The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1906-07-26
Preparing to Cut Down the Hostile Representatives that Are Now in
Congress.
Blacklist Being Drawn Up By Samuel Gomper President of the
Grafton OF Labor. With Speaker cnnon's Leadnsofce
Seekers to be Questioned.
Congress.

OiSailiIeu laDorS plans of cam
pa1gn to defeat members of Con.
gress who refused to pnss the laws
sought will be medic public in the
regular issue of the American Fed
erationiSt. 1t will announces /,
vigorous policy on behalf of labor.
which this year, for the first time
on record, is to take an active hand
in politics.
The uncertainty as TO the course
to be followed by labor is giving a
great deal of concern to both the
Republican and Democratic party
Leaders. AdviceS have been re.
celred ut the campaign hoaduuar-
telS of both parties indicating that
III numerous districts in all parts
OF the country representatives of
labor unions are already agrees
lVely active, and candidates for
Cong reSs are correSpondincly
alarmed. In many districts con
conditions arc ripe for u close fight
between the Republican and Demo.
cratic nominees this fall, and if the
labor leaders can make good their
assertion and control the union
vote it will be no difficult matter
for them to hold the balance of
power i'll many instances.
President GompeIS ofythe Amer
lean Federation of Labor frankly
admits that his organization is pre-
pairing IL blacklist of Congressional
candidates against whom their
fight will be concentrated.
In explaining how labor would
conduct its campaign, Mr.. Gompers
stated:
.lf it should happen any dis.
trlct that the candidates of both
the great parties are inimical TO
labor, and there is little possibility
OF clccting an independent c:,ndi-
date, we shall throw our votes
against the man most Objectionable.
Wherever organized labor can do
so, ii will present candidates from
its own ranks, who will make new
laws and administer them along
the lines laid down in the lepisla-
tive demands Of the American Fed.
Grafton of Labor, and at the same
time secure an impartial judiciary
that will lot govern us by arbitra-
ry injunction of the courts. nor act
as the plii.nt tools of corporate
wealth.
tUnion labor, like death, loves
a shining mari, and it is generally
understood th2t tho name of Speak
er Joseph G. Cannon stands at the
head of the blacklist. which Presi-
dent Gompers has started. When
asked the direct question whether
Il special effort was to be made to
defeat the Speaker, Mr.. Gompeis
returned an evaSive answer. but
he added: 81 am free TO make the
prediction that when the Sixtieth
Congress convcnes some of the
familiar faces will be missing.''
1T has been y matter of general
knowledge, however, that labor
leaders were boasting that they had
marked Speaker Cannon for the
slaughter. and reports from the
Speakers district, which contains
a large number of union voters. es-
pecially among the mine workers,
indicate that the campaign is al
ready well under way against him.
Organized labor has accomplish
ed definite results already this wear
IN their opposition TO unfriendly
Congressman. Repres entative
GrOSvenOr of the Tenth Ohio might
have secured IL denomination had
not labor opposed him. and union
labor had a hand in the defeat of
Representative Black burn of North
Carolina in his fpbt for coptrol ,f