The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-10-07
Statement Issued by Nominee Of Labor Party ir
Declining to Accept Place on Democratic Tick
et--Regrets Failure Of Fusion Movement


make his race for congress was an
nounced by the News-Democrat sew
eral days ago, Duffy, however, has
supplemented his declination with
letter to the members of the congress
sional committee In which he outlines
his position and enters at some length
into the issues of the Labor and DEM
ocratic parties, at5 a4.
This letter has been in preparation
for several days under Mr.. Duffy's
hands, and was mailed by him on
Friday.
Drfy's statement is as follows:
ITO the members of the Democratic
congressional committee of the 18th
district, State of Ohio:
Gentlemen: - 1t is with reeling
of profound regret that SIT Gown to
pen my declination OF the nonor Of
fered to me by the Democratic party
to be their standard bearer in the ap-
proaching congressional contest. In
declining this honor / assure you that
il is not because l do not realize its
worth or appreciate its greatness. In
fact, several weeks ago l would not
even have entertained the hope that ]
honors at the hands of party whose
founder SO eloquently taught that
great American doctrine: That all
men are created equal; that they are
3 endowed by their Creator with certain
fnalienahle rights"
However, realize that the honor
extended is not so much a personal
compliment to me as it is manifesto
ton of your desire and determination
to give recognition and assistance to
the laboring man, whom l have the
honor to represent, in hrs Ggnt for
justice. This fact, however, only
serves to magnify my regret and
makes more painful the words which
now flow from my pen.
1T has been my ardent wish to see
Labor and Democracy united in this
6ght do not wish to see union labor
used by the Democratic party or any
other political party; but when union
labor desires to go into politics it
should be practical; and I regret that
organized labor, in this instance, could
not see the wisdom of using the Dem
ocratic party to accomplish its pur-
pose in this district, as it should use
the Republican or any other political
party for the same purpose in SthGr
localities, wherever it is gwen the op.
portunity, especially since its princl-
pies and its alleged Representatives
were ignored at the Republican con-
gressional convention. ~
I" "Your gratuitous offer to support
the principles of organized labor with
the eighteen thousand Democratic
votes OF this district; your unsolicited
selection, as your candidate; of labor's
own choice; your voluntary OTTER to
support the union labor platform and
union labor candidate with the Demo-
cratic press, speakers, workers ard
funds are things which ordinarily
would be eagerly accepted by organiz-
this time is something l myself can
not understand, especially since these
things were sought at the convention
OF the opposite party where labors
principles and labor's representatives
met with a silent rebuke.
".tfter listening to the able argu-
ments put forth by the members of
yonr committee ] cannot help but
agree with you that the wisesl course
would have been for organized labor
to have fused with the Democracy.
Ascis- well known have been oppos.
ed from the start. to placing an In
dependent ticket In the field i fought
against it at the Alliance Labor con-
vention and nothing has since hap
pened to change the views which I
expressed at that time. But GENTLE
men, am only one of the union labor
men of this district I have no right
to, dictate to them as to what meth
0ds they shall adopt or what policies
they shall pursue; we can not all be
OF the same mind and the will of the
majority should prevail in all things.
my rast life has been dedicated to
the cause of organized labor, 1t is my
earnest purpose to continue, as best
can to fight labor's battles and de-
. fend labor's rights in the future; and
n 1t is the determination of the lab
orlng men of this district to carry on
this fight without the assistance OF
any recognized political party, I'll ad-
vice as I think it is, I shall sacrifice
AL other things and do my best to
make the move success. appeal to
~ every laboring man, every busI-
ness man. every citizen to support the
Labor ticket. The line will be clearly
drawn in this contest. 1t will be a
contest between labor and capital; a
strtiRgle betWeen wealth and poyerty: