Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-29
Nobody Thought Of His Defeat TIL
the Federation Of Labor Start
cd It's Attack.

Tor one to look into the future BY following
the rules Of logic Several years ago Mr..
Mudd became the acknowledged leader in
the House Of Representatives OF all the
forces that favored the building Of a great
| naval academy in this city. The buildings
were all very old and many were Of wood.
Suggestions were made for the removal
Of the academy to some other place and
| the fashionable denizens OF Newport con-
! ceived the idea that the social whirl of the
400 might be still further enIivened by the
introduction of a thousand uniformed Of
fcers and cadets OF the navy into their
| midst.
The representative of the fifth Maryland
district bent all his energies toward the
| upbuilding OF the academy where it had
80 long fourished. He encouraged the for
nation of tentative plans for the rehabili-
tation of the entire establishment on lines
| Of grandeur that are not yet appreciated
by the country. Millions of dollars were
needed to carry out these plans. Congress
| determined to equip the academy in ideal
| fashion and year after year vast appropria-
tons were made. The work has not yet
been concluded but 1t Is approaching COM
| pletion. The massive and extensive struc-
| lures Of granite would make many OF the
public buildings in Washington look pro-
| vincial.
cAIC1 IAS 1" OIh1uSu
| The undertaking required great body of
| workmen of every class engaged In con-
struction work Before that there were
| but few mechanics in Annapolis. the growth
| of which was not sufficiently rapid to give
employment to many men. Since the up
building of the academy was begun more
than thousand men have been at work
within the grounds. Today about 900 are
said
great thing for Mudd. After the work was
commenced many people Of the town voted
for him without regard to party af11liation
There were men who called themselves
''Mudd democrats.
The large bodies OF men employed in the
several trades caused unions to be formed.
although prior to the reconstruction OF the
academy there were practically no unions
in Annapolis. The unions were affiliated
with the American Federation of Labor.
which Is controlled by the guiding hand Of
Mr.. Samuel Gompers. 1t is these unions
that are expected to oppose the reelection
of Mr.. Mudd.
A law requires that in fixing the wages OF
men employed on work in the academy
grounds commission of officers shall as
certain the rate of wages prevailing in An
napolis. and that similar wages shall be
paid by the government.
1t is said that some months ago the
board of officers found in the case of car
penters that there were three rates of
wages being paid. and they adopted the
lowest rate, about $3.50 per day, although
in many cases carpenters were receiving So
per day. Protests were made against the
government paying less than private con-
tractors and 1t is claimed that these pro-
tests were sent to Mr.. Mudd. and that he
did not take them up with the Navy De-
partment promptly. But later when they
came to him in definite form he did lay
| them before the department and asked that
the inequality be corrected and that action
Ho fuly hrvr fIo
at least good wages as are paid general
ly In Annapolis. That matter Is still pend
ing.
Unions May Balk.
But even with the delay that occurred In
attending to these grievances it is said that
no one in Annapolis conceived the idea of
defeating Mr.. Mudd in his campaign for re-
detection. He had so long been looked upon
al the guardian angel of the town that no
one there blamed him for what had oc-
CURED. It was not, 1t Is stated here, until
Mr.. Gompers declared that Mr.. Mudd was
unfair to organized labor because he had
not voted for bills approved by the Ameri-
can Federation OF Labor that he was
blamed for the failure of the authorities at
the academy to pay what was regarded as
q proper wage.
But in spite Of the orders that have gone
out from the headquarters of the Fedora
refused to Join in condemnation of Mr..
Mudd The bricklayers tabled a resolution
to that effect before it had been read, and
the hod carriers would not permit II to
unions have rebelled. So that 1t is today a
question whether the unions Of this city
will be in line with the campaign of Mr..
Gompers on election day.
The labor vote is about one-third of the
entire vote of Annapolis and will prove an
important element in the election Mr..
Mudd has held meetings here recently and
his engagements will not permit him to re-
turn. Mr.. Gompers Is scheduled to hold a
big meeting Of the unions here Friday be-
fore election day and on the following day
he will again speak in the portion of Mr.
Mudd's district that lies within Baltimore
city. In neither case will he be followed
by Mr.. Mudd, so that he will have the last
word.
Arundel county are such that Mr. Mudd
will do well il he holds his own His
friends speak confidently of their belief
that he will do that. But they hoped some
time ago to increase his vote here, In or
der to offset any loss that might occur in
the Baltimore portion of his district.
But in Charles and st. Mary counties es-
pecially, they say. his vote viii be increas-
the ballot. These 4fe what are known as
Wilson counties. in which the provi-
sions OF the law relating to the arrange
ments Of the ballots permit a vast amount
of manipulation In the case OF a ballot of
many names. There being but three names
to go on the ballot this year. 1t must be
quite simple.
Gompers the Leader.
The leadership in the fight against Mr..
Mudd and for the election of Mr.. George NJ.
Smith. democrat. as his successor in Con-
gress is lodged wholly In Mr.. Gompers. The
local democratic leaders of factions who
have long fought among themselves In
Anne Arundel county. are resting on their
oars The Morse FACTION is merely passive
~ approving what Mr.. Gompers is doing.
but is not arranging meetings to advance
the cause of Smith. The same is true of
what is known as the Wells faction. 1t Is
generally believed that DR.. Wells will do
nothing to lessen the vote for Smith, al
though he is showing no activity in promot
ing his interests.
Several well-informed democrats have
told me that they do not expect to defeat
Mr.. Mudd although they look for de-
crease in his majority. This is the view gen.
orally taken by democrats. with the ex-
ception of men closely identified with the
hoirO cnrducfeh ~ Mr. Com