The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-27
BITTER FIGHT
 ON JUNGLE JOE" American Federation of Labor
 Opens the Battle PROCLAMATION IS SENT BUT Labor Leaders Declare That Speaker Cannon Is An Enemy To ogan- sized Labor and Start ' the War.
PROCLAMATION IS SENT BUT

Washington November 26.-(Special)-- determined effort to defeat Joseph G. Cannon for the speakership of the House of Representatives is being made by or ganized labor, led by Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation Of Labor. Many thousands of copies Of a. proclamation, signed by President Com pers and the members of the executive council of the federation, have been sent to trades unions in every section Of the union urging the membership to strive with all its might and main for the poli- tical overthrow of Speaker Cannon His many "sins of omission and commission" as to labor legislation are brought into branded as a foe to the organized work ingmen of the United States.
 It is reelted that with the exception of a few representatives in Congress, who primarily benefit by Speaker Cannon 5 methods, nearly all the members. wheth- CT republicans or democrats chafe under those methods, and would rejoice over his defeat It is also stated that he has adopted method of punishment for
 
 of rewards for his friends, and that he thus seeks to perpetuate his service in the speakers chair. The speaker Is de- nounced, and it is said that some per sonal work against him" Is being ac- complished by many delegates from the convention of the American Federation of Labor, held at Norfolk last week, who are now in this city.
 These delegates are said to be haNlns personal and private conferences "iti their members, and some of them VIII remain here until Congress conVenes next Monday with hopes of being in at the killing" and also that they may piAce on the black list those representatives, ,sa,o have the ternerity to vote for Cam non. ~
 .Jt Is war to the knife against Joe Can non U said a prominent labor leader to- day sThe thousands of labor unions all over this broad land have been asked to 20 on the wsrpath after him. ana we realize that if we can bring about ms defeat for the speakership his chances for the presidency, if he has any, Will take thei, departure up in a balloon. He is a pronounced foe of the workingrnan, and we believe in calling white white and black black"
 The proclamation, which has been of- ficially promulgated among Hi interna- tional unions with their thousands of sub ordinate bodies, 3 state Federataions or Labor. 574 city central bodies and 661 local trade and federated unions, with millions of members, is described as one of the strongest papers of the kind ever issued by the American Federation of Labor. That much personal work against Speaker Cannon will be done by labor representa- lives in the next ten days is conceded. There fa n chancp tO 6Afeaf Mir Cannon for the speatership. but the fight being made upon him is causing much comment in political circles, not only on account of his own presidential boom. but the possible attitude of labor in the fight between the two parties next year w. J. Bryan received an enthusi- astic welcome from 0,0o0 workingmen to- night in marked contrast to the organiza- ton's position toward the republican lead CTS W. s.