The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-06
SPEAKER CANNON
ATTACKS GOMPERS
Accuses Labor Leaderof Selfish
DeSpotiSm
IN SYMPATHY WITH LABOR
Speaker Says That Gompers Has In
troduced New Element In Ameri-
can Polities-Arraign-
ment Is Severe.

Lewiston, Me-. September 5.-speaker
Joseph Cannon, in an address before a
large audience at city hall here tonight.
criticised President Gompers of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor
Mr.. Cannon said:
Samuel Gompers has come into your
district and demanded the defeat Of
Charles e. Littlefeld, your representative
in Congress-not because Mr.. Littlefield
has failed properly to represent the people
of this district or even the worlliugmen
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 Washington
Mr.. Gompers has introduced a new eic-
ment 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 member of the federation
to go to the polls, vote as he would vote.
He does not come here to argue. he pub
fishes decree in the name of labor that
the public official who refuses to obey his
command shall be retired from public
life
Decadence of Bossism.
"On what meat does this new Caesar
feed, to make him different from other
political bosses in this day of the de-
cadence of bossism7 He is president #
the American Federation of Labor, an
honorable organization which has accom-
pllshed much for the wage Garner, and is
capable of accomplishing much more when
properly directed by those who exercise
the functions for which they were elected
to office. I have no prejudice against
the Federation of Labor My sympathy
is with it in all efforts and struggles to
improve the material condition and secure
larger share of the profits of production
for the wage earhers. l do not, however,
believe in prescription in politics. 1t is
foreign to our institution; foreign to a
government of the people, I am opposed
to Mr.. Gompers political methods Of
blacklsting men who vote as their con-
sciences and judgment and the welfare OF
their constituents dictate.
1T is reported that Mr.. Gompers has
made an assessment on the members of
the Federation of Labor to secure money
~ use III NilS n I1tIlDtf OF
the Federation may be republican in
favor of republican policies, but he is
assessed to make campaign against
his own interests as he sees them, be-
cause Mr.. Gompers Is opposed. Such
methods in politics have never succeeded
In this country, and they never will The
workingmen, both union and non-union
OF this country, will act with the orsani-
cation OF what pertains to the purpose
of the Union and fbQV will fnIlotU
Gompers so long as he exercises the func-
lions for which he was chosen as presi-
dent of the Federation of Labor But they
will not follow him in his self-assumed
function of debating how they shall exer-
else their right of citizenship.
He Is Aearieved.
''Mr. Gompersi has a grievance against
your representative as he has against
President Roosevelt, myself and forty or
fifty other men In public life. We refused
to disregard our oaths of office and en-
act legislation which Mr.. Gompers de-
mands. He Is aggrieved because congress
suspended the eght-hour law on the Pan
anna canal zone, as 1t applied to alien
labor, not American labor He is ag-
grieved because President Roosevelt has
authorized the employment of Chinese
labor in digging the canal. because Ameri-
can labor cannot and will not go there
He is aggrieved because Congress would
not enact an anti-iniunetlon law as he
approved and declared constitutional.
Some men among Them your representa-
tive and myself. did not believe the pro-
posed law either to be constitutional or
fair to all the people. The proposed bill
to repeal the common law is older than
our government, and which, by leglsla-
ton and the decisions of the courts, which
under the constitution interpret the law
have from the beginning exercised the
power to protect property from destruc-
ton and damage where the damage would
be irreparabe. This proposed law de-
manded by Mr.. Gompers in substance
prohibited the United States courts from
issuing injunctions in any case between
employer and employe, unless necessary
to prevent irreparable injury to property
or to property right of the party making
the application for which injury there is
no adequate remedy at law. and in the
next sentence the bill provides and for
the purpose this act no right to carry
on business OF any particular kind or at
any particular place.. or at all, shall be
construed, held, considered or treated as
property or as constituting a property
fight.
A Property Right.
''This means that what is property
and property right under ordinary in
depreciation of law shall not be con-
sidered property or a property right in
a labor dispute. 1t would be one law for
the men who seek to destroy property
in a strike, and another law for those
who seek to destroy property under all
other circumstances one law for the
striker and another law for the rest of
the people.
Mr.. Gompers has blacklisted us be-
cause Congress failed to pass that law.
He has read us out of civilization. But
speaking for myself l had rather quit
public life now and at the age of 20 quit
forever true to the civilization we hav =
developed. true TO the distribution of
powers to the legislative, the executive.
and the judiciary which are a check upon
each other, than to retain public office
at such sacrifice to my own self-respect
and such terrible cost to the country.
While God gives me life. to live ] will
not by an act take from any citizen, be
he rich or poor, union or non-union man.
farmer or mechanic. shoemaker or pa
permaker, doctor or lawyer. any right
which is given 20 another"
Committee Meets.