The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-08-04
Congressman and Senators in
Their Frenzied Rush After the
Almighty Dollar have Been In
different or Hostile to the
Rights Of Man-Their End Is
Near.

Washington, D. C., Aug. 1.-THE
Executive board of A. F. Of l.. has
issued the following document of the
campaign program of the Federation:
To All Organized Labor and Friends in
the United States:
Dear sirs and Brothers.: Events in
the Industrial affairs of our people
have rapidly changed and are rapidly
changing. The trade union movement.
as expressed by the American Fedora
ton OF Labor, has kept and proposes to
keep pace Herewith.
The wheels Of industry can not be
halted or turned back, nor should they
be, even II that were possible. We'll
coming industrial progress, labor must
be ever elert to meet new conditions,
recognizing that eternal vigilance is
the price Of industrial as we'll as poll
tical liberty.
The working people can not hope
to maintain their rights or a progress
sive position In the varying phases OF.
modern society unless they recognize
and exercise all those functions which,
as workmen and citizens, it is their
privilege and their duty to exercise.
Labor makes no demand upon govern
ment or society which is not equally
accorded to all the people of our
country. It can and will be satisfied
with nothing less.
Labor's Stand ON Palitics.
The position OF organized labor upon
the question of political action by the
working class their friends and
sympathizers, has often been declared,
but was more clearly set forth in the
following declaration. unanimously
adopted by the Nashville Convention OF
the American Federation of Labor. III
1897, and often reatrirmed since:
Resolved, That the American Feder-
ioa.s,of z .
Eequivocally favors the Independent use
of the ballot by the trade unionists
and workmen, united regardless OF
party, that we may elect men from
our own ranks to make new laws and
administer them along the lines laid
down in the legislative demands of the
American Federation or Labor. and at
the same time secure an impartial judi
ciary that will not govern us by arbl-
trary injunctions of the courts, nor act
as the plant tools OF corporate wealth.
"Resolved. That our efforts are CEN
tered against all forms of industrial
slavery and economic wrong, we must
also direct our utmost energies to re-
move all forms of political servitude
and party slavery. to the end that the
working people may act as unit at
the polls at every election"
Dominant Party Indifferent.
We have been ever Watchful ia
carry the purposes of that declaration
into effect At times we met with par
tial success, yet, within the past few
years claims and promises made in
platforms or on the hustlings by poll
tical parties and politicians, and espe-
cially by the present dominant party
have been neither justified nor per-
formed. Little attention has been paid
to the enactment of laws prepared by
us and presented to Congress for the
relief of those wrongs and the attain
ment Of those rights to which labor
and the common people are justly en-
titled and which are essentially neces-
sary for their welfare.
Several Presidents of the United
States have, In messages to Congress,
urged the passage of equitable legisla-
tion In behalf of the working people,
but Congress has been entirely pre-
occupied looking after the interests of
vast corporations and predatory
wealth.
Hostile to Rights of Man.
Congressman and Senators in their
frenzied rush after the almighty dollar
| have been Indifferent or hostile to the
rights Of man. They have had no time
and as little inclination to support the
| reasonable labor measures. the enact
ment OF which we have urged, and
which contained benefcient features
for all our people without an obnoxious
provision to any one
Patience ceased to be virtue, and