The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-15
POINT TO DEFEAT
SIGNS THAT WORRY REPUBLIC.
AN coNGREssMEN.
TWO Classes OF Voters on Which They
Have Heretofore Largely Relied
Are This Year In Active
Opposition.

Are This Year In Active
Opposition.
There are two classes OF votes that
have heretofore gone almost solidly
for the Republicans in many states,
| but which seem this year to be so
thoroughly disguised with tho leaders
Of that party that they viii be found
/ on election day almost a unit in op.
position TO II, These are tho negro
vote and the orcanizod labor vote
As TO the negro vote, It seems that
in case Taft or any other man favored
by Roosevelt should be nominated by
the Republicans that vote may large.
ly 90 &c the Democratic candidates,
because Of the attitude of the ad.
mInistraton towards the nogro troops
implicated in the Brownsville affair.
This vote IS the controlling factor in
many Republican districts In New
York II holds the balance of power in
the district represented In congress
by Herbert Parsons; In Indiana there
are four congressman. including Jesse
OvcrstroCt, who owe their seats to
negro votes; in Iowa, there are two;
in West Virginia, three; in New JCr-
soy two; I'm Ohio, two; In Illinois,
three In Kentucky. three; in Missouri,
one in Maryland, two; and In Wis.
consin, two. In all, there are 25 dis.
tricts In which the negro vote is alb.
solutcly necessary 70 secure the cleo.
tiun Of Republican.
But the vote Of organized labor is Of
sim greater importance, since that
vote counts in almost every congress.
sIoual district In the country. and has
practically Endorsed the program Of
legislation for which the Democrats.
under the leadership Of John Sharp
Williams, battled in the house Of rep.
Ecscutatiycs against the wishes and
purposes Of Speaker Cannon and the
Republican majority Of that body:
Il To amend the Sherman anti.
trust law 81 that It will not include
labor unions.
go To adopt a bin to regulate and
limit the issuance Of iniunctions.
%, That a general employers la.
bility bin be enacted
Il by an amendment 10 extend the
all government employees, and those
employed upon work done for the gov.
eminent, whether by contractors or
suhcontractors"
This program was approved by labor
throughout the country on Easter
Sunday In mass meetings held for the
purpose Of outlining the policy 10 be
pursued by its organizations in re.
spoct 10 legislation. And in all those
assemblies the votes Of worldnEmen
enrolled in labor unions were pledged
to candidates who should favor such
demands.
President Gompors 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 afilia
lions, without any other divergence OF
opinion, TO urmask the open or hypo
critical opponent, and send to political
oblivion those who by negligence or
antagoniym, fail 10 respond afllrma
lively and give their fun support to
the specific measures which labor de
mands."
With the labor vote and the negro
vote in It's present temper the Re
publicans are beginning to feel that
something must be done to save their
party from defeat. But the trusts and
monopolies which control their leaders
will not permit them 20 do anything
because those special interests wonld
rather see Democratic president,
and Democratic house Of Represen.
tatiyes, than allow congress to make
any concession whatever to organized
labor. Intrcnched in the senate. they
would be able TO defeat any measure
which the Democratic house might
pass.
Hence II is that Republican con
gressmen are unhappy and cross and
peevish these days.