The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1908-03-18

government to present their griev-
ances through their congressman,
and there are those in our state who
can and will testify that have never
turned a deaf ear to any complaint
or request
You say have been trimming. No,
have been candid and frank with
! you and your organization. / pre-
sumo if had said nothing. had kept
my opinions to myser, had not treat
ed Mr.. Gompers with the courtesy
of reply. you would have consid-
cred me as friend. For my part /
prefer man who has opinions and
does not hesitate to express them
candidly and fairly.
You congratulate yourself upon
the fact that we have a primary cleo
ton law. So do I. Those at the
forefront of the agitation for this
measure know, and have known for
years, where / stood on the matter.
am glad we have the law. I pro-
pose to abide by it and to accept its
result. Will Senator Ankeny take
that position? Will he announce
that he will abide by it? Probably
you can speak for him. Has he the
confidence in the voters that have?
Let him state his position. pro-
pose to comply with the letter and
spirit of that act in every respect,
including the provisions regarding
promises. combinations, etc., to in
| fiuence votes or to secure support,
and I want to say to you that I never
yet have made one promise of any
kind or character in order to secure
support, and l will not do SO as long
will the senator say the same?
The real point of this matter is
this. You stated that you would OPP
pose me because of my enmity to la
Dor and you support Senator Ankeny.
In my former letter I asked you to
state why. asked you to point out
by the record or some public utter
ance of the senator wherein he Is
better friend to labor than I. l look
through the many pages of your let
ter in vain for anything of this kind.
You would surely present it if you
| no ~ no
reason for your support. You spurn
with indignation my suggestion that
he possibly has done you a favor. l
made this suggestion in perfect good
faith. The senator has rendered
great favors to many, and purely out
of the goodness of his heart. and
honor him for it. Many support him
on this account, and l honor them
| for it, because l despise an migrate.
If you do not support him on this
account, Mr.. Young (now, don't get
indignant. because l do not insin-
uate anything, simply ask for in
formation) why do you support him?
The men you represent, and the pub
lie, have a right to frank and def
mite say so. On the 9Th day of Feb
ruary gentleman. claiming to rep
resent Mr.. Gompers, called on me
at the capitol and asked me if had
anything further TO say regarding
my letter to you (you had evidently
! forwarded it to him) and stated that
Senator Ankeny had asked Mr..
Gompers' support. If he has direct
ed you to give it to him there must
have been some good reason.
shall concluded by calling the
attention of the laboring men of the
state to some of the matters of in
terest to labor for which have
say whether l have always voted for
the oppression of labor" or not.
I voted for the law creating the
department of commerce and labor.
I voted for the re-enactment of the
Chinese exclusion law.
voted to extend it to our island
possessions.
voted for the 16-hour law.
voted for the employers liabil-
ity act.
voted for the eight-hour bills.
voted against competition of con-
vict-made goods with the products
of honest toll.
l voted for bills for the safety and
comfort Of seamen.
voted for the law providing that
letter carriers shall not work more
than IS hours in week.
I introduced and urged bills pen
sioning life-savers injured while on
duty.
These are not all the matters
have favored in the interest of labor,
but believe they are enough to show