The San Francisco call., 1903-09-22
ATTACKING THE PRESIDENT.

7 IS evident that the American Federation of La
Dor is giving impulse to campaign which is
operated on several conyerging lines Members
OF the federation in Porto Rico are spreading sedi-
ton among the very ignorant members of the labor
unions in that island and have gone so far as to de-
nounce the flag of the United States the emblem OF
rascality and to threaten the life of Governor Hunt
On the mainland the movement is more cautious,
though in the same direction
Here the laws OF the unions and the laws of the
land conflict in respect to membership in the National
Guard Federal and State laws recognize the militia
organized in the National Guard the defensive
OF the Government and the training school OF the
military rank and file In times of civil disorder,
when the peace officers and the confronted
by physical force obstructive of their functions, the
militia is the sole resource of the State for protection
against that actual anarchy which exists when the
civil no longer enforce the law The next
resort to Federal authority enforced by the regu-
lar army of the United States. The unions in the
American Federation strike at the nearest support OF
law and order by striking the militia During the
past few months National Guardsmen and some OF
them officers have been compelled by their unions to
resign They have given their reason that if they
remain the guard they will be expelled from the
union and then if they attempt to work they will be
killed 1t will be seen at once that this is the use OF
duress OF the most serious kind in order to break
down the first defense OF the law. 1t is in effect
threatening with assassination every man who holds
the law OF his country to be higher than the laws OF
his labor union The extravagant assumptions with
which the country has been made familiar and at
which good citizens have laughed mere vaporing
Of ignorant enthusiasts have borne fruit When Mr..
Gompers president OF the American Federation OF
+1,a
proving presence too of the Mayor of this city and
the Governor of this State that his organization had
sovereign rights" law-abiding citizens believed that
he was using terms in ignorance OF their meaning,
since here only the State has sovereignty and SOW
ereign rights But Mr.. Gompers not using
term in ignorance OF its significance He knew and
meant exactly what he said that his organization had
taken in the allegiance of its members the place of
the State. and they knew other sovereignty than
that represented by him. Again at New Orleans Mr..
Gompers gave evidence OF his of the importance
of his position and authority when he said, with his
sovereign character in mind: Our most dangerous
competitor is the Federal Government He un-
doubtedly meant that his federation Of labor unions
was strong enough in its sovereignty to subvert
single State or to overcome, one by one, group of
States inasmuch as one State cannot go to the aid
of another except it operates through Federal
energy. But after that he would find the Federal
Government with the regular army making stand
for public sovereignty as against the claims OF vol
untary organizations bound by secret oaths.
1t must be admitted that Mr.. Gompers has inspired
his cOnfederated unions with the courage of his
yictions They are now fearessy attacking the laws
of the United States and threatening the President for
enforcing them. So far every considerable conven-
tcle of labor unions held during the summer has de
clared for the sovereign right of the unions to die
tate the terms of employment in the Government
printing Office book bindery and bureau of engraving
and printing The terms they dictate violate the laws
of the land and as those laws conform to the con-
stitution the unions are striking at the fundamental
law President Roosevelt, as his oath and duty
quire has upheld and enforced the law and for this
they threaten him with vengeance. Having shown
their power to disorganze the National Guard and to
leave single State powerless to enforce the law they
now aim their vengeance at the President himself
There IS no use denying the fact that this puts
our institutions to new test and subjects them to
new strain in some OF its aspects serious than
secession itself The talk of the last few years. sup
posed to be wild and empty has been accepted the
teaching of principle and has impressed the vast
numbers OF alien immigrants who have recruited the
ranks Of union labor the exclusion of Americans,
and the conflict RACES around the Federal Gov
ernmen and the President is threatened because he
represents the sovereignty Of the United States and
the supremacy of the law.
The issue is serious it is revolutionary; it is sub
versve of all law. 1t is to be carried, secretly
openly, into the next Presidential campaign and may
easily all other issues to be forgotten If the
people of this country tolerate another sovereignty
than that of the State then anarchy is here
The Chinese Bureau, connected with the Federal
Government in this city and intended barrier