The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-05-19
POLITICAL TR|MMERS
ON THE ANXIOUS SEAT
Organized Labor Will Mark
. Men Who Meet It's :Disap-
proval and Oppose It.
Candidates to Be Cathechised
and Unfriendly Ones Are
to Be Slaughtered.

It Is being made plain to members
Of congress that the American Fedora
ton Of Labor intends to throw its in
fluence in the forthcoming elections
against men VINO are unfriendly to the
legislation desired by labor unions.
Samuel Gompers, president Of the AM
erican Federation of Labor, has sup
| plemented the notice which the ex-
ecutive council served on the president
and Speaker Cannon last week by al
most daily statements clearly indicat-
ing the belief of the organization, that
the Republican members. with the ex-
ception of Chairman Gardner, of the
House Committee on Labor, were
either indifferent or unfriendly to la
Dor legislation there pending.
There will be systematic effort to
ascertain the views of all candidates
for congress on radical eight hour
| law, an employers liability law and
other subjects for which legislation
will be urged. The campaign was in
| fact begun by the executive committee
| last week by an order to this effect
| labor vote has seldom been consolidat-
ed in national elections, although un-
der the promise of getting an eight
hour day law a great part of the labor
| union influence was thrown to Presi-
dent Cleveland in 1892. Because Of
| the industrial depression in 1893 it is
believed that the Republican full din
ner pail cry in 1895 attracted g. grea,
| labor vote.
This is the manifesto adopted:
eve reaffrm as one Of the cardinal
| principles of the trade union move
| ment that the working people must
unite and organize, irrespective Of
! creed, color, sex, nationality or poll
| tics.
"That the American Federation of
Labor must firmly and unequivocally
favors the Independent use of the bal
| lot by the trades unionists and work.
! ingmen, united regardless Of party,
| that We may elect men from our own
ranks to make new laws and admin
+ lister them alon gthe lines laid down
| in the Legislative demands Of the Am
erican Federation of Labor, and at
! Judiciary that will not govern us by
,s.rn.trary injullctions Of he courts nor
set as the plant tools Of corporate
| wealth..
| rhat as our efforts are centered
against all forms Of industrial slav-
cry and economic wrong, we must also
| direct our utmost energies to remove
all sorts Of political servitude and
| party slavery to the end that the
won king people may act as a unit at
| the polls a. every election"
| President Gompers at the council
meeting said it had been decided
to instruct all officers and members
| OF the Federation hereafter to more
effectively prosecute the policy of
| questioning candidates for public office
! upon matters effecting the interests of
! labor and the people generally"
President Gompers says the position
taken BY the Federation meets the
approval Of the press, and that great
| encouragement has been received from
! various sources. He denies that leg
islation in the interest of the work
ingman is class legislation, and re-
|
sidy bill recently passed by the SEN
ate as pronounced class legislation.
Labor leaders point to the defeat of
Representative Grosvenor, of Ohio, for
denomination as an example of what
can be accomplished, he having in
CURED the opposition Of the work
ingmen. They also recall that Speak
er Cannon was defeated some years
ago for the same reason. Numerous
cases of men who have been retired
from public life were cited as show
ing the power of organized labor in
politics.
completed its consideration Of the bill
of grievances presented to the >Presi-
dent. President Gompers said: 1--WE
are going to follow this matter to its
| logical conclusion. AS 1 said to the
committees of the house and senate
they have played shuttlecock and bat
tledore with our bills which were
passed by one house only to be de-
feated IL. the other"
The threats by the labor leaders to
make a fight in every congressional
district against the men in the house
they regard as inimical to the interests
Of labor are causing great uneasiness
among the Republicans.
IE the presen tation. of their COM
plants to Speaker Cannon the labor
leaders made it quite clear that they
realize their own strength, and have
| a mighty weapon to use at the polls
And because they realize this and are
better organized to use their strength
not a few Republican members are
wondering what will happen to them
in the coming elections If organized
labor is against them.
The Democrats are prepared to evade
all responsibility by using the rules of
the house as a reason why they have
been unable to accomplish anything
| either for labor, or for any other class
and the Republicans are awakening to
the fact that these same rules, so ef-
fcctive in curbing the minority, have
placed all the responsibility upon their
heads.
Mr.. Underwood of Alabama, helped