Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-26
LEADERS RELIEVED
Glad That '0peh Shop" Con-
troversy Has Beer Put Off.
POLITICAL RUM M O R s
EFFORT TO WEAKEN THE PRESI-
DENT IN MINING STATES.
John Mitchell, Leader Of the Radical
Forces, Not Disposed to EN-
barrass Mr.. Roosevelt.
POLITICAL RUM 0 R s

Now that the executive council of the
journed without taking any action on the
case of William A. Miller, the reinstated
foreman in the bindery division of the gov
ernment printing office and on the subject
of the "open shop as defined by the Pres
ident as policy for the government, poll
ticians are looking forward to the conven-
ton of the federation in Boston on Novem-
ber with interest.
The prevailing objection by members of
the council to making an issue on the sub
1ect of the "open shop applied to the
government has taken from the entire stu
alton much of it's Importance as a political
factor. But 1T is still believed that at
tempts will be made on the part of men op-
posed to Mr.. Roosevelt to make such capt
tai from the controversy as will assist them
In weakening his influence before the ma
tional republican convention.
Rumor of Political Schemes.
1t is rumored that men prominent in the
republican party and in close relations with
Wall street influences have been active in
attempting to bring about dissatisfaction
with the President in the mining states. 50
as to prevent the instruction of delegates
that the strong friendly feeling that exists
toward MIR. Roosevelt in all the mining dis
tr1cts is such that the leaders believe that
unless there is decided change of senti-
ment it will be impossible to prevent the
instruction of such delegations. This it is
said, is particularly in Pennsylvania
West Virginia, Colorado, Ohio, Montana
and other states.
If the miners could be brought tn q ba
lief that the President is antagonistic to
labor unions the strength of the President
would be very greatly lessened, and his
opponents believe they would be able to
send unnstructed delegations to the con
vention, which would be almost equivalent
to making them anti-Roosevelt delegations.
Leaders Much Relieved.
Whatever the result of the discussion, O;
the Miller and the open shop" question
may be IN the annual convention Of the
Federation of Labor there is no doubt that
the leaders who are concerned in the an
nual election of officers f,,el much relieved
: at having the entire matter lie over for.
the present They all feel that the fact
that the President has not yet acted finally
will relieve them of criticism.
Even had the President taken final action
In response to the representations made to
him by the local bookbinders' union there
would have been a strong desire on the part
of the labor leaders to allow the question
to go over for consideration at the
vention in such way as not to influence
the election of officers.
President Gompers' Attitude.
There is general belief that Mr.. Comp
ers will be reelected president of the fed
Grafton, althougn-at the convention in New
Orleans last year he was strongly opposed,
and his election was not by a large major
ity There is little doubt that he will again
be opposed next November in Boston
Whatever way the Miller and ''open shop
case might have been decided by the execu-
tive council it was felt that it's influence
might be very important in it's bearing on
the elections.
There many local labor leaders
throughout the country who are strongly
opposed to Mr.. GompefS because he is re-
garded by them as too conservative in his
views on trade unionism. This radical ele-
ment is very strong among the miners.
These trade unionists believe that labor
should be aggressive in the extreme both in
its declarations and in it's actions. Mr.
Gompers opposes this view. He favors
moving slowly and cautiously believing that
more can be accomplished for labor in that
way.
John Mitchell's Position.
For these reasons had the council during
It's meetings in this city rendered a conser-
vative decision in the Miller and "open
shop cases, such a decision would have
stirred up the radicals to increased opposi-
ton to Mr.. Gompers reelection. In this
particular controversy 1t happened that
Mr.. Mitchell, the president of the miners
organization, has been an advocate of con-
servative action. He has had strong re-
gard for President Roosevelt ever since the
end of the anthracite coal strike and he
has not favored any action by the council
that could be used by politicians to embar-
rasS the Pres. dent.
Thus the acknowledged leader of the rad
ical forces has been in sympathy with the
conservative men with the result of pre-
venting expression of any kind.
When the convention meets the entire
matter will be fought over again, but the
officers feel that they will be much more
likely to prevent complications to embar-
rass their own reelection by having it
dealt with then than would have been the
case had 1t been disposed Of during the
past week. They also believe that by the
time the convention meets in Boston there
will be less aggressive feeling in relation
to these matters, and that they may be
able to act under less pressure of those
radical labor leaders who favor extreme
measures on all questions affecting trade
unionism.