. I pro­
This is the main reason the company finds itself un­ ways done when it came to a real cured the passage of over 40 private
test on labor matters and voted bills granting pensions to Portland
able to pay dividends to its stockholders.
soldiers and widows. I put the
President Hill in his statement makes an eloquent against labor.
office of Congressman on a business
Referring to some of the things basis. Not a letter was received at
appeal to the people to support the company saying that McArthur
has been saying about my office in the four years that was
“ Continued lack of support to the company can have no him, Mr. Lafferty
has issued the not answered the day it came. I
sent out over 1,000,000 speeches to
result but a return to the deplorable telephone conditions following statement:
Oregon people on the land grant. A
which prevailed when this company was chartered, and C. N. McArthur is quoted as hav­ large part of my saalry went to the
said, in a recent address, that government printing office, which
which every resident of Portland who experienced the ing
I was absent from 46 per cent of the charges a congressman cost for
Hame has never forgotten. This is the last stand of roll calls during my two terms in printing his speeches.
He also said I was absent
independent telephony on the Pacific Coast, and it is Congress.
in Europe nearly all the Summer of Progressive-Independent Candidate.
for the people of Portland to decide whether they wish 1913, while my two colleagues from At the late primary I defeated Mc­
Oregon were working in Washing­ Arthur for the Progressive nomina­
it continued or not.”
tion. I received two and one-half
ton.
The working people of Portland prefer to suffer the Both of the foregoing statements Democratic votes to McA-tlur’s one.
absolutely false. During my two An independent petition of over
threatened inconvenience of poor service from the com­ are
terms in Congress I did not miss 2000 names has been filed with the
peting company, if they must, rather than sacrifice the over 10 per cent of the roll calls, Secretary of State in my behalf.
and I answerer1 more roll calls than The words “Progressive-Independ­
principle oi the right to organize.
90 per cent of the membership of ent will appear on the ballot after
The Home Telephone Company is unfair to organized the House. Sinnott of this state is my name. I believe I will be elected.
his seat almost incessantly, and
labor and will not be supported by organized labor or in
during my last session I answered
its friends until such time as the company sees fit to one more roll call than did Sinnott.
Collier’s Weekly recently published
change its policy toward the workers.
the record showing this.
Mr. Lafferty Answers
McArthur Statements
Continuou* Sessio ns Held.
PAY ENVELOPE ECONOMY.
And now Commissioner Bigelow proposes to abolish
the head of the Purchasing Bureau in the name of
economy. Is it because he has at last recognized what
the general public has believed all along that the bureau
was a frost?
If so, why don’t he abolish the whole thing? And he
proposes to do the work himself.
Is it because he has so little to do, or is the job of
really no importance?
J t does seem strange that the only way economy
can be effected is by the discharge of employes. And
stranger still that a man drawing $5000 a year should
admit that he has spare time sufficient to take care of
an additional $1800 job without pay.
Perhaps, in the name of economy, it might be well
to forget for a time the awful waste in wages and con­
sider the waste in salaries for a moment.
Why an Auditor and a Commissioner of Finance
both?
Why a Purchasing Bureau anyway?
One thousand five hundred cords of wood and 500
gallons of gasoline more or less would pay some of the
increases promised.
So would that money wasted patting the returned
soldier boys on the back to make them forget the
promised jobs that had been lost in the shuffle.
Is there no way of economizing without taking it out
of the pay envelope?
W. 8. U ’BEN.
Congress was in session almost
continuously during the four years I
was there. Two long extra sessions
were held, making six sessions in
four years, whereas four sessions are
ordinarily held in four years. Mc­
Arthur got a vacation of over eight
months immediately following his
induction into office, March 4, 1915,
which was a much longer vacation
than I had during my entire four
year’s service. I was in Europe but
four weeks. That was in the Sum­
mer of 1913, after the House had
passed the currency bill, and while
same was in the Senate. The House
was not working at the time, but was
waiting on the Senate. I was absent
from Washington but six weeks, and
in Europe but four weeks. I was
there for a little vacation and to
study rural credits.
Pushed Land G rant.
My only other absence from Wash­
ington during the four years was to
push the O. & C. land grant case in
the Federal courts at Port’and and
San Francisco. I was the only Ore­
gon lawyer who even appeared in
the case in the Supreme Court. I
never accepted a penny of fee, but
was fulfilling my pre-election prom­
ise to do all within my power to
open these lands to settlers. I
finally won in the Supreme Court, to
this extent: That court refused to
forfeit the lands to the United
States, and held the actual settler
clause to constitute an ‘‘enforce­
able covenant." The court directed
Congress to pass suitable rules for
opening the lands to settlers. But
instead of doing that. McArthur
procured the passage of a bill
through Congress which will, unless
it shall be amended following my
election two weeks from next Tues­
day, forever close the lands to set­
tlers and open them to Weyer­
haeuser and the other timber barons.
There is probably not a man in Oregon who has been
M en Behind M c A rth u r.
so thoroughly lambasted by the representatives of special
And
why is McArthur for giving
interests and special privileges as has W. S. U ’Ren. This away Oregon
lands to speculators
fact alone makes some of us think the more of him.
instead of opening them up to bona
fide settlers in small tracts with
Mr. U ’Ren has given the best part of his life to the the
timebr growing thereon just as
task of restoring to the people the rights filched from the original law requires?
The answer is that the timber
them by those who think they are ordained by the •speculators
put McArthur in Con­
Almighty to rule the earth.
gress and they demand of him to
the goods. Frederick A.
Crooked and corrupt politicians and political deliver
Kribs, timber speculator, contributed
machines have fallen before his attacks and with the help <300 toward McArthur’s election.
McArthurs own affidavit on file
of other progressive men and women he has been instru­ under
corrupt practice act
mental in placing upon the statute books of Oregon more admits the
this. W. D. V Wheelwright,
Brewery Workers Are Busy
The brewery workers are busy the purpose of prottiting the legal
these days distributing literature rights of the workers in the brew
in behalf of the amendment per­ ing industry. This department is
mitting the home manufacture of financed by a special yearly Inter­
national assessment on all working
beer in Oregon.
If ever a union needed the un­ members and hence Oregon unions
divided support of every trade | of the organization are entitled to
! their share and are getting it.
unionist and friend, the brewery The brewery workers believe they
workers need it now. And if ever have a moral right to work in their
a union deserved such support be­ industry and should be protected in
cause of its unwaivering support of a legal way. The next convention
the union movement, as a whole, of the International will seriously
the brewery workers deserves that consider probably, the advisability
support for this very reason.
of notifying all brewers
that
The Joint Local Executive Board
¡products from dry states where
is handling the campaign for the adverse legislation has been enacted
workers and has sent statements
against the industry will not be
to all newspapers in the state, had
handled by members of the Inter­
a page in the Labor Day edition of
national. These products are hops,
The Labor Press, has had printed
barley, etc., as well as cooperage.
two circulars, 75,000 of each, which
They believe this action will be
the members are distributing from
justified if the voters in dry states
house to house and over the state. I
.
..
.insist on classing beer with the
From 15 to 24 men during the past
-i. of
,.r alcohol
l „ i
, . .
r
'evils
over which
tin-
week have been engaged in this
brewers and brewery workers exer­
work. These men are only work­ cise no complete control.
ing half time, thanks to their
The brewery workers are affiliated
friends, the drys, hence have plrnty
with the Central Labor Council.
of time to devote to the distribution
with the Label Trades Section and
of their arguments. Carl Hoffman
the State Federation of Labor. They
and Chas. Yarnell, members, are in
contribute to strikes of sister unions
Eastern and Central Oregon dis­
and are subscribers to and adver
tributing literature and arranging
tisers in The Labor Press. They
for same.
have the endorsement of the bill
The funds are being supplied
they are working for of this Central
through a local assessment on work- ;
¡Council and State Federation oi
ing members and by the inter­
Labor. A pretty good argument or
national that has been forced to
series of same, why unionists should
establish a special department for
VOTE 314X YES.
THE NEW HOME OF
UNION-MADE CLOTHES
Every Union Man
is, or by right, ought to be interested
in promoting the sale of such clothes as
we sell.
Our Men’s Suits,
$20
Overcoats &
Raincoats at Are Strong Values
This is your Clothes Shop.
your service.
We are at
A splendid line of New Hats has just been
received. See them.
Our complete line of Men’s Furnishings
will satisfy your requirements.
The J. H. Rankin Co.
112 S IX T H ST., B E T W E E N W A S H IN G T O N A N D S TA R K
Demand Pound of Flesh
' | xIlAT the wealth owners will use the power of government, if they can
secure control of it, to wrest from the workers the righteous legisla­
tive achievements gained in the last four years is revealed in a speech deliv­
ered by Candidate Hughes in Milwaukee, September 20,1916:
“ The whole Democratic legislative accomplishment must be
wiped off the books for the good of the country,” declared
Mr. Hughes.—Chicago Daily Tribune, September 21, 1916.
Candidate Hughes Favors Repealing
Income Tax on Wealth
Clayton Law
Seamen’s Law
Federal Compensation Law
Child Labor Law
Tax on Munitions
Eight hour law for railroad employes in operating service.
Eight hour law for women and children in the District of Columbia.
Eight hour law for coal miners under Alaska Coal Land Act.
Eight hour law for construction of Alaska railroad.
(and countless other remedial labor laws)
Candidate Hughes Stands For
WAR WITH GERMANY.
WAR ON MEXICO.
Why?
Ask Steel Trust
Ask the Money Changers
Ask Meat Trust
Why?
$
Ask Munition Makers
Ask Wall Street
Ask Standard Oil ( o.
By Their Talk Ye Learn Them
(P a id A d ve rtis e m en t D em o cratic N a tio n al Cam paign C om m ittee, Chicago, 111.)
$