Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-27
PARTY ACTION COMPARED
Attitude of Republican and Demo-
cratic National Conventions.
WORKERS SHOULD AID FRIENDS
Hot Debate Over Resolution Con-
demning Nebraska Leader for
Patronizing Non-Union
Printing Office.

At last nights meeting OF the Central
Labor Union a resolution condemnlng
Bryan for having printed a book in non
union office was defeated by Il TO ), and
resolution was adopted by IS to l declar-
ing it to be the duty of all workers to
stand by their friends anu elect them.
The latter resolution asserted that the re-
publican national convention rejected the
appeal of labor and the democratic con-
vention made labors contention its own.
Harry W. Templar. one of the delegates
from Columbia Typographical Union, in
troduced a resolution declaring that.
AS ii is charged in the press, with
great degree of authenticity, that William
Jennings Bryan. democratic candidate for
President of the United States, and al
legged friend of organized labor. did pub
lish and have printed in VIGOROUSLY nom
union printing office a certain book enti-
tied. The Second Battle, thus demon
strating lack of sympathy in the cause
of organized labor and the uplift of the
workers of his country;
Resolved, That the Central Labor
Union of Washington ID. c., hereby regis
tiers its unqualified disapproval of said &C
ton on the part of William Jennings
Bryan and calls upon all Sympathizers
and friends of organized labor TO forward
the cause of trades unionism by support
Ing the products of union labor.
Resolved further, That copy of these
Bryan and the local press.
Hot Debate Follows.
scene of confusion followed. Sam
De Nedry, secretary of the Central Labor
Union. was the first to enter protest
against the passage of the resolution He
declared the assertion that Bryan's book
had been printed by non-union concern
with the knowledge oil Mr.. Bryan, was
false.
dozen delegates were on their feet,
clamoring for recognition by the chair.
1ells for order were heard on every side
The labor hornets buZzed angrily
John j. Purcell of the Electrical Work.
ers Union, and chairman of the adjust
men. committee of the central body, ap-
pealed to the delegates to stand by Mr..
Gompers. Emmett l.. Adams and Oliver
T. Beaumont of Columbia Lodge of Ma
chiIists also asked that the resolution
be voted down.
The charge was made by delegates that
the preamble and resolutions had been in
spired from the White House.
rms statement was Indignantly denied
by Mr.. Templar. In the course of the
hot debate over the resolutions Mr.. Temp
lar said:
Upon Mr.. Gompers' return from Den
yer he issued statement to the organized
workingmen of the United States, relating
his experiences at Chicago and Denver,
and closed by announcing, Here is what
! have secured for organized labor from
the republican and democratic parties.
Read the platforms carefully and choose
between Them But Mr.. Gompers is not
permitting the members of organized la
Dor to choose, because he has his corps
or organizers scattered throughout the
country instructing the workers how to
vote"
Defeat of the Resolution,
After the confusion had abated in a
measure, a vote was called for on the
Iempiar resolutions. The result was -
nays 10 . ayes. and the chair declared
that the resolutions had been defeated.
Friends of the resolution, who did not
vote claimed that the hall was packed
as alarm postal cards had been sent ont
10 certain members known to be favor
able to the election of Mr.. Bryan.
Should Support Friends.
After more speechmaking the following
resolution was adopted by IS to 1:
we, In special meeting of the Contra,
Labor Union of the city of Washington
Dlstrict or Columbia. reiterate our declara-
ton that though, as organized workers
we are neither democratic nor republican.
nor owe allegiance to any political party
whatsoever, We yet reiterate and reaffirm
IL 10 De our duty and the duty of all work
ers and friends of human liberty to stand
laithfulIy by our friends and elect them.
oppose our enemies and defeat thep,
whether they be candidates for President
Tor ongress, or other offices, whether ex
ecutive. legislative. or judicial. and we
pledge ourselves and call upon the com
mon people of our CITY and state tn baIn
carry into effect the laudable and ennoh
mig purposes for which the toilers strug
gle and aspire"
Preamble to Resolution.
The resolution was preceded nv , nre-
amble that declared that
The working DeoDla Of ci+,, -
washington. ID. C., in meeting assembled.
nave considered the situation in which
the toilers of our country find themselves
by decisions of courts and the failure of
Congress to afford the necessary relief.
and
I'VE have appealed 10 the republican
Congress in vain to afford the necessary
relief for the protection, restoration and
defense of the natural and inherent rights
of the working people and all our peo-
pie: and
We appealed in vain 70 the republican
party convention TO declare for the neces-
sary restoration of the rights TO which the
toilers are entitled, rights which have
been Shorn from our people by reason of
the decision of the Supreme Court which
decided that the voluntary organizations
OF the workers are Illegal combinations
in restraint of trade. and come under the
Sherman antitrust law. and the repubi-
can party rejected and repudiated labor's
urgent needs and insulted the great rank
and file of the toilers of our country.
and
The same demands were presented to
the democratic party at it's convention
and that that party embodied in its plat
form the demands which labor presented
and made labor's contention its own;
and
The republican partys candidate, Mr..
TAFT. has. in his letter of acceptance and
his speeches, accumulated his injunction
record, and the democratic candidate Mr.
Bryan. has absolutely and unfaIteringly
pledged himself. if elected. to secure the
rights of the toilers to which they are so
justly entitled"