Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1912 — BOEHNE REPLIES TO AN ATTACK [ARTICLE]

BOEHNE REPLIES TO AN ATTACK

Made On His Labor Record By Machine Agents. I HE FAVORED ALL LABOR BILLS Gav* Opinion on Ponding Legislation When Asked By Benator Carleton—- - Boehne a Minority Stockholder In Foundry, Used Every Means to Settle Btrlke—Faete Known to Labor Mon of Evansvlll< Who Called on i Him. Mr. Boehna. when asked for an expression of opinion concerning the resolution passed by the Central Labor Union of Evansville, with reference to his attitude toward labor said: “There is not even the remote shadow of truth in the allegations set forth in the resolution or the statements of an Indianapolis labor man upon which the resolution was predicated. The contentions advanced come under two heads, which in a general way are that I controlled the actions of the members of the legislature of the First Congressional District during the last session and that I used those legislators against the interests of labor. This is so far from the truth that It should not require an answer, but I have always made it my practice to be absolutely frank and straightforward in all my dealings, and I therefore am glad to make this statement and give the actual facts as they really exist so that the great mass of laboring men whom I have found to be fair and reasonable may have an opportunity to Judge for themselves the injustice that two or three misinformed and misguided men seek to do me without cause or reason. Kept Busy by Offioial Duties. "During practically all of the time that the last legislature was in session I was in Washington attending the sessions of congress. I made no effort whatever tp keep in touch with the work of the legislature or to Influence any of Its members in any manner whatsoever, except that I did ask some members with whom I was personally acquainted to stand by our platform pledges In the enactment of labor legislation. Senator W. B. Carleton of Evansville was the only member of the legislature from the First Congressional District who sought my advice or with whom I discussed proposed legislation either directly or Indirectly. When Senator, Carleton wrote me, asking for my ad-, vice, I replied to him, In substance, that_l was elected as a. member of

congress, and that It required all mv time and attention to properly look into the merits of legislation coming before congress and to see that I correctly represented the visws of mv constituency. I told him fprther that I felt that the splendid delegation in the legislature from the First Congressional District was too well equipped for legislative work for me to attempt to advise them as to what their course of action should be on any subject. I did advise Senator Carleton, however, in reply to his .request for such advice, that the miners’ organization In my district was asking me to use my best efforts to assist them in securing the enactment of the miners’ qualification act, and that the laboring men in the district were all strongly in favor of the passage of the employers’ liability act, the child labor law, the miners’ qualification act, and the shot flrers’ law. I told him that I was personally interested In those measures, and that I bespoke favorable action for them, and that in addition to. those above named, that I was Interested in the corrupt practices act introduced by. Senator Traylor and later passed. Having made my ideas on those subjects clear, as he had requested me to. do, I asked him to Inform the other members of the legislature from our district of what I had said to him. Senator Carleton could doubtless throw some light on the matter should he care to do so. That was my sole and only activity In connection with the legislature. If Senator Carleton made known my views to the other members from our district, then they all knew that I was in favor personally of all the measures above named, that most of them were platform measures and all of them I felt to be absolutely worthy. Having answered the senator’s request, I at no time thereafter took any active Interest in the work of the legislature, but did take an active interest in the work of the national legislative body, of which I am a member, and strange to say, no criticism has been offered of my record in that legislative body, the record made by me personally and for which I am personally accountable, while the only criticism that has been advanced has been predicated on the actions of the Indiana general assembly of which I am not a member and with which I had no connection. My only activity in connection with the general assembly at any time or in any way having been, as I said, to merely inform Senator Carleton, and to ask him to inform his colleagues that as a citizen I felt that all of the laws named above were righteous and should be enacted. I am therefore somewhat bewildered to find that I am being criticised by even a few labor leaders because of what the legislature did or did not do, when everything that I said concerning legislation was in behalf of labor’s cause. The Truth of the Situation. “Now the second division of the criticism is directed at me through nay connection with the Indiana Stove Works. The truth of the situation with regard to the Indiana Stove Works and my connection therewith Is that I have not been conneeted in