The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-08-11
s0L|C|TUDE Of OUR
FRIENDS; THE ENEMY
Good Many of Labor's Editor.
ial Friends Seriously Dis
turbed About Labor. =
Fearful Lest LabOr's Advent in
Politics Will Mean the Dis
ruption of Labor.


ruption of Labor.
Washington, D. c.. Aug. 9.-Follow-
Ing the numerous editorials in the
the American Federation Of Labor for
stepping into the political game, Sam
uel Gompers makes the following most
interesting and forcible reply:
"A good many Of labor's editorial
friends are seriously disturbed by the
announced determination Of the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor to carry the
war for justice and fair play deeper
into politics-to punish enemies, sup
port friends, and elect to congress men
from the ranks Of labor. Admonitions,
warnings and exhortations are being
addressed to trade unionists from vari-
GUS directions with regard to the pro-
posed policy. Don't Is the burden Of
their friendly utterances. "A Great
Mtstake,' Glass Politics. Certain Fail
ure,' Danger to the Unionist Cause
are the expressions glibly turned out
and harped upon for our benefit. One
contemporary concludes a solemn ed
itorial as follows:
but it will not mend matters to
turn the labor union into political
party. The thing is impracticable.
That is not the way to get relief. Let
every laborer, indepndent Of his union,
make his own politics, choose his own
party. It would do incalculable injury
to the cause of organized labor to be-
come a political class There are too
many demagogues ready to take ad-
vantage of such thing. Let the work.
ingman consider the populist move
ment and hesitate.
"Now, this solicitude and anxiety re-
garding the welfare Of the trade union
movement is very touching. We ap-
preciate it; we are deeply moved by
1t and are profoundly gratified. We
do not permit ourselves to doubt its
sincerity. Perish the thought of in
sincerity!
But
"Our friends will excuse us If we
venture to observe that this advice is
hackneyed, superficial, and Of little
value They do not understand the
situation; they have much to learn and
much to forget. Times change, dear
friends and the sort Of editorial phil
osophy that went years ago does not
go in 1906.
1T is little strange that we should
be entreated to consider the popul1st
movement. The populist party Is life
less, but what Of it's principles? Wall
street used to condemn as 'populism,'
even as anarchy the very things
which the Republicans now admire in
President Roosevelt and for which the
safe and sane Democrats are extolling
Bryan, and endorsing him for the
next presidential nomination.
I'VE invite our editorial friends to
answer this question.
I'VE would further suggest that they
tell us what they think of the labor
group In the British House Of Com
mons and Of the British Labor in Poll
tics movement. What are the lessons
Of that movement? Does the British
labor situation encourage or discour-
age political action on the part Of in
telligent labor conscious of it's power
and it's needs? Come, gentle friends,
give an honest answer to these Ques-
tons. Have you heard Of the trade
union bill which has passed the House
of Commons? Have you heard of any
opposition to it? If not, why not?
would the workmen of Great Brit
ain be as influential as they now are
If they had voted and elected tories
and sham liberals to the House Of
Commons?
THE objection to class politics and
class legislation is plausible when you
do not stop to consider it. AS a mat
ter Of fact, it is devoid Of meaning.
Protectionists are not asked to vote for
free traders, gold men are not expected
to work for men who believe in con-
troll Of rate-making or in government
OWNERSHIP Of railways.
"Government is not platonic. It
represents dominant interests. It leg
islates for those who are strong enough
to command respect for their wishes.
When the politicians fear the people,
they legislate-after fashion-for the
people. When the public is Indifferent,
special interests control legislation, for
they are always vigilant and tlreless.
1.-THE record Of the first service of
the present congress Is full Of illustra-
needed.
Wnat OLD organized laDOr get from
congress? It was interested in several
bills: it argued, presented data, at
tended hearings. When the session
came to an end, what was the net re-
suit Of this work? There was no re-
suit. The eight hour bill, the anti
| injunction bill, and other bills tending
to the protection Of the rights and lives
of men, women, and children, had again
been juggled with, but none of them
passed and there was no respect Of any
satisfactory action on any OF them at
the next session.
1.-THE game is an old one. The pres