The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-10-22
POSITION Is FALSE ONE AND
RIGHTS OF LAeoRING MEN ARE
IN DANGER lF MINORITY suc-
cEEDs TO POWER.
TAFT Is WELL FITTED.
Because Of His Qualifications He 10
Better Able to Secure Wage Earn
Says.

Washington, d. c.. Oct 22-Presi-
dent Roosevelt last night made public
letter he has written, congratulating
Senator Knox upon his speech deliv-
cred In Philadelphia last night. The
publication of this letter enables the
president to lay before the country. at
some length, his own views on the
Bryan-Gompers attack on the courts.
and to give his personal approval OF the
cussing the labor issues and the anti
injunction plank Of the party opposing
him.
The letter emphasizes what the pres
ident believes would be the disastrous
consequences of the success of the
Gompers idea, and seeks to wiring from
the Democratic candidate a categorical
answer to the question whether or not
he stands for that which Gompers de-
clares.
Mr.. Roosevelt says he feels he has
the right to speak frankly, because
throughout his term 1t has been his
constant object to do everything in his
power, by administrative action and by
endeavoring to obtain legislative ae-
ton, to advance the cause Of labor.
protect it from unjust aggression and
secure to 1t it's legitimate rights
He declares that he will continue t.
do everything In his power for the
wageworkers of the country except to
do what is wrong. and what Bryan and
Gompers propose he says is wrong.
After further emphasizing the dan
gers Of the Democratic position and in
dorsing that of Judge Taft, Mr.. Roose-
welt says: 81 have taken special and
particular interest in Mr.. Taft's candi-
dacy because / believe that OF all men
in the country he is the man best quail
flied for continuing the work Of secur-
ing to the wageworkers of the coun-
try their full rights The letter foi-
| lows:
President RooseveIt's Letter.
The presidents letter was called
forth by Senator Knox's speech in Phil
aCeipnla ana is as 1ollOWS:
White House, Oct. 21, 1908.
My Dear Senator Knox-In your ad-
mirable speech of yesterday you speak
of the action of Mr.. Bryan and certain
gentlemen claiming to be the special
representatives of organized labor, fore
most among them Mr. Gompers, to Sc
cure the support of laDoring men for
Mr.. Bryan on consideration Of his
agreement TO perform certain acts
nominally in the interest Of organized
labor, which would be really either
wholly ineffective or else of widespread
| injury, not only to organized labor.
but to all decent citizens throughout
| this country.
You have peculiar right to speak
on labor questions, for 1T was you who.
as attorney general, first actively in
voked the great power of the federal
government on behalf of the rights Of
labor when, for the first time in the
history of the government, you. speak
| ing for the department of justice. in
tervened in a private law suit which
had gone against locomotive fireman
/ VINO ndu lOst his arm HI CDupiiuS tdiS,
and by your intervention secured from
the supreme court construction OF
the safety appliance act which made
it vital remedial statute. and there
fore has secured to hundreds OF Grip
pied employees and widows of crippled
employees compensation which they
would not otherwise have obtained
Il The daily papers Of Oct. 13 contain
an open letter from Mr.. Samuel Comp
ers. president Of the American Fedora
tion of Labor. appealing to working
i men to vote for Mr.. Bryan
Il In that letter are certain definite
statements which interest the wider
! American public quite as much as
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