The Washington times., 1908-09-28
Arraigns Him for Attitude
Toward Labor and In
junction Issue.
DEPLORES STAND
ROOSEVELT TAKES
Declares Taft Never Alludes to
Decision Holding Labor
Unions as Trusts.

Arraigning William H. Taft for his
failure to be more specific in his
speeches regarding the injunction issue
and the rights OF labor, and deploring
the fact that President Roosevelt has
unnecessarily thrust himself into the
campaign TO defend Judge Taft and his
Injunction record. Samuel Gompers,
president Of the American Federation
Of Labor, bitterly assails the Republic
an candidate in an editorial to appear
in the October Federationist-
The issues confronting the voters in
this campaign are the most serious in
the history Of our people" says Mr..
Gompers. Unless labor shall soon Sc
cure relief from the recent SupremeCourt
decision holding that unions are trusts
and conspiracies under the Sherman
antitrust law, and unless the abuse or
the injunction power by courts sAall
soon be checked by Congress, then, IN
deed, will the toilers become industrial
serfs, deprived Of the right 20 make
peaceful wage agreements with employ
ers. for these have even been held by
the Supreme Court to be evidence of
conspiracy" continues Mr.. Gompers.
Taft's Labor Decision.
Mr.. Taft in his speeches never al
ludas to this Supreme Court decision
which holds labor unions as trusts, con-
splracies, or combinations IN Illegal re-
straint OF trade. He evidently hopes
that the masses will remain in ignorance
OF the evils which threaten them when
that decision is enforced. Indeed, the
matters OF Danbury, Conn, are now be-
ing sued for S24O.OOO-triple damages
under that decision, and the trial is in
progress at this time"
Mr.. Gompers calls upon labor not to
forget that every utteranCe Of Mt. Taft
and his supporters. UphOlds the unjust
treatment BY the courts and Congress.
and that there is no admission OF error.
Mr. Bryan. on the other hand. il is
pointed out. discusses most frankly and
COura geOusly the issues involved and
declares that the Democratic party pro-
poses TO remedy the evils under which
labor Is now suffering
Foraker Expose.
The recent expose Of Senator Foraker
is taken TO indicate the manner In
which the trusts have throttled objec-
tionable legislation. Mr. Gompers con-
rinucs: zone Of the published letters-ot
which Senator Foraker admits the &C
CurnfN -E1ilS MS aNNNANAoA ~ nc W
STABILITY of defeating a measure reBu-
latiug trusts which Senate. Jones had
introduced. That Senator Foraker did
his worI, we'll for his trust employers
is shown by the fact that the bill never
emerged from committee room Senator
Foraker admits that he was retained by
the standard oil trust while pretending
a the same time to serve the people
as United States Senator. His defense
Is that il was not 'cnS'Ct red wrong 10
SCcnpt such service.
Labor only asks that IL any workman
be guilty Of a violation Of the law he
be brought before the court, confronted
BY hii accuserr and tried by jury of
peers as any other person might be-
Want Equal Rights.
We insist that the toileU be granted
equal rights before the law, regardless
or his position in society. The campaign
utterunces % Taft, Cannon, and even
President Roosevelt, all tend to delude
the public into the belief that this is al
ready the practice and the law and
that the workers have nothing OF which
to complain.
I'VE regret exceedingly that Presi-
dent Roosevelt has attempted 10 de-
fend or Justify Judge Taft's Injunction
record, or his speeches on that subject.
1t is particularly unfortunate that the
President should have unnecessarily
thrust himself into the campaign on the
ferred to accept his previous utteranceS
I'M q hT1Ga