The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-09-05
Labor and Democracy.

There was conference last week in Washington
between the chairman of the democratic national
committee and the president and secretary of the
American Federation of Labor and the president of
the Machnists' union. 1t was agreed that the demo-
cratic committee should receive the active co-opera-
ton of the American Federation of Labor during
the campaign.
A central labor bureau is to be established at the
democratic headquarters in Chicago, with sub
bureaus at several other centers the country over
The national democratic committee is to appoint the
heads of these bureaus, only members of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor being selected Mr. Gompers
furnishing the names of elgib1es
There has thus been perfected a close working
alliance between the democratic committee and the
organized labor of the country and the influence of
the federation Will be used to turn the labor vote
to Bryan and Kern
The reasons for this alignment are we'll understood
the country over. Organized labor finds that it
has reached crisis in its affairs at which it must
have legislative assistance. The democratic party
has promised its assistance and the republican party
has refused to furnish any relief It is not difficult
tor organized labor to arrive choice under these
conditions
Says Mr.. Gompers:
The gravest question that has ever confronted the
Workngmen of America is presented this year in the
which puts organized labor in the class of ordinary
corporations by declaring the boycott of the United
HatterS OF North America against hat makers of
DanDury to be an illegal conspiracy and that the at
tempt 10 secure an agreement uniOnizng the shops
was an attempt to promote conspiracy in restraint
or trade, punishable under the Sherman antitrust
law L have no hesitation in saving that this is the
most sweeping, far reaching and dangerous decision
ever made by the supreme court. Unless congress
makes some change in the situation this decision will
set back the cause of the American workinemen ner
haps hundred years
Another decision by the supreme court of the
United States rectes that the law forbiddng inter
state railways to discharge an employee on account
OF his membership in labor union is unconstitu-
tonal The conclusion put forth by the leaders of
organized labor in the light of these two decisions
is that the supreme court has condemned the bow
colt by organized labor, while sanctoning the black
list by organized capital"
SO organized labor has concluded for the first
time, to go into politics and it has formed working
coalition with the democratic party for the national
campaign now in progress. Another reason, perhaps,
why organized labor has gone to the democratic par
ty tor relief is given in the words of Mr. Gompers.
quoted from Parsons Magazine
One of the injunctions issued by Judge Taft Dro
h1D1ted the brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
from enforcing one of its own rules which amounted
to denial of the right to strike on tbe
cause 1t nterfered with railroad in the hands of
me court as receiver, and also interfered with
interstate commerce In other instance exceDt in
aDor dispute would any court attempt to issue an
Injunction prohibiting anybody from committing
rhine.