The Washington times., 1906-10-19
Assertion of T. F. Tracy
Concerning Interview
in The Times.
THE SPEAKERS HOSTILITY
Violent Opposition to En-
fOrcement Of Eight-HOur
Law in 1879.

Officials Of the American Federation
OF Labor have taken exception TO the
interview with Frank p. Sargent Com
missioner General OF immigration, pub |
llshed IN The Times on Wednesday, |
wherein the commissioner general eN-
pressed the opinion that Speaker Can /
mon had, on more than one occasion, |
shown himself TO be the friend of Ia |
Dor. The interview has been published
by nearly all of the leading papers in I
the country and has served to draw /
sharp attention 10 the fact that SO far /
as Speaker Cannon is concerned. there /
IS a division Of opinion among the la /
b0r leaders as 10 the wisdom IN op- /
posing Cannon.
T +. Tracy assistant to the labor /
representative committee OF the Ameri- /
can Federation of Labor, ia comment /
ing on the Sargent interview, said 10 a !
Times reporter today:
There seems 10 be an impression that |
when Mr. Sargent and other Govern |
ment employees who have been connect /
ed with the labor organizations speak. !
they arc voicinE the sentiments OF the /
American Federation OF Labor. This is /
wrong Prior TO Mr. Sargents appoint /
ment by President Roosevelt 10 the posi- 4
tlOn he now holds. he was an officer /
OF the Brotherhood Of Locomotive /
Firemen. This organization, with one
or two ether organizations of railroad /
meu, never has had any affhatiou with /
the American Federation OF Labor since
its inception and -~hen Mr.. Sargent /
speaks It is not in the name of the /
American Federation OF Labor.
Doesn't Affect Federation.
SIN his interview ne quotes Speaker |
Cannon and his attitude on the em- /
plOyers' liability bill. which passed the /
last session OF Congress. IL IS true the 4
bill, as 81 passed, is a meTitorious one, |
but In its application II reaches only /
the organizations of railroad men and /
does not apply at an to the vast mem 1
bership which comprises the American /
Federation of Labor.
THE opposition TO Speaker Cannon 4
does not arise wholly from his opposi- /
tIon TO the anti-injunction bill that has 4
been urged in the past Congresses by /
our organization. AS far back as April /
+ 2l, 1873. q resolution was introduced in /
Congress, tending toward the enforce /
ment of the eight-hOur law. On May Z I
OF that year, IL was reported To the ]
House. with favorable reCOmmcnda- /
ton. This resolution met with vigorous
opposition from Speaker Cannon, /
who was then a member Of the House.
The Congressional Record OF the latter /
date shows that ia answer 10 question /
relative TO the proclamation OF President
Grant on the eight-hOur law which call /
ed for It's enforcement. Mr.. Cannon said /
This is the manner in whichthe law /
. IS now being eXecu ed, and, so far as I /
am concerned K viii go on that way, /
proclamation or no proclamation, thus /
antagonlZing the position of q former \
President of the United States
Cannon's Hostility.
THE record further shows that on mo- |
ton made by Mr.. Cannon the resolution /
20 enforce the elght-hOUr day was laid /
ON the table by a vote Of yeas, 127; nays. |
50. That his opinion on the eight-hour |
law and its application has not changed !
( IS evidenced 10y the part taken by him |
Jas a member of the Committee on Rules /
in the past session of Congress. After
an amendment 10 auuul the eight-hour /
day in the construction of the Panama |
E canal was ruled out on a point of order
as new legislation. the majority mem !
. bers of the Committee on Rules, of /
. which he is chairman, reported a rule |
10 the House which uuliiued the eight /
hour day III the construction of that /
work.
"Another Indication Of his hostility 10 /
the eiglt-hour law is the fact that il /
mas Utru openly charged OE the moor ]
+ Of the House that IN the makeup of his |
committees they We're SO constructed /
that such legislation as he was opposed /
10 could not pass. The House Commit /
: tee on Labor Notwithstanding tho fact 4
B that in several Congresses they reported /
3 the eighJ-nOur bin tdVOTably, in the l8s- /
3 TWO Congresses the majority of the COM
mittee has been hostile to this bill 1t /
; IS ruuured thar when the Eill was re- /
ported by the committee ia the past ses- /
+ sion of Congress that members OF the /
committee We're called 10 the Speaker /
/ room and CasrigatCd by the Speaker in
+ q manner more forcible than elegant.
MT sargent Is quoted as saying
Men who belong 10 trade unions be- 1
neve ia a square deal
Correct Statement.
This statement is undoubtedly cor
rect, but those who have followed the
official acts Of our Congressman. Speak
or Cannon particularly, fully realize /
that so far as the interests of labor are
b concerned, by their petitions for Iegis-
latiOn, 1t has been for a period cover
ing more than twenty years impossible |
for them 10 receive a square deal at /
his hands, either al q member of the /
House or as Speaker.
Mr.. Caunon's utterances as TO Ia b0r /
legislation during tho recent campafcu ]
In Maine and I'm ether places since then /
fully demonstrate his open and avowed |
hostility 10 the measures to which labor
which would be in the interests OF the |
whole people
uApOTD TUT CTOyyv