The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1908-03-18
CONGRESSMAN JONES
EXPLAINS HIS POSITION

/ organized laDOr mas no business IN
politics." l can not understand the
Interpretations you make from my let
ter and do not know what you hope
to gain thereby. These matters
Should he discussed with the utmost
| fairness. Nothing is gained by mis-
representation. ! shall give YOU one
or two examples OF your misquota-
tons.
You say AS to your criticism of
Mr. Gompers. for whose opinion you
state that you care but little" No
one can find any criticism of Mr..
Gompers in my letter nor did l say
anything regarding his opinion. What
Mr.. Gompers has written you.
care but little" That is no criticism
and no expression as to his opinions.
You make some reference TO banks
refusing to pay their depositors and
bringing alien labor, etc., and say
that | said 4 don't believe it."
! did say Il don't believe it" but not
with reference to anything of this
character 1t is by such methods,
Mr.. Young, you confess the weakness
of your position.
You say, you virtually state that
the information conveyed by Mr..
Gompers through me, to the state
4 federation of labor, is an open lie
when you say he may have so writ
ten you. but I deny that I have SO
done" and you ask "whose word, my
dear sir, will prevail with the labor
unions"
know nothing of any information
you have conveyed to the state fed
GRAFTON of labor. You We're quoted
in the paper. however. as saying,
Mr.. Jones has voted against labor
and for its oppression every time he
has had the opportunity and you
said Mr.. Gompers had so written you.
l denied that l had voted against la
Dor and for its oppression at every
opportunity and I deny it again and
call attention to the fact that you
admit the facts l set forth to prove
my statement. I have asked you to
present the record. 1t is available
to every one. You have not done so,
did not, and do not, ask that any
ones word shall prevail. I simply
ask that the record shall prevail.
You try 10 make it appear that l
charge Mr.. Gompers with bribetak-
ing. There is nothing in my letter
to warrant anything of the kind.
believe him to be an able and an
honest man. He is not infallible,
however, and is sometimes mistaken.
| haven't charged you with it, either,
but / did ask you to point out
wherein Senator Ankeny was a bet
ter friend to labor than l as a reason
for you supporting him. You haven't
done it, and you haven't even at
tempted to do it.
You ask me whether I have ac-
quired any interests under the irri-
cation canals now in progress in
Yakima county. This deserves no
attention 1t has nothing to do with
the question, but have no hesita-
zion in answering it. My wife and
purchased 10 acres last year under
the Tieton project and paid full
value for it. That is the only foot
of land We have or have ever had
tAat will be watered by any govern
ment canal, and we are not inter
ested in anything else, tangible or
intangible, dependent upon any gov
eminent canal anywhere trust
that every man under these canals is
friend Of mine
You say I voted TO annuI the eight
hour law on the isthmus Of Panama.
You are mistaken This is the pro
vision I voted for:
The provisions Of the act emitted
An act relating to the limitations of
the hours of daily service, etc, shall
not apply to alien laborers employed
in construction Of the isthmian canal
within the canal zone" Page 1886,
Congressional Record, first session,
afty-nine congress.
ANY man who can read can under
stand this. admit that in 50 voting
voted against the interests of coolie
labor, but ! really can not see how
l voted against American labor. I
really would like to be shown.
You say voted for Mr.. Cannon
for speaker. That is true. Don't
you think Senator Ankeny would
have done the same? Of course he
would. ! am Republican. 1 was
elected as Republican. There were
but two candidate, Mr. Cannon, a