Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-09-13
LITTLEFIELD AND GoMPERs.

Mr.. Littlefelc's statement tnat tne
labor fight against him led by Samuel
Gompers really helped him is declared to
be literally true by some of bis friends
in Washington.
A high official of the Treasury De-
partment, who is acquainted with the
situation in the Second Maine district,
even goes so far as to say that Gompers
is responsible for Littlefeld's election.
Early in the campaign, this gentlemen
says, there was a determined effort to
prevent Little6eld's return to Congress.
This was led by the proprietors of the
Poland Springs, who run strictly pro-
hibition hotel and who are the richest
and most influential people in the dis
trict. 1t was backed by the Lewiston
Journal, formerly owned by the late
Congressman Dingley. Their opposition
was on local issues entirely and Little
fields candidacy was in a bad way. Just
at the psychological moment, however,
Gompers entered the field with his de-
clarstiou of war. The Poland Springs
people resented this intrusion of organ
lied labor into the politics Of the district,
and they and the LIE eSston Journal forth
with turned and gave hearty support to
the republican candidate. But for their in
Auences, according to the Treasury Off
cials, Littlefeld would probably have been
defeated, owing to local conditions. If
Gompers had not shown up, that in
fuence would not have been exerted in
his favor.
Jas. s. Sherman of New YORK, chair
man of the republican congressional COM
mittee, says that he shares Mr.. Little
fields opinion that the advent of Mr.
Goppers into the Maine campaign helped
Mr.. Little6eld rather than hurt him.
when you snalyze the returns" said
Mr.. Sherman. "you cannot come to any
other conclusion. Mr.. Lit,lefeld's ma.
iority was cut down largely, it is true,
but be ran ahead of bis ticket, and that
is good deal more than some OF the
other congressional candidates did.
eff Speaker Cannon depends on Com
pers to knock him out, he can remain
in public life as long as he likes" This
was the comment of United States Sena-
tor Albert J. Hopkins, of Illonois, who
was one of President Roosevelt's callers
at Oyster Bay yesterday.
Mr.. Hopkins admitted that the re-
publicsns Of Illinois may lose two con-
gressional districts in Chicago and one
in the southern portion of the State, all
of which be maintained are nominally
democratic districts. Otherwise, he said,
the outlook in the State was decidedly
good. "We will, of course, organize the
House in the Sixtieth Congress, be
concluded. "We may have a smaller
majority, but a smaller majority is really
better for the work of Congress. As for
the effect OF Mr.. Gompers' campaign, it
will help rather than hurt u.s."
The Ohio convention of the Junior
Order of American Mechanics, in session
at Canton, Ohio, yesterday, ordered a
letter forwarded to Speaker Cannon ex-
pressing the hostility of Ohio members
Of that order to his alleged opposition to
the immigration bill before the last Con-
gress. The communication will declare
that unless Speaker Cannon renouuces
bis alleged position on the subject be
will be opposed by the Ohio order in
any future political aspirations he may
have, notably bis presidential candidacy.