The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-11-10
FEDERATION
WILL STICK
BY GOMPERS
No Fight Upon the Labor Lead
er Who Stands for All 9th
erS of His Class.
CONVENTION APPLAUDS
REPORT OF PRESIDENT
WILL BE NO OPPOSITION TO HIS
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
BY JOHN MITCHELL.

Denver, Nov 9.-Hearty applause
was given President Samuel Gompers
Of the American Federation of Labor
by the delegates to the twenty-eighth
annual convention Of the organization
al its opening session today and also
at the close Of his report, which he
read at the afternoon session and was
interpreted to indicate that there will
be no effective opposition to his re-
election.
viii Be No Fight.
The statement that there will be a
big fght in the convention in regard to
The action taken by President GOmpers
in the recent campaign will not be full
filed" said John Mitchell. former pres
ident OF the United Mine Workers Of
America and delegate to the labor
convention today
The action of Mr. Gompers was the
result Of instructions given him by the
federation at previous conventions, and
he will have practically the entire sup
port Of the present convention.
1t is true there may be a fight on
the question OF allowing the federation
10 be brought into politics in the fu-
turA. but l do not think Mr.. Gompers
will be censured for the part he played
in supporting Mr.. Bryan
The reading of the report of the
president consumed more than three
hours, and the reports of the secretary
and treasurer were then read in alb
brevated form. The secretary's re-
port showed that the federation had
had prosperous year
Report Of Mr.. Sompers.
President Gompers' report was =
long ana exhaustive accounting OF tbs
work performed by the president dur
ing the past year. At the outset ne
declared: There must not be per-
mitted 10 grow up or TO be maintained
a permanent army of unemployed"
The part Of the report that touched
on the Buck Stone and Range company
injunction case was frequently inter
rupted by applause. The statement OF
The stand taken by John Mitchell
Frank Morrison and Samuel Gompers
on the injunction matter was also APP
plauded.
Mr.. Gompers said, in part:
1t is impossible 10 see how we can
comply fully with the courts injunc-
ton. Shall we be denied the right OF
free speech and free press simply be-
cause we are wOrkmen?
FTCc OpGECny TIcC FTCSS-
Now il is the American Federation
of Labor and the American Fedora e
ZIONIST which are enjoined from the eX-
ercise Of the right of free speech and
the liberty of the press. In the future
IL may be another publication, and
this injunction will then be quoted as
sacred precedent FOR future and fur
Their entertainments upon the right of
our people.
The suppression of freedom of the
press is a most serious undertaking.
whether in autocratic Russia or IN the
republic of the United States. 1t is
because the present INDUCTION and the
contempt proceedings hereunder sup
press free speech and free press that
] feel it my duty TO enter a most en-
phatie protest.
The decision of the supreme court in
the hatters' case involves every wage
worker in our country. No more I'M
Just decision has ever been issued by
"a court The bred Scott decision did
not approach il in scope.
Speaker Cannon has packed com
mitiees not only against labor, but
asainst any other real reform legisla-
log
Declaration of Sherman.
congress adjourned with the de-
hant declaration of one Of the Repub-
mean leaders. James :. Sherman. that
the Republican party is responsible for
legislation or for the failure of leSIsia-
liOn, and that he and his party were
willing 10 assume the responsibility.
The report of our legislative COM
mttee reveals A tale of perfidy to the
common veal. and in telling truth per-
lorce besmirches the name and history
oil q political party that found its en-
oodiment and ideaIism in the martyred
Lincoln
The Republican party adopted
aeciarauOns for the enactment of a
law that would legaiize the worst abuse
and peryersion of the injunction, this
ih direct opposition 10 what we had
asked
MI GOmpers made a detailed report
OF MS work in the political field dur
Continued on Page 2.