The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-05-16

Union Labor's Chief Accuses Speaker
Of Packing comn,ittss in Con-
/ srsss to Defeat Lsgisiation
Demanded. by PsopIs.

I NEW YORK. May Samuel
Gompers, president Of the American
Federation Of Labor, paid his respects
to Joseph g. Cannon. speaker Of the
house of representatives, yesterday.
before leaving the city OF Washing
ton. During the day Mr.. Gompers re-
.ceived a letter from Congressman
Charles N. Brumm, who represents
the twelfth district of, Pennsylvania,
which referred to Speaker Cannon as
being responsible for the inaction ct
congress. 5sss >~ -
, There is no Disgusting the fact"
wrote Congressman Brumm, that
Speaker, Cannon intended to prevent
legislation on progressive lines by
referring the presidents message and
other bills to the congressional Gre
matory known as the judiciary COM
mittee." Congressman Brumm wrote
that he was ready to join with others
to insist that certain bills be taken
from committees and acted upon
promptly. ~, j1 ., -,:-...-
Deaf to PubIie's Call.
: In reply to the letter Mr. Gompers
said that Speaker Cannon "is the en-
bodiment and in himself represents
all that is antagonistic to the protec-
ton and reformatory legislation de-
manded by the people Of our country"
He sarcastically referred to the unani-
NOUS nomination Of Speaker Cannon
by the Republican congressman and
said they could now realize the posi-
tion in which they are placed by MI.
Cannon and his small coterie of
beneficiaries; how he packs the co1n-
mittee and blocks the passage Of leg
1slat1on which even Republicans; the
newspapers, labor and the people
generally require. even for their or
binary as well as imperative needs"
Mr.. Gonpers in his letter said that
labor demanded Of the present con-
gress the passage of the Wilson bill,
amending the Sherman antitrust
law; the Pearre bill, regulating the
Issuance Of injunctions; the extension
of the eight-hour law to all govern
ment, employees and to the employees
performing work for the government,
and a general employers liability law,
applicable to all workers, SO far as
federal jurisdiction extends. ,:5>
49,, Paving Strike Spreads.
Cement workers employed setting
curbs and cutters on the streets were
yesterday called out on strike in
sympathy with the excavatings and
paving laborers, who are on strike
to enforce, an eight-hour work day.
Frank Gengenback.. president Of the
Street Paving Council, said that the
total number Of street laborers out
was 3,60o,s but that was denied BY the
paving companies. y. r.. McCarthy,;
secretary Of the r. F. Conway com
pany, said the number on strike did
not exceed 400 men; as most of the.
contractors had little work on hand.
The Barber Ashphalt2 Paving COM
pany, the Citizens Construction COM
pany and the Chicago Betluittuc COM
pany are the only concerns in the city
that are not involved in the trouble.
No overtrues to bring, about a set
tlement Of the strike Of elevator con-
structors was made by the Otis Ele-
vator company yesterday. Superin-
tendent r.. I. Walker of the company
said they could afford to wait until
the men came to their senses, as the
union had signed contracts at last
years scale in all the large cities in
the country, and that an increase Of
II per cent in Chicago could not be
considered.