The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-15
FOUNDERS CHEER LITTLEFIELD
FOR ATTACKING THE GOWPERS
BRAND OF LEGISLATION.
Al Dinner OF National Association He
scores Those Representatives Who
Haven't the Courage 10 Vote Against
vicious bills How He Won In Maine.

tNaNru y thC tbuENSe W WE ~ abihNt
Vicious Bills How He Won I'm Maine.
Congressman Charles L. Littlefield, upon
whom the batteries of Gompers were trained
without avail recently in the Maine election,
came in for tumultuous cheering last night
at the dinner OF the National Founders
Association at the Hotel Aston after he
had made a speech assailing Gompers for
the character Of the Legislation he proposed
and describing those Congressman who
voted for such legislation for fear of losing
their political scalps as political and moral
towards.
The members Of the National Founders
Association, who are big employers Of
labor, have been holding a two days meetA
ing here and invited Mr.. Littlefield to come
on and go over his last campaign. in which
organized labor played such n part. His
was practically the only speech at the din
ner. When he was introduced by Presi-
lent A. o. Briggs the diners gave him a
great sendoif.
Il am here after several and divers kinds
Of experience said Mr.. Littlefeld. "A
gentleman by the name of Gompers tried
to down me. but it didn't work. He butted
into the recent campaign and we butted
him out.
Mr.. Littlefield said that he had been
singled out for special attack because he
VS. chairman of a subcommittee 10 which
the first anti-iniunction bill was referred
in 1899. Commenting on that and subse-
quent bills to prevent injunCtions in all
labor disputes. Mr.. Littlefield said:
His legislation which il proposed would
give labor organizations authority to con-
spire. would give them an express license
to threaten to murder, to intimidate, to
coerce az much as they wanted, l totd
Gompers I'd like him TO state before the
people of Maine whether he stood for that
proposition, but he never once referred
TO this bill in his campaign. l have yet
to find in a single labor organization a
man who will say he thinks authority ought
20 la given to conspire for these purposes.
Notwithstanding this, whenever a bill
gets on the floor Of the Houss it will pass
by an Immense majority, because they
haven't got the courage to fight il.
The whole legislation il u distinct viola
ton OF the fundamental principles of the
American Federation of Labor, which
proclaim that it does not want special
legislation for a class. This bill would
legalize the boycott. vet until this last SEES
sion it was before the judiciary committee
without a single protest from a business man
of this country. When the first bill was
~ lfS W. ~ S1h AhNA 'N'@'
voted that it would be lawful for me man
TO do what il was a crime for another man
to do. IL was just before a Congressional
election. | say II was moral and political
cowardioe."
Mr.. Littlefeld said that he had opposed
the proposed Legislation at every session
aud had told his constituents he would con-
niue TO fight it if reelected.
As long as this legislation is proposed"
he said. 1T never will be reported from the
committee il | can help it, but | haven't the
slightest doubt that to-day 1t would pass by
an overwhelming vote if once reported. ]
made q canvass Of the Republican Members
of the Judiciary Committee just before the
close of the last session and there was not a
single member who would Join me in talking
against il on the floor of the House. This
was after Mr.. Gompers's famous declara-
ton of war. | want to say that l would not
hesitate to debate this legislation before
the American Federation of Labor itself"
Mr.. Littletield declared that if Mr.. Com
pers had procured the results the bill could
not have been kept in the committee and
would have been passed at the next session.
But, said ne in conclusion. Mr.. Com
pers has found that he will ave to do more
than issue a proclamation in order to ter
rori7e the members of the House Of Repre-
sentatives. The election is now over and
the gentleman who tried TO bury me under
an avalanche Of votes succeeded in getting
buried himself"