Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-04
SAYS MR.. e0MpERS FORGE7S
STATEMENT BY THE sECRE-
TARY TO THE SPEAKER.
Details Occurrences Of Call Made
by Plate Printers on Mr.. Cannon
and the Occasion for It.

SdHlOH. udS StHt tIS IOIlOWlnS~ IeltGT 10
Samuel Gompers. president of the FEEDER
alton of Labor:
Dear Sir: In-your editorial on Speaker
Cannon. Lest we Forget in the January
number of the American Federationist,
you make some statements as facts that
are not in harmony with your expression
of opinion that 1T is impossible for the
politician of the Cannon stripe to conceive
that there are some, yes. large and con-
stantly growing number Of men, who, true
to principle, true to a cause, true to
their fellows. would scorn to stoop. to a
dishonest or dishonorable. act. or any act
but which would rebound to the interest
and progress Of the workers.
Il assume that you place yourself in this
large and growing class that would scorn
to do dishonest or dishonorable act,
charge the Speaker with attempting to
do. You close your article with this
sentence: These facts are recorded,
"Uncle Joe," lest we forget
And yet it is only twenty days since
the interview between Speaker Cannon
and the plate printers committee took
place, and the local papers printed full
account of that meeting. including the
resolutions presented and full transcript
of the Speakers remarks. Let me re-
SPCClluhS SdlI SouE dtlchlioh " tiioSC
press reports and to the incident re-
ported.
Occasion of the Call.
ION Thursday. December 5, Mr.. Charles
T. Smith, editor of the Plate Printer, call
ed at the Speakers room and requested
that an opportunity be given for the
executive committee of Local No. 2 of the
International Steel Copper Plate Printers
Union RI rail- nd ftoir an6
thank him for the work he had done to
benefit the craft. Mr.. Smith said that this
committee would prefer to call on Satur-
day afternoon about o'clock. and with
gagement for him for that hour and date
At o'clock Saturday afternoon the COM
mittee from the plate printers called on
Mr.. Cannon. were introduced by Mr.
Smith, and the president of the union.
Mr.. William D. Leissler, presented a
recited that Mr.. Cannon's success in hav-
ing the sundry civil appropriation bill
amended in 1899. to provide that certain
class of revenue stamps should be printed
from engraved plates, and also in the
preceding year, to provide that United
States currency notes and bonds should be
similarly made, as well as his having. in
February. 1903, at the request Of the plate
printers executive board, moved the
adoption of an amendment to the de-
ficiency appropriation bill, then pending in
the House, through which the plate print
ers were relieved from a great burden of
taxation upon their earnings, had not
only resulted In high standard Of print
ing for the government securities, but
had also given to the plate printers craft
uniform and unbroken prosperity during
nearly decade.
Gratitude Of Plate Printers.
"The resolutions expressed the graft
30 Ioko ia;
est in and efforts in behalf of this legis-
lation, and expressed their confidence in
the author Of those amendments. The
resolutions were signed by William D.
Leissler, president; George p. Foster,
ply. Samuel F. McCully, w. D. Clark
and Charles T. Smith, composing the
executive committee of the plate print
ers' union.
Il ask you to note that in these resolu-
tons the committee expressed its
thanks to Mr.. Cannon for past efforts or
assistance in securing legislation bene-
fetal to labor. There was not a line or
word in the resolution. or in the talk or
In the remarks of the committee pre-
senting them. which expressed any hope
or desire on the part of the plate print
ers that Mr.. Cannon should make any
promise or do anything for them in the
future.
I'm your statement of facts in the
American Federationist for January,
printers of Washington called upon
Speaker Cannon December Z, 1907 and
asked his support of a bill for a new
building in which the 1.5O0 employees,
men and women, white and colored, In
the bureau of engraving and printing;
ing their work with less likelihood of i'll
health and death resulting therefrom, as
is the case in the building now occupied
by them.
Mr.. Gompers Corrected.
''It was the occasion Of the plate print
ers' appeal for a place to work where
health and ,life-destroying atmosphere
that Hon. Joseph G. Cannon must needs
deliver a lecture to them not to be die
tated to by that man Gompers." etc. etc.
Would 1t be interesting to Hon. Joseph
G. Cannon to know that. recognizing the
awful fetid atmosphere in which the men
and women in the bureau were working
for the governmnt. that that man Com
pers," that dictator Gompers," advised
the committee to call on him (Cannon) and
try an appeal to his better nature. that
perhaps he might be moved to take some
action by which so large a number OF
Woodworking, deserving government en-
ployes might be saved from having their
health impaired and their lives de-
stroyed?'
IF, as you say Mr.. Gompers suggested
that call and an appeal to the more
humane side Of Mr.. Cannon. the committee
forgot that part of the program. But I
think they were Of that class which you
described as men who would not stoop
to a dishonorable act. and If they had
come at the suggestion of President Com
pers they would have carried out his
instructions and delivered his appeal. l,
therefore think that your recollection Is
at fault. and that you did forget.
81 have no comment to make on the
Speakers remarks to the plate printers.
They speak for themselves. and II you
will read the stenographic report think
you will agree that your representation
Of what he said is as wide of the truth
as was your report as to who inspired the
csll of the committee and the purpose OF
its call. May also suggest that you Keep
a scrapbook-'lest we forget.
VERY respectfully,
L. WHITE BUSBEY.
Secretary to the Speaker"
WINTER FISHING.