Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-10-27
PRESIDENT AMERICAN FEEDER
ALTON OF LABOR ANSWERS
PRESIDENTS CRITICISM. AND
SAYS ExECUTIvE Is DEsPER
ATE AND ANGRY.

Washington. Oct. 27.-Replyln,
to President RoosevcE's letter tc
Senator Knox. in reference to IN,
publication OF the writ OF injunc.
ton in labor disputes. Samuel Com
pers. president OF the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor. In a statement "a
sued yesterday, vigorously arraigns
the president for what he terms "a
change OF position OF at least ap
parent friendship to bitter indefen.
slble antagonism."
1T has been my pleasure" Mr.
Gompers says. ito have often had
the privilege OF discussing with
president Roosevelt a number OF
fundamental questions OF right, Jus.
tice. and moral and social uplif..
included in these discussions were
the invaslonB of personal rights and
human liberty by the courts In the
Injunction abuse. 1t is true that
the president has not always fully
agreed with my contentious. but he
has never until the publication OF
his latest utterances limited. much
less charged. that anything which ]
advocated was lawless, unfeeling,
despotic. brutal, OF wicked; and yet
the rights for which the workers OF
our country contend and which, as
best as can. l defend and advo-
cate, have been as well known to
him during the past several years
as they are when he now SO un-
justifiedly undertakes to misrepre-
sent my work. my motives and my
law-abiding citizenship. Surely
that opinion was not always enter
tanned by the president.
Mr.. Gompers says that last Feb
ruary he sent Mr.. Roosevelt an is
sue OF the American Federationist
in which was published the chapter
Some eQuivocal rights of labor"
from George A. Ayers book, Nor
al Overstrain."
The chapter OF the book" Mr.
Gompers says, "is as keen criticism
OF the courts of the country In their
decisions affecting the rights. inter
estB. and liberty OF the workers as
anything | have ever said or writ
ten"
The president In acknowledging
receipt Of the articles sent the fol
lowing:
1.-THE White House,
Washington, Jan. 81. 1908
MY Dear Mr.. Gompers: You
may be amused to know that / have
sent copies of the Moral Overstrain
to Justices Day and McKenna.
am glad that you were able to use
1t in the American Federatlonis
and thank you for sending me the
copy OF the magazine.
Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
To MIR. Samuel Gompers. president
American Federation of Labor
Washington, d. G.
THE fact OF the matter" Mr.
Gompers declares, lis that Presiden'
Roosevelt, having made injunction
Judge Taft the candidate OF the Re-
publican party for president, and
seeing that the labor vote is no"
aroused and determined to deliver
its own vote, that the toilers VII
not be cajoled, deceived or brow
beaten. has become desperate and
angry. and In his anger, by me
worst exhibition of demagogism
tries to instill into the employers
and business men the fear that theii
property and business are in danger
IL a square deal implied by equal
ity before the law and human free
dom is accorded to the workers Will
all other citizens. 1t is an exhib!
ton OF impotent rage and disap
pointment, and aR awful deseen
from the dignity OF the high office
OF the president OF the United
States. No one but himself will b'
deceived as to the purpose of Mr.
Roosevelt.
The workers and llberty-lovinl
citizens are aroused as never be
fore since 'G1. The battle cry fo
freedom is again taken up. Then !
was for the Union and the abolition
of black slavery; today It is for thu
Union. equal rights, and freedom
for ALL"
Mr.. Gompers insists that thu
president makes a direct and spe
cific attack on labor" in his lei
ter to Senator Knox.
The pretense that the attack 4
upon me is too thinly veHed to de
ceive any one" he adds. He strike
over my shoulder az tho hearts o
the great rank and file OF the work
ers and other liberty-loving citizen
OF our country. so far az I am con
cerned. I have neither the inclina
ton nor the desire to bask In tn,
sunlight OF president Roosevelt
benevolent assimilation by which
he plscates some, by the Big Stick
browbeats others. and by his sophis
try hopes to fool the masses Int