Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-09
Labor at Denver.

The American Federation of Labor met
in annual convention In Denver this
morning. Samuel Gompers is in attend
ance and a candidate to succeed himself
as president of the organization. In a
dispatch from Denver appears this para
graph:
Opponents of Samuel Gompers presi-
dent of the federation. are working to-
gether in an effort to prevent his re-
election. They are charging him with
'pernicious political activity and urg-
ing other arguments to convince dele
gates that Gompers has lost his standing
a leader of workingmen. and that
laboring people need expect nothing from
Congress in the way Of legislation If
federation"
Here are two propositions, and they
should be kept separate.
Mr.. Gompers is expecting criticism Of
his course in the campaign. and will de-
fend himself. There arc labor leaders
who commend him, and others who con-
denim him. But not all who condemn are
opposed to his reelection. Some, 1t is
said. regard his error as one Of judg-
ment. and forgivable. At most they
would impress upon him mot to do SO any
more But his opponents are much in
of the iiveliest in the federation's his
tory.
AS to the next Congress and legislation.
it is most unlikely that there will be any
revenges attempted on labor because Of
Mr. Gompers' course. That would be fool
ish on the part of the majority. Labor
has claims upon attention far higher
than may be affected by tine actions Of
nf ID Tof ~ 81
expressed a wish to receive suggestions
from labor as to the future. and . desire
to assist in shaping further policies for
labor's benefit. And this necessarily must
be the attitude of the new Congress. The
problem of labor is second to none. and
will increase rather than diminish In Inn
portance.
But it would be idle for labor, under the
leadership of Mr.. Gompers or anybody
else, to knock at the door either Of the
House of Representatives or Of the White
House for such legislation as Mr.. Com
pers demanded Of this Congress and failed
to get. That matter was decided at the
polls last Tuesday. The country Is op-
posed to the black list and the secondary
boycott, just as Speaker Cannon was when
Mr.. Gompers presented the proposition to
when Mr. Gompers presented the PROPOSE
ton to 1t. And, as matter OF fact.
there are many labor leaders who differ
with Mr. Gompers on that point. They
think that labor would be injured rather
than benefited by any such legislation.
Therein lies Mr.. Gompers' chief failure.
Whatever his own views may have been
about his influence over labor. or what
ever promises he may have made to MIR.
Bryan about labor's support at the polls.
there was never a chance. as the election
returns showed. for him to deliver labor's
vote to the Denver ticket. Wisely ad-
herring to Its policy to keep as an organ
ization out Of politics. labor. az usual. d.
vided it's vote according to the individual
preferences OF It's members. Republicans
would not accept Mr.. Bryan. nor would
democrats accept Judge Taft. And labor
socialists supported Mr.. Debs That chap
ter Is closed.
But undoubtedly Mr.. Gompers did err
in his choice of an issue, and as the black
list and the secondary boycott have been
voted down. with the assistance Of labor.
what will be lahor's proportion to Judge
Taft and to the Sixty-first Congress? That
is the question now. and The Denver con-
vention should throw some light on it.