The Grenada sentinel., 1908-05-16
POINT TO DEFEAT
SIGNS THAT WORRY REPUBLIC
AN CoNGREssMEN.
Two Glasses Of Voters on Which They
Have Heretofore Largely Relied
Arc This Year in Active
Opposition.

| Inere are TWO classes or votes tha
have heretofore gone almost soidly
for the Republicans in many states
but which seem this year to be sc
thoroughly disgusted with the Leaders
of that party that they will be foutd
on election day almost a unit in jp-
position to it. These are the negro
vote and the organized labor vote
AS to the negro vote, it seems that
In case Taft or any other man fsvOred
by Roosevelt should be nominaed by
the Republicans, that vote MAJ large
ly go to the Democratic Candidates,
because of TIE attitude Of the ad-
ministration towards the negro troops
implicated in the Brownsville affair.
This vote is the controlling factor in
many Republican districs. In New
York 1t holds the balance of power in
the district represented in congress
by Herbert Parsons; in Indiana there
are four congressman, including Jesse
Overstreet, who owe their seats 70
negro votes; in Iowa there are two;
In West Virginia, three; in New Jer-
oOJ' I"o, III OuiC, CWO, III
three; in Kentucky, three; in Missouri,
one; in Maryland two; and in Wis
! consin, two. In all, there are Is dis
tricts in which the negro vote is ab-
| solutely necessary to secure the cleo
tion Of Republican
But the vote Of organized labor Is OF
still greater importance, since that
vote counts in almost every congress
SiOnal district in the country, and has
practically indOrsed the program of
legislation for which the Democrats,
under the leadership of John Sharp
Williams, battled in the house of rep
resentativeS against the wishes and
purposes of Speaker Cannon and the
Republican majority of that body:
Il. To amend the Sherman anti
trust law SO that it will not include
labor unions
"2. To adopt a bill to regulate and
limit the issuance of injunctiOns.
"3. That a general employers liza
bility bill be enacted.
Il. BY an amendment to extend the
application of the eight-hOur law to
all government employees, and those
employed upon work done for the gov
ernment, whether by contractors or
subcOntractors."
This program was approved by labor
throughout the country on Easter
Sunday in mass meetings held for the
purpose of outlining the policy to be
pursued by it's organizations in re-
spect to legislation. And in all those
assemblies the votes of workingmen
enrolled in labor unions were pledged
to candidates who should favor such
demands.
President Gompers of the American
Federation of Labor, in a letter read
at these Easter day mass meetings,
said
The labor unions will not finch,
but manfully stand for their rights,
and the workers and their friends
through the country shall pledge them
selves without regard to party affilia-
tions, without any other divergence of |
opinion, to unmask the open or hypo- |
critical opponent, and send to political |
oblivion those who, by negligence or !
antagOnism, fail to respond afirma- |
lively and give their full support to |
the specific measures which labor de- |
mands."
With the labor vote and the negro |
vote in its present temper, the Re-
publicans are beginning to feel that |
must be done to save their
party from defeat. But The trusts and
which control their leaders
will not permit them to do anything
because those special interests would
'ather see a Democratic president
md Democratic house of Represen-
atives, than allow congress to make
my concession whatever to organized
abor. Intrenched in the senate. they
Ould be able to defeat any measure
which the Democratic house might
ass.
Hence it is that Republican con-
'ressmen are unhappy and cross and
'eevish these days.
More Tariff Exactions.