Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-07-18
IS
full Of fight
NOT YET OUT OF POLITICS, BUT
WILL BE ACTIVE FACTOR IN
COMING CAMPAIGN-STILL AZ
TER OLD FOE, GOMPERS.

WASHINGTON, July 17.-Repre-
sentative Charles 4. Littlefield of j.
Maine, who has resigned his seat in
congress to take effect September l,
is not yet out OF politics. He said
that today while he was here on a
business trip from New York. Hell
will make numerous speeches after
the NATIONAL fight warns up. !;
The interesting thing about his !
announcement is that, although heI
resigned his position in the house to
practice law, he will still fight po-
litical battles, is that the republican
managers will rely on him to do the
fighting wherever organized labor
resists the republican ticket and
candidates. Their decision arises
from the hostility that has long ex-
listed between Littlefield and labor.
Samuel Gompers, president Of the
American Federation OF Labor. il
his bitterest foe. Twice the forces
of labor have said they would get
his scalp" in the election in his
Maine district, and twice Littlefield
has beaten them. But, when he re-
signed his place last spring, Com
pers and his lieutenants were loud
in their declarations that their
fighting him SO fiercely had been
the cause of his withdrawal.
Now comes the sequel to this en-
nifty. Littlefield is in politics and
has offered his services to the cam
paign leaders of his party. They
have been glad enough to accept
them, for he is recognized as one OF
the most brilliant orators and one
Of the most effective stump speakers
In the county. Remembering the
delight Littlefield has taken in
fighting labor in the past, they
have made up their minds to give
him ample opportunity to indulge
in this line OF work next fall. That
! he will accept their invitation is not
doubted.
| For the past four years, the
Maine representative has consis-
tently championed in the house the
side of the legislation which labor
did not want. He has not attempt
ed to restrain himself in his attacks
on labor unions and their demands.
In like manner, Gompers has retail
ated. saying, among other things.
that Littlefleld had q yellow
streak up his back yard wide.'
1t is not strange. therefore. that
next fall will find Littlefield once
more fighting his old foe. He likes
Il. A fighter by nature. he delights
In the combat when he has been
prodded to 1t, and organized labor
has certainly been on the Job with
the prodding SO far as he has been
concerned.
The republican campaign mana.
gers are glad Of his assistance be-
cause they say they have found
that. in some quarters. the labor
unions may stand up to theil
threats to fight the national candi
dates Of republicanism. This is es
3 pecially true in view of the manner
t in which Bryan and his friend
= have come out in favor OF the de
a mands Of Gompers at Denver. Blu
8 the republicans feel assured tina
a the full vote of organized labo
will go neither to one eparty no
d to the other. They claim that tn,
: head Of the federation cannot SWIM
] the vote of such tremendous bod,
: by his mere dictation issued from
:, Washington.
: 1t is for this reason that they be
lieve they can have a great influ
I. ence on the labor vote by sendini
into the field their best speaker
S and using their every resource II
s the districts and states where tn
| opposition of labor will amount t
t any perceptible force.
e At present. their plan is to us
eI Littlefieid almost exclusively in tn
i New England states, Pennsylvania
II and few of the far western state
d where the labor union sentiment /
especially strong. In the west, Lit
tlefield may be for awhile one o
: the companion speakers of Sherman
4 when the vice presidential nomine
: makes his tour of that section O
, the country.