The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-12
LABOR IS DENIED
VICTORY IN MAINE
Politicians Analyze Situation
Showing Prohibition Issue Re
sponsible for Upheavals.
LITTLEFIELD NOT ONLY
REPUBLICAN TO SUFFER
Liquor Fight Reduced Pluralities
-Gompers Hailed as Victor
Other Political News.
BY w. w. Jermane.

Washington, Sept. 12.-American
Federation of Labor officials and labor
generally are trying to figure out a
great moral victory won in Maine, and
q rousing reception is. to be given Sam
uel Gompers, president Of the fedora
ton, on his return to the city next Mon
day night. To admit anything like de-
feat would place the federation in bad
form for the fight in other congress
Politicians in both parties here are
inclined to regard the outcome in the
Littlefeld district as being at least a
draw, while many of them assert that
labor failed to make good its Wanted
claims. ~ ...
The contest would have been highly
Instructive had not the temperance
question, statewide in its significance
and results, operated to befog the labor
issue.
-. All Candidates Lost. ~
Governor Cobb polled So per cent Of
the votes of the entire state. Mr.. Lit
tlefeld polled 81 per cent of the votes
of his district, and one or two other con
gressmen, against whom labor had no
grievances, as it had none against the
governor, Jared almost as badly as those
two named. Hence it Is that Washing
ton politicians are wondering just where
the moral victory spoken of by Mi.
Gompers' manager comes in.
The liquor issue was the big issue
of the campaign, overshadowing every.
thing else, even in parts of the second
district. Practically it had been pro-
posed to enforce prohibition by the per-
deprives municipalities of their rights
of self government. To this proposition
Mr.. Littlefeld was firmly and bolster
ously committed. He had for years
been a militant and uncompromising
leader of prohibition sentiments in his
state. and he stood particular sponsor
for Governor Cobb and the Sturgis
liquor law Against him, therefore, was
directed the full force Of the anti-pro-
rected against the governor. The re-
volt against republican legislative poll
cies was statewide and effective and
the democrats almost carried the legis--
flature, Of which nobody had dreamed.
Ltttleaeld a1Paradox.
Mr.. Littlefeld. SO Ear as reports
available show, ran up to Governor
Cobb in the second district, and the
labor campaign cut much figure, he
would have run considerably behind the
governor there, the governor not being
a target for labor attack, Whence
arises the skepticism of Washington
when the labor managers claim amor
al victory.
.,Iittlefeld is a paradox in American
politics. With no real claim on the
republican party as a party man-for
he has never been one-he commanded,
from the moment he incurred the spe-
cial hostility Of organized labor, the
whole power and resources Of the ma
Eonal republican organization. Its
best speakers, It's most authoritative
agents, were hurried to the rescue;
to have anything to do with the Maine
campaign-Vice President Fairbanks,
who spent the entire campaign period
in Indiana and states west of it, MAX
ing harmless addresses to colleges and
old settlers = meetings. .
Labor leaders say they will do much
better when they get into the district
New York. Maine is the most poorly
organized state in the union, from the
labor point Of view. while New York is
one Of the most perfectly organized.
Gompers Is Confident.
Mr.. Sherman 8 home town is Utica,
and his district is filed with large and
thriving manufacturing cities and
hold, and Mr.. Gompers believes that
Sherman's defeat is not only possible,
but probable. More attention will be
paid this Sherman district than any
Of the others, where fights are to be
made. Gompers will lead the fight
against Sherman in person, while in the
other districts of the country where
: the labor issue is to be made, the fight
{nu will "a led hv local Thoon1e
It was the hope of organized labor
that it would receive much prestige out
of the fight against Littlefeld, prestige
which could be turned to good use
against Sherman and other representa-
tives. In this hope, however. it has
been in the main disappointed SO far
as the returns now indicate.