The Washington times., 1906-04-02
President GomperS Is
Flooded With Letters
From Leaders.
BALLOT ONLY REMEDY
Candidates for Congress
Who Are Not Friendly
Marked by Unions.

II was by no means an idle statemer.
,iiat samuel Gompers, president Of the
= american Federation Of labor, made to
'he President and 10 Speaker Cannon
ana senator Frye when he presented
the oil OF grievances Of labor. The
concluding paragraph in the pefitIon
mat II the party IN power ignored la
Dors appeal then labor would go 10
the people for relief. has been 1aken
UP by the leaders IN the States with
the result that the order has gone
forth TO mark every Congressman who
has ignored the petitions Of labor for
legislation that was indorsed by ths
Federation
During the past week President Com
pers has been fairly overwhelmed viii,
letters from every section Of the coun-
Try indorsing the position taken by
the Federation 70 exert the power or
labor organization in the coming Con-
gresslonal campaign in favor Of those
candidates who will pledge themselves
10 work and vote for such measures as
are indorsed by labor 1t is apparent
that those Congressman who have ig-
nCred the representatives Of labor will
be made to feel labor's influence when
the nominating conventions are held
and the votes are cast.
Party in Power Responsible.
The party in power is responsible for
legislation and must stand by its
record, said President Gompers 10 a
Times reporter this morning. and it
cannot be charged that labor has made
any unreasonable demand nor viii II be
accepted that the minority in the House
nd
the enactment OF the legislation which
The party in power pledged to labor.
Speaker Cannon appointed the majority
members OF the House COMMITTEES on
Labor, and that majority has acted in
accordance with the wishes of the
Speaker We ali know that II the party
in control Of the House wanted the
legislation We have asked-the Iegisls-
ton which the party in power pretended
TO stand for ir its platform-we would
have witnessed ere now. the passage
OF few Of the tangible measures which
were introduced by our friends in the
House or Senate But here it is within
forty legislative days OF final zd-
journment and what consideratso. has
labor received from the hands of the
party in power2 I say for'y avs Of
adjournment because Spea.--s- Cannon
was quoted some time since " tn say
ing that Congress would adjourn about
the latter part OF May. And as he is
the master Of the House. take il that
ne knows whereof he speaks.
Ballot the Only Remedy.
The question is how shall labor use
its potential influence TO accomplish its
desire for legislation that will procure
Tr,s- IL.
we have been appealing Tor for years.
There is but one. way open to US now
and that is 10 make labor's power felt
in the elections. 1t has been said by
the politicians shat labor cannot unite.
that before election labor will say what
il is going 70 do. what candidates il
viii support. and made dire threats
against the party in power, etc, but the
politicians who are Of that ION now
and try 10 delude the sci With the
belief that we did not n. eXa,>tlV
what We said 10 the President. Speaker
Cannon. and Senator Frye, about ap-
PealinS TO the conscience of the people
viii ind ont their mistake next Novem-
ber-
1T Will not be necessary. I imagine.
for labor 10 place independent candi-
dates in every Congressional district
because there are many men in Con-
gress who are our friends and are hon
IN kuclE elOTlS 10 uelD lDe worthy
cause Of labor Such men will receive
our earnest support But IN some very
important districts where labor casts
the ma iority Of votes ii is not at all
improbable that We shall nominate men
affiliated with US. men OF ability. and
there are many Of them in our ranks.
Time Ripe for Action.
Labor can do in this country what
it has recently done in England. and
now is the time for US TO take our
stand and make ourselves felt II We
had had twenty or thirty representa-
tives of labor in the House. do you
suppose that We would nave met with
the reception accorded us by the
Speaker and President when we called
20 present the grievances of labor. Well.
l think not. and so it has been made
plain 70 US that we must appeal TO the
people, and that is what we will do.
Labor leaders all over the country are
in earnest and the rank and file have
had il put to them in such a manner
that they know that there is but one
thing for US to do 10 get anything
and that is TO put only the friends OF
labor on guard You recall the story
OF the child who yelled wolf just 10
have fun with the wood cutters. Wei.
the politicians this time viii discover
when too late that labors cry OF