The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-10-30
UNAMER|CAN EFFORTS
HURT BRYAN.
Men of Organized Labor Refuse
to Be Driven to the Polls
as Slaves.
Wage Farmers Everywhere Recog-
nize Taft as Their Friend and
Sympathizer and Ask What Bryan
Has Ever Done for Their Cause.

lue eHOrC OF Samuel GOmperS &c
pack, seal and deliver the union labor
vote to Bryan, the publisher afraid tC
use the union label, has failed. The
influence of Gompers' advice Is typified
In the following quotation from the
LGbor World, one Of the leading jour
nails Of organized labor In the United
States:
"By all means let every wage worker
In the land use his own judgment in
voting, and IL he does so, and before
voting secures a knowledge OF the will.
OF his associations with such foes OF
organized labor as Governor Haskell
he most certainly will not vote for
Bryan"
Writing from Cairo, Ill.,, to the Labor
World, r. L. Finney, organizer for the
American Federation. of Labor, says:
"You can place old Illinois in the
Taft column and add my name to the
list Of endorsements"
Practical Unionism Demands Taft.
A few days ago James L. Feeney OF
Philadelphia, president Of the Elevator
SNAoeA uNtoAo ANdtiohdi OniOu, ucilNClcu
a speech on Bryan and his party In
which he made the following important
statements:
81 am not here as a Republican, and
/ am not here as Democrat, but as a
practical union man it is my duty to
uphold the party candidates whom
know and believe to be for the best In
terests of the cause. / advocate. Nc
man can accuse me of turning my back
on organized labor. For twenty years
/ have been active in the movement, and
! intend to continue so, and tonight
when | publicly announce my prefer
ence tor the Republican ticket, know
they have In the past been labor's
FRIEND, and believe will also be labor's
best friend In the future.
81 was at one time an advocate OF
the Democratic party. The Democratic
party has been tried by the American
people, and it has been found wanting y
Tafts Labor Record.
In the October Steam Shovel and
Dredge, official journal of the union,
T. j. Dolan, editor. of the journal
and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of the organiza
ton, has written an editorial commend
ing MrT Taft's fairness to the members
of that union. The editorial says:
"Nr. Taft had direct charge of the
construction of the Panama Canal, and
in all his official acts and personal rela
lions with members and officers Of on,
brotherhood on that work he Away.
has shown himself fair and Just.
when contractors showed a DISPOSE
ton to disregard or violate the eight
hour law Mr.. Taft started prosecutions
against these contractors through the
United States Attorney Generals Office
When al effort was made this year tC
cut wages at Panama Mr.. Taft used hi:
influence to prevent 1t.
"We have the utmost confidence. ir
case of his election to the presidency
Of the continuance of the fair and Just
policies toward organized labor thai
prevailed while he was Secretary OF
war" -
II. X. Daugherty. a member of the
Spanish Treaty Claims Commission, has
made public in Washington a letter
from James s. Clark, one of the vice
presidents Of the United Mine Workers
in whi,h Mr.. Clark comes out strongly
for Mr.. Taft and declares that Gompers
has no right to dictate to labor:
Believing that the election of w. HI
Taft means more to the wage worker
Of the United States than the election
Of William J. Bryan, Edward Hannah,
a member Of the Central Labor Council
~ Snoftln on6 ,tninv, L.,
good standing In Seattle Local 131, has
declared for Taft and the Republican
ticket, and will ask that his friends
cast their votes for the Republican can.
didates.
Appeal for Funds Causes Bitterness.
The action Of Gompers In sending a
circular letter to the various unions
throughout the country appealing for
money with which Ito help the friends
and defeat the enemies of labor"-in
other words, to support William Jen.
Dlngs Bryan and oppose William II.
Taft for the presidency-is being con.
demned bitterly by labor men.
James r. Ryan, delegate to the G. f.
". from the Photo Engravers' Union
No. 1, said that his union would not
contribute dollar to Gompers' fund.
Alfred ]. Boulton. leading member Of
the Stcreotypers' Union, said that his
union would not take any action on the
circular. 81 fought for Bryan.in 1896"
he said, "but l am against him this
year"
Albert A5rahams Of the Pressmen's
Union, asked this question: whats
the use Of the laboring men contribu.
ting few thousand dollars to The Dem
ocratic party when that party will yet
hun,li eds Of thousands of dollars. II nri
millions. from the Standard Oh Ccl.
pnny?" Adolph Krieger Of Local No
4T6. United Brotherhood of Carpcntcrs
and Joiners. is bitterly opposed TO the
action of Gompers. Elias Wolf. of the
Cigarmakers' Union No. 90. said: "If
other vi ions are fools enough 10 gel
noncy for, bryan my union won't"
Victor Buhr, member of the Amalga
mated Painters, said: "The cheapest
painters are being employed for con.
tracts given out by the Democratic poll
ticians of this city. The Democratic
politicians fill the taxicabs, driven by
strike Breakers, with police while lie
Gle boy gets shot to death"