The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-06

G0MPERS A GAR,
DECLARES CANNON
Arguments Of Labor Leader Are
Sharply Reviewed by the
Speaker of the House.

Lewiston, Me-, Sept. 6.-Speaker Jo-
seph G. Cannon Of the national house Of
representatives in an address here last
night criticized Samuel Gompers, presi-
dent of the American Federtion of
| Labor, saying in part: ::
samuel GOmpers has come into your
district and demanded the defeat Of
Charles E. Littlefeld, your representa-
tive in congress because Mr.. Lit
tlefeld has failed properly to represent
the people of this district or ev en- the
i workingmen here, but, because he has
failed to comply with the demands Of
Mr.: Gompers, who claims to be citizen
of New York, and a resident of Wash
ing gt%r eomnors has introduced . now
element into American politics. He
does. not exercise the right of petition,
he demands that congress enact into
law his will. He does not appeal to
you. he commands you,. if you are a
member Of the federation, to vote as he
would vote. He does not come here to
argue, he. publishes a decree in the
name of labor that the public official
who refused to obey his commands shall
Brands Him Gear. -
"On what meat does this new car
feed to make him different from other
political bosses in this day of the deca-
dence Of bossism? He is president of
the American Federation of Labor, an
honorable organization, which has &C.
compllshed much for the wage Garner,
and is. capable Of accomplishing much
more when properly directed. I have
no prejudice against the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor. My. sympathies are
| with it in all efforts to improve the ma
terlal condition and secure a larger
share of the profits Of production for
; the E. wage earners:: I do not, however,
believe in prescription in politics. It
is foreign to our Institutions, foreign to
a government of the people. I am 90.
! posed to Mr.: Gomper s political methods
OF blacklisting. men who vote as their
consciences and Judgment and the wei
/ fare Of their constituents dictate.
MIR. Gompers has a grievance
against your representative, as he has
i against President Roosevelt, myself and
forty or fifty other men in public life.
we refused to disregard our oaths of
office and enact legislation which Mr.:
Gompers demands. He is aggrieved be-
cause congress suspended the eight hour
law on the Panama canal zone, as it
applied..to alien labor, not American
labor. He is aggrieved because the
president has authorized the employ
ment of Chinese labor in digging the
canal, for American labor cannot and
will not go there. He is aggrieved be-
cause congress would not enact an anti
injunction law which he approved and
declared constitutional. 8s5l =
Some men, among them your repre-
sentative and myself, did not believe
the proposed law to be either constitu-
tional or fair to all the people. 1t pro-
posed to repeal the common law, which
is older than our government and which
by legislation and the decisions Of the
courts, which under the constitution in
Iterpret the law, has from the beginning
exercised the power to protect property
from destruction and damage where the
| damage would be irreparable. VI
| Curbed Power Of Courts.
This proposed law demanded by Mr..
Gompers in substance prohibited the
United States courts from issuing in