Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1908-08-08
EDITORIAL COMMENT.
,ABoR FORCES AGAINST GoMpERs'

REBELLION or LABOR FORCES AGAINST GoMFERs' DICTATIoN.
More and more 1t is becoming evident that the members of the
American Federation Of Labor are going to rebel against the dictation Of
Samuel Gompers. its president, and resent his efforts to force them to
vote for Bryan and the Democratic ticket in the November election.
The mandate of Gompers in the first place was the height of imper-
Thence and arrogance, and should never have been uttered by a sensible
man occupying such a responsible position. The upshot of the matter
will be open rebellion in the ranks of labor, with disastrous results
Everywhere there is proof that the members of the federation ae
not taking kindly to the Gompers dctadon The unionists of Chicago
and Baltimore were among the first to resent this unwarranted intrusion
eon their prerogatves of citizenship
With righteous indignation they pointed out that there a nothing
i'm the attitude Of the Democratic party, as expressed in its Denver plat
a Republican lin deserving his party and going ver to the Bourpons. nj
is something which unioniss who ar Republicans should bear in mind,
because it is the doctrine of some of the most prominent labor leaders
of this country outside of the coterie of men, at the head of which is Mr.
Gompers, who control the d@ines of the federation.
These labor leaders who rebel against the sovereignty of Gompers in
matters political, although they wisely follow his leadership in things
industrial, asseverate that the difference in the attitude of the two par
ties n the ant-injunction question is not great enough to warrant a man
who is a member of a union in breaking away from the political affha-
lions, some of which are very dear to him, and deserving the party which
has been the only true friend that labor has had in the federal congress
these leaders are ready to dispute.
1t is well known that Bryan al at first against a n antiinjunction
plank of the character of the one adopted finally by the convention at
Denver; that the plank al more the result of vindicativeness and pique
on the part of eastern Democrats than the expression of any desire to
do something really beneficial for the working man of this country in the
event the partys candidate should be successful, of which there is not
now the remotet possibility.
Bryan was inclined to be conservative and compromising, but Tam
many Hall and professional politicians of the stripe of its members de-
termined that he should be forced into the open to test his courage and
sincerity. Time and again the Democratic nominee said the Republican
party had not and would not treat labor fairly on the question of an anti
injunction plank in its convention, but when the moment arrived that
you'd est his W courage IND sincerity he stuttered talered' ao
It is well known that the antiinjunction plank adopted by the .conven-
ton at Denver is not the sent out from Fairview with the Bryan o
X. upon it.
prevail, but when it came to a showdown and the nomination was in
voNed, Bryan cast discretion to the winds and conceded all that his
nomination, which has been such a valuable asset of hs-saeramento
Union.