New-York tribune., 1906-08-18
heed his entreaty We hope he does not think
TINT nothing remains for him to do.
MR. CANNON AND Mr.. GOMPBRS.


The address of the Speaker of the House OF
Representatives before the convention which re-
nominated him for Congress on Thursday is
widely and not lnapproprlately regarded as
sounding the keynote" of the Republican Con-
gressionaI campaign, setting forth the
grounds on which the Republican party seeks
from the nation q popular vote or conndence'
and as indicating in tentative outline, at ieast'
the general policy which the majority party
may be expected TO pursue II It remains In the
majority I'm another Congress. In that view Oh
il, the address contained many commendaple
things. but perhaps nothing more creditable 10
the Speaker and to the party of which ne is
so authoritative o spokesman than what ne SAID
I'm reference to Mr.. GOmpers and the demands
Of organized labor
1t must be borne in mind that since the last
general election there has been Significant
change in the political status of organized
labor part OF that body. under Mr. Com
pers's lead. has Ostensby gone into politics.
1t is, or is supposed to be, according TO its
leaders, declarations, canvassing the whole ar
ray OF Congressional candidates, 20 ascertain
who are on its side and who are against It,
That is to say, it is seeking to ascertain who
will. IL elected, vote for such measures as the
"antl-injunctiOn bill' and other special leglsla-
ton desired by certain labor leaders, and VINO
will vote against them the inference being that
the former will be supported by the labor vote
and the latter will be 'blacklisted. In sucn
circumstances, less courageous man tnan ME-
Cannon might have avoided the question aIto-
gether, might have been nOncommttal upon IT,
or might have sought to curry favor, even at
the expense Of principle, with the considerable
body Of voters enrolled in the American Fed
Grafton OF LabOr-which is the only part Of the
Industrial army for which Mr. Gompers speaks.
Not SO Mr. Cannon. With characteristic
courage and drectness he went straight at the
subject, and discussed it as fully and frankly
as any other which he touched upon In his
speech. There was no attempt at equivocaton
He left his hearers Ia no more doubt concerning
his attitude toward Mr.. Gompers and his de-
mands than toward the tariff. 81 am not" he
said. "in favor of this legislation demanded by
Mr. Gompers." and he gave his reasons for
opposing it i'm unmistakabls terms Also he
effectively pointed ont that important labor
leaders were last winter directly opposed TO
each other in their demands for legislation, so
that if Congress had acceded TO the demands
Of one IL would have incurred the condemnation
OF the other. OF the right Of labor to organize
and Of the right Of labOrng men TO vote as they
please he made no question. But he expressed
what seems to us we'll founded confidence In
their being guided in their voting by the same
intelligence and patriotism which move other
voters.
That Is the true and worthy attitude to as
sumo toward the entry of organized labor into
politics. and thoughtful Americans of all par
ties will be grateful to Mr.. Cannon for assum-
ing it. Only One-tenth of the working people,
as he showed are included in the labor unions
1t is not suppOsable that that One-tenth is what
General Booth called Submerged tenth" On
the contrary, 1t is to be recognized as being, as
Mr. Cannon said, "as intelligent and as pa
''triotic any other equal number Of citizens
"Of the Republic" That being so, 1t is no less
wise than brave for Mr. Cannon to meet their
reputed demands squarely, and to declare that
he is quite ready to take his chances with them.
in choosing the policies of the Republic, land
this, too, without regard to the demands OF
'AIr. GOmpers when he seeks TO control their
action at the ballot box" With such an atti-
tude, and on such ground, political leaders who
have served the country faithfully need have
no fear of the bogie of organized labor in
politics."