The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-10-31
TAFT LOVES THE
LAbOR|NG MEN
No Matter If They Vote Against
Him He Will Always Re-
main a Friend.
Rare CASE OF DEVOTION
INCIDENTALLY HE DOES NOT
LIKE GOMPERS.

Buffalo, N Y, Oct. 30-Sledge hammer
blows at the alleged Gompers-Bryan labor
legislation plans were delivered here to-
night by William H. Taft before two i'm
mense audiences. Mr.. Taft gave the
names of many labor leaders high in the
councils of the American Federation of
Labor. who he said, were leaving MIR.
Gompers.
The attempt of Mr.. Gompers." he de-
clared with great emphasis, Ito deliver
the labor vote of the country is as auda-
cious an act of political effrontery as has
ever occurred in the history of politics.
1t is most reassuring to note that the men
associated with Mr.. Gompers in the eX-
ecutiVe councils of the federation of labor,
are falling away from him in this effort
Of his to make the federation a political
factor.
Untrue as to Mitchell.
1.-The men who decline TO follow him are
John Mitchell, James Duncan. first vice
president of the American Federation of
Labor; Daniel Reefe. head OF the Long
shoremens union, w. d. Ryan. secretary
and treasurer of the United Mine Work
ers; A. L. Faulkner, president of the Win
dow Glass Workers of America: Claude
Worth. secretary and treasurer of the In
ternational Dredge Workers; Charles Nc
Carthy, grand president of Tug Firemen
and Linemens association: w. T. Fuller,
Elevator employees; T. J. Dolan, Interna-
tiOnal SteamshOvel and Dredgemen, and
many other high officials of labor o.yani-
cations. 1t is a struggle for political eX-
istence on the part of Mr. Gompers and
he is willing to resort to every extreme
method possible to secure success
After asserting that the protective sys-
tenn was decidedly the most important
consideration for the American workman,
Mr.. Taft said:
Attack Upon Gompers.
Mr.. Gompers however, has so COM
mitted himself on one subject with refer
ence to labor that he is willing to sac
rlfice every other consideration, however
important and material to the welfare of
the waSe-earners. He is willing TO have a
return of the conditions that existed in
1896, so eloquenly described by him at
that time, If only he can secure what he
regards as the proper legislation concern
ing injuncticns- He proposes to abolish
inJunctions in industrial disputes where
the Injunction is issued to protect a per-
son whose business is injured by the law
less acts of workingmen and this by stat
ute. He also proposes to legaliZe the
secondary boycott, although many trades
unions have distinctly renowned its use
as an fundamentally in industrial dis
puteS which is un-republican and un-
American, and which is certain to react
upon the users as a boomerang with dis
astrous effect.
quotes Roosevelt.
President Roosevelt in q le\ 'er to Mr.
Bryan has inquired of him whether the
Democratic platform is to be taken as
favoring this plan of Mr.. Gompers, which
Mr. GomperS asserts to be the fact, say
ing that it was agreed between Mr.. Com
pers and Mr. Bryan that what the labor
interests had been demanding from con-
gress should be part OF the Democratic
platform. Mr.. Bryan has refused to an
swer Mr.. ROOsevelt's questions and there
fore we may take it he is committed TO
Mr. Gompers' program
After expressing the belief that the leg
islation which Mr.. Gompers proposed
would be unconstitutional, Judge Taft
concluded;
The charge that I ever sentenced a
man without a full hearing or made an
order affecting his wages without full
hearing is altogether unfOunded and false.
Interest" In Labor.
Il wish here to say that. no matter
what labor may do under the pernicious
influence of Samuel GOmpers and those
associated with him in this campaign. if
I am successful, the political position of
labor organizations will not deter me in
the slightest from doing what 1 can to
aid proper labor legislation in the future,
and will not in any way diminish my con-
slant interest in the securing to those who
earn their livelihood by the sweat of their
brow as near an equal opportunity for
progress toward better things as human
society can afford them. I am confident
that many of the W2ge-earning class will
support the Republican ticket, because l
know their intelligence and l am sure
that they are able to determine their real
interests and will not be led astray by the
fustlan and buncombe of such appeals
a those which Mr.. Gompers is now max
ing to his supposed followers"
The meeting at Utica today between
Taft and James s. Sherman and the mag
nitude and enthusiasm Of the reception
the Republican presidential candidate re-
ceived in this city tonight were other fea-
lures Of the campaign Judge Tafe is max
ing in northern New York. At Batavia
late this afternoon he left his car in a
driving snowstorm to speak to many
thousands of people.
Will Prosecute Standard.
At the convention hall meeting Mr. Taft
took up the Standard Oil subject:
Mr.. Bryan is greatly troubled" said he
about my attitude toward the trusts.
and even more so by the announcement
that Mr.. Rockefeller is for me. If the
Standard Oil company were anxious to
bring about my election l should take il
that the last thing that would be done
would be TO advertise its support for me.
Therefore, this publication which Mr..
Bryan is now making so much of. it
seems OF me, has but little significance in
attempting TO show that the Standard Oil
or any other trust. because 1t hopes for
immunity. is supporting me. That is not
the way things are done.
There IS a gentleman from your city
with very lively imaginatiOn-growin
even more lively as the responsibility of
the campaign grows upon him. He has
conceived the idea that the Standard Oil
company contributed large amount to
the Republican campaign fund. / am in
a position TO state with great emphasis
that neither the Standard Oil company
nor any one connected with its manage
ment has contributed a single cent
In comparing the remedies for evils in
trusts proposed by the Democratic party.
with Republican policies. Judge Taft said:
The administration is prosecuting the
Standard Oil company, and it intends to
continue the prosecution until that party
which may be evil is stamped out