The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-10
GREETED WITH CHEERS.
Gompers Defends His Action in the
Last Campaign.

Denver, Nov. 10.-Hearty applause
! was given President Samuel Gompers
by the delegates to the twenty-eignth
| annual convention of the organization
at its open session today and also at
the close of his report which he read
at the afternoon session and was in
terpreted to indicate there would be
no effective opposition to his re-
election. The statement that there
will be a big fight in the convention
in regard to the action taken by
President Gompers in the recent cam
paign will not be fulfilled, said John
Mitchell, former president OF the
United Mine Workers of America, and
delegate to the convention.
1.-The action of Mr.. Gompers was
the result of instructions given him
by the federation at previous conven-
lions and he will have practically the
entire support of the present conven-
ton. 1t is true there may be fight
the question of allowing the
federation to be brought into politics
in the future, but I do not think Mr.
Gompers will be censured for the part
he played in supporting Mr.. Bryan.
President Gompers' report was an
accounting of the work performed by
the president during the past year.
At the outset he declared There
must not be permitted to grow up or
to be maintained a permanent army
of unemployed" The part of the re-
port that touched on the Buck Stove
and Range company injunction case
was frequently interrupted by APP
plause.
The statement of the stand taken
by John Mitchell, Frank Morrison
and Samuel Gompers on the in
junction was also applauded. Mr..
Gompers said in part:
Now, it is the American Fedora
ton of Labor and the American Fed
erationist which are enjoined from
the exercise and report of free speech
and the liberty of the press. In the
future it may be another publication
and this injunction will be quoted as
a sacred precedent for further en-
croachment on the rights of our peo-
pie. The suppression of freedom of
the press is a most serious undertake
ing, whether in autocratfc Russia or
in the republic of the United States.
at is because the present in
junction and contempt proceedings
hereunder suppress free speech and
free press that I feel it my duty to
enter an emphatic protest.
THE president made an unwarranted
attack upon me and upon the labor or
Of the supreme Court in the hatters' case
involves every wage worker of our coun-
been issued by a court. The bred Scott
DECISION does not approach it in scope Pc.
not only against labor but against any
other real reform legislation.
Congress adjourned with the defiant
declaration of one of the Republican lead
erS. Jas. S. Sherman, that the Republican
party is responsible Tor legislation or Tor
failure of legislation and that he and
his party were willing to assume the re-
Sponsibility.
1.-The report of our legislative commit
tee reveals a tale of perfidy to the COM
monwealth and in telling the truth per-
force besmirches the name and history of
a political party that found its embodi-
ment and idealism in the martyred Lin
coin.
1.-THE Republican party adopted a dec
laration for the enactment of a law that
would legalize the worst abuse and per-
version of the Injunction writ; this in
Mr.. Gompers made a detailed report of
his work in the political field during the
last conventions of both political parties
and also of his experience with congress.
He said:
clared that our movement has neither the
right nor the desire to dictate how a
member shall cast his vote
Mr.. Gompers' defense of his action dur
ing the last campaign was greeted with
cheers