The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-29
Labor Leader Asks Working- men to Vote Democratic
 Ticket This Year
REPUBLICANS UNEASY
 OVER GOMPERS' MOVES
Since Gompers Conferred With Chair man Mack Republican Leaders Have Been Trying to counteract
 Trend of Labor Vote.

Washington, August 2S.-(speciar-Many of the writers in the interest of the re- publicans missed the mark widely when, some time ago, they started the story that John Mitchell. formerly president of the miners union, was going to keep quiet during this campaign. As they put 1t, Mitchell has been a democrat all his life, but on account of his great personal friendship for President Roosevelt he would keep his hands off in this contest. Besides, they argued that he doesn't like politics anyway, and they were positive he could not be drawn into the fight which Samuel Gompers and other promi- nent Federation of Labor officials have started. and which promises to become more furious as election day approaches. Well, Mitchell has put a quietus on all those manufactured reports, for in the September number of the Federationist he has an article alongside of that of President Gompers, in which he advises the workingmen to reward labor's friends and rebuke It's foes'' It is a forcible ar gument.
 Since the conference between Gompers and Chairman Mack of the national demo- cratic committee, the men writing news to boost the candidacy of Taft are shout ing excitedly that Gompers in his posi- tion as head of the great organization, has no right to attempt to deliver the labor vote to any political party.
 Gompers Talks Plainly. Gompers has declared over and oyer again that he Is not trying to deliver this vote. He is merely telling the working men what he thinks Is their interest in this campaign. He points out that they should see to it that certain men are de- feated at the polls, because he and all the members of the executive council of the Federation of Labor are decidedly of the opinion that, on account of their at titude towards labor, they deserve to be defeated This list just happens to in- cude Judge Taft for the presidency. La- boring men have it in for him because of his rulings against them while on the federal bench. and because the Chicago convention which nominated him treated labors envoys with no courtesy what ever.
 Then there is Speaker Cannon, who is very objectionable to the workingmen and indeed most of the leading repub- licans in Congress are equally objection able. There few democrats who have also displeased the labor leaders, and Gompers and his followers say they are going to try to hit them some hard licks, also.
 Gompers distinctly asserts that for this campaign, however, that the working men should support Mir. Bryan if they are true to their own interests. Four years from now, he says that the situa- ton might change, and then he would be just much in favor of swatting the democrats; but at this writing the democrats In Congress and at their recent national convention proved that they are the friends of labor, and they ought to be supported for what they have done.
 Trying to Stop Boom.
 Some of the republican politicians around Washington think that Chairman Mack ought to have kept quiet about his recent conference with Gompers. They believe that would have been better pol itics. Then the democrats could have worked pussy -footed' campaign on the republicans far as trying to capture the labor vote was concerned. These re- publicans also profess to believe that tho announcement of the deal" as they in sist upon it, will simply stir the land from one end to the other. It will make. they declare, the republican committee get down to work in earnest. and they claim with considerable assurance that means will be found to stop the boom for Bryan in labor circles.
 Mack and Gompers had nothing to con- ceal. They prefer to work in the open. There is nothing of the sneak about either. Gompers seems to know what he is doing. and reports continue to reach this office from all the industrial centers that he is loyalty upheld by the unions. This is what really rasps the feeling of the republican campaign managers. They know that this statement is not over drawn and they are puzzling their brains to find 0 way of stopping the movement that promises to land MT. Bryan in the White House. w. s.