The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-07-30
REPUBLICANS INSULT LABOR.
Gompers CharaCteaizes Their In
junction Plank as Trick
Evasion of the Issue"

evasion of the ISSUE" Samuel Gompers,
of Labor, in an editorial to appear in
the current number of labor's official
organ, the National Federationists,
urges laboring men throughout the
country to cast aside party affiliations
and support the democratic party in
the coming national campaign.
cit is proinjunction, not an anti-in-
junction declaration, says Mr.. Gomper's
discussing the republican labor plank.
ut is ali Endorsement of the very abuse
against which labor Justly protests, and
would, if enacted by congress, give
statutory authority for the issuance of
injunctions in labor disputes, an author
ity which does not now exist.
at is worse than meaningless and
evasive. 1t would make more acute the
wrongs by which the toilers are forced
to bear the unjust judicial burden of in
junction discrimination.
EXPECTS GENERAL RESPONSE.
President Gompers calls upon labor to
support the Denver nominees. He says
that he believes that the whole mass of
workers of the country will respond in
hearty sympathy with the democratic
party in the coming campaign, as re-
suit of it's action in the labor planks of
it's platform. He declares that these
planks will be of practical benefit to
the workers.
"Labor asked the republican conven-
tion for bread, and it gave stone,'
says the labor leader. "The republican
press in phrase andscartoon sneeringly
told labor to go to Denver Well, we
did, and we shall tell what happened
there"
Then Mr.. Gompers enters into $1,000
word discussion of the Chicago and Dem
yer platforms. He flags without mercy
the republican and gives his unqualified
Endorsement to the democratic.
1t is the statement of the official head
of labor in the United States which has
been anticipated for week. 1t sots
forth the stand which labor will take in
the coming campaign.
s'We have no hesitation" says Mr..
Goupers, Sin urging the workers and
our friends throughout the country to
support the party in this campaign
which has shown it's sympathy with our
wrongs and it's desire to remedy them,
and to see that the rights of the people
are restored.
"On one hand we have a republican
congress absolutely refusing to adopt
the demands Of the workers for right
and equitable legislation, and boasting
that it is willing to take the conse-
quences.
REPUBLICAN PLANK AN INSULT.
"Following this action of congress,
we have the convention of the republic
can party scoring labor's demands and
adopted so-called injunction plank
which is an insult to the intelligence
of every voter in this land. A plank
which declares for the continuance and
perpetuation of the abuse of the injunc-
tion process in it's arbitrary application
of labor disputes.
"The republican party definitely lines
up with the corporate interests of the
country and deties the people to help
themselves.
son the other hand, the democratic
party indorses labor's demands and
pledges itself to carry them into effect
if it is put into power"
Speaking of the Objectionable plank
in the republican platform, the labor
president says:
''That part of the plank declaring
that the republican party will uphold
the authority and integrity of the
courts is a gratuitous, indefensible and
covert insult, not only to the mon of
labor, but to the courts themselves. 1t
implies that the integrity Eand legal
authority of the courts have been ques-
toned. 1t was adopted to appease the
corporation magnates Incorporation
lawyers who demanded that the repub-
lican convention adopt such declara-
tion.
''The same sort of influences which
demanded the incorporation of this dec
laration in regard to the courts, fash
toned the declarations and attitude Of
the chambers of commerce and boards
OF trade of New York and elsewhere
during the revolution for American in
dependence when they assured King
George Of their loyalty to the British
Crown and their unalterable opposition
to American independence. 1t were
better that the republican convention
had entirely ignored the question than
to have attempted to foist such a plank
upon the people,
o+o,,e ;4oh;nn inctant1v Curae niIae