The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-11-20
WILL GO TO JAIL
Rather Than Pay Fine It Con-
Victed of Contempt
DECLARES GOMPERS
Neither Would He Allow the Fedora

Neither Would He Allow the Fedora
tion Of Labor to Pay It for Him.
Supreme Court Decision Makes
Union Conspiracies in Restraint Of
Trade.
Denver, COL, Nov. 16-President
Samuel Gompers, at today's session
of the Convention of the American
Federation of Labor, declared that
IL he were found guilty and fined in
the contempt proceedings against
him at Washington he would go to
jail before he would pay his fine o.
before he would allow the Fedora
ton to pay the fine for him.
This statement was made during
the discussion of the report of the
committee on the treasurer's report.
The committee recommended that i'm
mediately following the adjournment
Of the Convention, the executive conf
mittee shall take up the proposition
of placing its funds where they may
be removed from danger of attach
ment.
In
one being that the funds be deposit
ed in Canada and another that GER
tificates of deposits be taken out in
some other name than the treasurer.
D.. G. Ramsey, of the electrical
workers, declared:
I'VE had chance TO place our
funds beyond the reach of those who
would take them, but we let it pass
on November 3. The only way to
protect our money is to change the
laws"
Mr.. Gompers warned the delegates
that If way were found to hide the
funds, the Courts would thereafter
appoint receiver, not necessarily
to secure in some way the hidden
funds, but to- get the money being
contributed.
By request Mr.. Gompers explained
the status Of the Danbury hat case.
"Our standing is menaced by the
Courts Of law" he said.
"The matter of the application OF
the Sherman antitrust law to unions
has reached final adjustment by the
United States Supreme Court. No
matter how the Danbury case is de-
cided that will not alter the status
one jot The United States Supreme
Court has said the final word anu
the law Of this country is that labor
organizations Of this country are now
conspiracies and combinations in re-
straint Of. trade.
Under the Sherman anti-trust
law business cannot be conducted.
much less honest straightforward
labor organizations. With reference
to the case against me in the District
Of Columbia l want to say that I will
never consent that the American
Federation Of Labor shall ever nav
one cent of fine for me. / don't want
to go to Jail, but I will not tamely
submit to the Federation being
mulcted for me-
Mr.. GOmpers declared that the de-
cisions Of the Supreme Court had but
one effect, namely, to tie the men
of labor to their work, cripple the
men Of labor in their right to work
or their right not to work.
These decisions" he said, will
result In lettering men today in or
der to enslave them for all time to
come
II am not in touch with the DEM
ocratic party; second, I am not q
Democrat. and third, I am confident
l never will be Democrat. I owe
allegiance to no party. I am a trades
unionist.
when the Democratic party made
our contentious its own" said Mr..
Gompers, lit would not only have
been ingratitude but cowardice to
desert them. If Bryan had been
elected with the hosts of organized
labor back Of him 1t would have
given spirit to human freedom
The report OF the committee ON
the treasurer's report, with its rec
concentrations, was unanimously con-
purraS In