The Mena weekly star., 1908-10-22
PRESIDENT REPLIES
DEMOCRATS CHARGE EXECUTIVE WITH 6RiBiNG A DETROIT
 LABOR LEADER.
STATEMENT WAS VERY QUICKLY DENIED
Vice President of American Federa- ton of Labor Replies to Statement From Democratic Headquarters Says He Has Been Promised Moth
 ins--Taft Is an Honorary Member.

From Democratic Headquarters
 Says He Has Been Promised Moth
 lns--Taft Is an Honorary Member.
 New York, Oct. 15.-1he Demo cratic national committee, through John J. Gordon, assistant and acting chief of the press bureau at head quarters Tuesday night made public the following statement:
 Tt was stated at the national Dem ocratic headquarters Tuesday night that President Roosevelt by promise of office has succeeded in having one of the big men of the American Fed Gompers in his advocacy of the cleo ton of MT Bryan for the presidency.
 "The labor leader in question is Daniel J. Keefe of Detroit, president of the International Association of Longshoremen, and one of the vice presidents of the Federation of Labor.
 The Democratic committee alleges that Keefe and the president were closeted for several hours in Wash ington on Saturday, October 3, and the offer of being named commission CT general of immigration made va cant by the death of Commissioner Sargent, was made, in consideration of Keefe repudiating MT. Gompers and the executive council of the federation.
 "Keefe on Saturday last issued a statement in which he said: I am going to vote for William H. Taft
 Tt is pointed out that on September 2S last the executive council of the American rederation of Labor issued a circular calling on organizations of labor to work for the defeat of MT. Taft, and Republican congressman, seeking reelection, and MT. Keefe au- thorized his signature to be attached to 1t.
 "The source of the Democratic com inittee's information was not divulged but the information was offered that if Mir Keefe or President Roosevelt deny the charge another big labor leader, now iA New York, will come forward with facts to prove that the offer was made, and Mir Keefe ac- cepted 1t and has commenced to make good his part of the deal.''
 Detroit, Mich, Oct. 15-President Daniel J. Keefe of the international Longshoremen, Marine and Transport Workers association. informed Tues day night of the statement made in national Democratic headquarters in New York that he had been promised the position of commissioner general of immigration in return for his ad- vocacy of the presidential candidacy of William H. Taft entered a vigorous denial. After having the statement read to him, Mir. Keefe said:
 T was not closeted with President Roosevelt at all. did see him on Oc- tober 3, but it was only a four or five minutes audience. at which several others were present. These include P. H. Morrissey. head of the Brother hood of Railway Trainmen and I think one of the others was Gen. Powell Clayton. There were others that I did not know. l am of the opinion that every word that was said to me at that time was overheard.
 The president did not offer the position to me of commissioner gen. eral of immigration directly or indi- rectly then or at any other time.
 "The executive council of the Amer ican Federation of Labor did not to my knowledge send out any circular as it referred to in the dispatch from New York; consequently l could not have indorsed it. On August 15, more than six weeks before I saw President Roosevelt, made identically the same statement which I made a few days ago in regard to w. H. Taft's candi- dacy. My statement appears in the Detroit Free Press of August 16 l was asked then by representative of the Free Press if had signed or seen a letter sent out by President Gompers of the American Federation of Labor, denouncing the Republican platform and urging labor to support Bryan and the Democratic ticket. I replied: I do not believe Mir. Com pers has issued any such letter, and if he has, it does not meet my in. dorsement If such letter had been issued I have not seen it. I will, neither support nor vote for Mir Bryan. I am going to vote for MT. Taft, who is an honorary member of one of our branches, the association of steamship and dredgemen"