The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-24

undesirable citizens. The men whom !
denounce represent the men who nave
abandoned that legitimate movement Tor
the uplifting OF labor with which have
the most hearty sympathy they have
adopted practices which cut them of
from those who lead this legitimate move
ment
VIII Support Labor.
In every way / shall support the law
abiding and upright representatives Of
labor; and in no way can I better support
them than by drawing the sharpest pos
sible line between them On the one hand,
and on the other hand, those preachers
Of violence who are themselves the worst
foes Of the honest labOrlng man.
Let me repeat my deep regret that
any body of men Should so far forget
their duty to the country as to endeavor,
by the formation Of societies and in other
ways, to influence the course OF justice
in this matter. have received many
such letters rs yours Accompanying
them were newspaper clippings announc-
ing demonstrations, parades, and mass
meetings designed to show that the repre-
sentatives Of labor without regard 70 the
facts, demand the acqUittal of Messrs
Haywood and Meyer. such meetings can.
of course, be designed only TO coeroe court
or jury In rendering a verdict ana they.
therefore, deserve all the condemnation
which you. in your letter. say should be
awarded 70 those who endeavor improp-
erly 10 influence the course Of justice.
You would. Of course. be entirely
within your rights if you merely an
nounced that you thought Messrs. Meyer
los Oft
though in such case / should take frank
issue with you, and should say that
wholly without regard TO whether or not
they are guilty Of the crime for which
they are now being tried. they repre-
sent as thoroughly undesirable a type Of
citizenship as can be found tn this coun-
try; type which. IN the letter to which
you so unreasOnably take exception, I
showed not to be confined to any one
class. but % exist among some repre-
sentatiyes Of great capitalists as we'll as
among some representatives, Of wage
workers.
Condemns Both Types.
In the letter / condemned both types.
Certain representatives Of the great capt.
talists in turn condemned me for includ-
ing Mr.. Hartman in my condemnation OF
Messrs. Meyer and Haywood. Certain OF
/ the representatives Of labor in their turn
condemned me because 1 included Messrs
Meyer and Haywood as undesirable cIti-
zens together with Air. Hartman ! am
profoundly Indifferent 10 the cohdemna-
( ton in one case as in the other. l chai-
lenge as a right the support Of all good
Americans whether wage-workers or cap
italists, whatever their occupation OF
| creed, or IN whatever portion Of the coun-
I try they live. when / condemn both the
types OF bad citizenship which / have
/ held up 10 Feprobauon. II seems to me
/ q mark Of utter fnsincerity 70 fail thus u
condemn botni and TO apologize for either
I r0bs the man thus apoiogizing Of all right
I 70 condemn any Wr0ngdOing in any man,
/ rich or poor, in public OF In private life.
You say you ask for a square deal
l for Messrs Meyer and Haywood. So do
I When I say square deal I mean a square
I deal 70 every one, 1t Is equally "A viola
/ ton OF the policy OF the square deal foI
a capitalist 10 protest against the de
nunCiation Of a capitalist who is guilty
I Of wrong doing. ard for a labor leadei
/ 10 protest against the denunciation of q
] labor leader who has been guilty of wrong
doing I stand for equal justice 10 both
and 50 far as ga my power lies I shall
I uphold justice whether the man accused
of guilt has behind him the wealthiest
corporations, the greatest aggregation OF
riches in the country or whether he has
/ behind him the most influential labor or.
CARNATIONS in the country.
Very truly, yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
Gompers shown Letter.
/ President Roosevelts letter was shown
I 20 President Samuel Gompers. of the
! American Federation OF Labor. last night
I but while the national labor leader was
visibly impressed with the import OF the
( communication and the wide discussion
/ that seems certain to follow, he de
I clined 10 venture any opinion upon the
/ merits Of the controversy. Mr. Gompers
/ said that the time was not ripe for him
/ to take part in the discussion. but init
mated that when the opportune moment
/ arrived he would make a public state
ment.
! Mr. Gmpers received the Washington
/ Herald representatives in a house gown
slippers. black skull cap, spectacles. and
/ large cigar. A copy OF the President
letter was handed him with the request
/ that ne read It, and the suggestion thai
anything he might care 10 say afterWarC
would be duly appreciated and correctly
quoted Thus adjured the labor leader
1 settled in his chair, put a good light or
/ his cigar, adjusted his spectacies, and
/ dived into the typewTitten pages. AS ht
read deeper and deeper into the document
the light on his cigar waned and dieC
away 10 a gray ash. his skull cap slipped
! gently 10 a position over his left ear, ans
/ one slipper fell off.
At the conclusion of the letter Mr.. Com
/ pers smiled. thanked The Washington
/ Herald representative for having allowed
him 10 read this most interesting doeu-
ment" relighted his cigar, and said moth
/ ing That is. nothing except to say that
he would say nothing Said Mr.. GOmpers
| Il do not feel in position to make any
statement upon this question just at pres
ent, while the discussion is at It's heat
This letter viii undoubtedly cause a great
deal of comment and further discussion
and I must decline to be drawn into it.
When the opportune moment arrives
shall be glad TO express my opinion. This
/ letter is a remarkable one. The President
! enters very fully upon the question"
/ Senator Borah, Of Idaho, who is specia
! attorney employed by the State to prose
| cute Meyer and Haywood for the murder
of Gov. Steunenberg. was at the White
| House yesterday. His talk with the
President is supposed to have been upor
the subject of the trial, which is set FOL
May Q.