The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-09
CONTINUED from FIRST Page)

Il venture to assert that the bitterest
antagonists to labor in Congress would
not have the temerity TO present 20 that
body a bill which would deny 10 the
toilers OF our country the right of free
expression through speech or by means
OF the press and yet this very denial
and invasion are attempted by this in
junction.
There is no disrespect on my part to
the judge or the court when with sol
emu conviction / assert that this in
NaslOn Is unWarranted- The wrong
mas grown from the precedent set by
previous injunction abuses. and the
judge in this instance has but extended
the process. The suppression OF free
dom of the press is a most serious uu-
dertaklng, whether in autOCra1C Rus
STA or in the republic of the United
States. 1t Is because the present in
junction and the contempt proceedings
hereunder suppress free speech and
free press. that / feel il my duty To en-
ter most emphatic protest
The right 10 freely print and to speak
has grown up through centuries of free
dom. II has its basis in the funda-
mental guarantees Of human liberty. Il
has been advocated and upheld by tho
ablest minds. Tremendous sacrifices
have ben made in its establishment.
not be complacently surrendered-they
must not be forbidden by a courts in
junction.
Rights of Property.
THE attitude and the language OF
the court in the Hatters' case make it
clear that the Supreme Court is not In
formed on modern economics. No one
disputes the real rights of property, but
surely the rights OF property are not
greater than the rights Of man
mo more sweeping. far-reaching, i'm
portant, and unjust decision has ever
been issued by court The Dred-ScOtt
decision did not approach II in scope,
for that decision only deCreed that any
runaway slave could be pursued II he
made his escape into a free State and
his return TO his owner IN a slave State
be enforced by all the powers of gov
eminent. ANY person who assisted in
the escape or a slave, or who haTbOred
him, could be prosecuted before the
courts for a criminal Offense. That de-
cisiOn involved comparatively few
those slaves who could make good their
escape from a slave-hOlding State. The
civil war annulled the decision Of the
Supreme Court and freed the black
slaves. It cost the lives Of hundreds %
thouhands Of brave men on both sides
It emancipated from chattel slavery
four millions or black slaves. No man
now proudly points TO that famous bred
Scott Supreme Court decision.
THE decision OF the supreme Court
wage worker of our country, men and
women, white OF black. who associate
themselves permanently or temporarily
to protect or advance their human
rights"
Mr. Gompers reviewed at length the
efforts Of organized labor TO obtain the
legislation IL desired from the last Con
gress following which he quoted labor
appeal To the voters IN the recent cam
paign, following the several meetings Of
protest.
Call TO arms.
10 he
I'd and doing. Their action should be
consistent, persistent, and insistent-
"Soue over jealous p8rtisans. and par
tcularIy our opponents, for purpose.
have declared that I am a Democrat
and have always been a Democrat IL
may not be necessary TO make this eH-
PLANTATION 70 you, but TO correct any
error now or OF the future, ] desire TO
emphasize the fact that though many
years ago I counted myself Repubi-
can, I have not been and am not now
a Democrat. that is. in a partisan sense.
i owe allegiance to no political party.
So far as in my power lies, and in the
light given me. ! have always without
fear Of personal consequences endeav-
Ored to perform my duty 20 my fellow
workers. to my fellowman.
THE American labor movement is not
partisan to political party 10 is par
tlsan TO a principle, the principle o.
When This report IS being written.
October 30, the Immediate results OF the
election Of November 9. are. Of course,
unknown, but this one faCJ stands out
clear. and can never hereafter be dis
puted; that is, tS5t the Presidential and
Congressional election of 1908 has been
contested upon the fundamental pTlnCi-
pies for which labor and the liberty
loving citizens contend; that is equality
before the law, human freedom
The vague notions regarding labor
demands have been dissipaJeC and re-
placed by sound knowledge as TO the
which they are hased-indeed, the very
deuunciation of labor demands by inter
ested candidates and by the rOStlie
press, has accelerated as we'll as COncen-
trated public attention upon our move
ment.'
Secretary's Report.
Secretary Morrison's report in part
was as follows:
1t is with much pleasure that L re-
port at the close of this fiscal year
Sl3S,621.S9 in the treasury, the high
water mark in the history of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. OF the amount
on hand so zoe is in the defense fund
for local trade and Federal labor unions,
and can be used for strike benefits only
in the case of a strike or q lockout of
the members OF these local unions. The
balance. S35,3f5.S0 is In the general fund.
III LIldf luna tllA Al4-tHo-NL Is dNallADlH
for the general expenses of the Amcri-
can Federation OF Labor The balance
Sl5,S01.7g. is divided as follows:
In the fund created by the 1-Ceut as
sessmeuL levied by the executive cOuT-
Gil. in accordance with the recommends /
ton Of the last convention. for the pur-
pose of placing organizers in Los
Angeles, Cal, and other cities. to Offset
the efforts Of the Manufacturers AS |
sOCiatious which were. and are now,
to disrupt the labor Organi-
cations. E,S12.02.
In the fund created by the 1-cent as /
sesment levied by the executive COun-
ell in accordance with the recommends
ton or the last convention TO be used
tor the legal defense Of the officers and !
members of the American Federation of I
I,ebar. in the injunction suit of the Buck /
Stove and Range Company, $460713.
In the fund created by the moneys /
received in response to the appeal is
sued by the executive council to the /
local unions affiliated to the American /
Federation of Labor for appropriations
to be used for the legal defense of the :
officers and members of the American /
OF Labor in the Injunction
suit OF the Buck stove and Range Com {
pany, s., 1864.
The total receipts from all sources are /
chi TRTNTN CTD