The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-11-10
Labor Holding Annual Con-
yentiOn at Denver
GOMPERS SHOWS STRENGTH
He Flags munitions in His Report
He Believes His Course in the
Political Campaign Was
Justified.

Denver, Col, Nov. 1o,--Though there
is much talk of plans afoot to Dust
Samuel Gompers from the presidency Of
the American Federation Of Labor dur.
ing the sessions of the 2sth annual con.
yention, which began in this city yester-
day, it is principally gossip outside the
federation itself.
Rumors of growing dissatisfaction
with the so.ealled Gompers plan during
the recent national campaign are being
given free publicity through the press,
but leaders in the federation who should
know the status Of things, declare their
ignorance Of any organized opposition
TO President Gompers.
Mr.. Gompers himself waves the sub.
iect aside by saying that the federation
will select the man best equipped 20
lead il TO further success and declares
that should he be defeated he would
still remain worker in the ranks. He
admits that there is opposition, but as.
serts that ii is confined 10 matters Of
policy affecting localities only.
A strong card in Mr.. Gompers' favor
now is the fact that several OF his bit.
ter opponents Of Socialistic tendencies
have failed Of election as delegates to
represent their own unions at the pres.
ent meeting,
The cities seeking the next conyen.
ton are st. Louis, Toronto, Detroit,
Mobile, Tampa and Washington.
The annual report OF President Sam.
tel GompeTs was the most important
document considered at yesterdays
session, and that portion of it in which
he urged all members to stand togeth-
er and defeat at the polls enemies Of
labor was received with hearty approx
al. President Gompers quoted the pro.
test, recently signed by the executive
council OF the federation, in which all
the workers were called on to oppose
and defeat our enemies whether they
be candidates for president, congress, or
other Offices, either executive, legisla-
tive, or judicial"
The report proceeded TO urge that all
candidates should be questioned and
bound TO pledge in reference to all
subjects OF Importance TO toilers. He
added that the adverse decisions and in
functions of courts, and the hostility OF
Congress had created an anxious and
unsettled state of mind among werk
men throughout the country, and that
there had been general demand among
the toilers for concerted political action
at a specific period.
In explaining his attitude in the
recent election, President Gompers de-
clared that there was no foundation for
the report that he was a Democrat. He
said that he had been a Republican at
one time, but that at present he owed
allegiance TO no political party, and
was content TO perform his duty to his
fellow workers without thought or par
tisan alliance.
1t was necessary, he said, to have in
the labor movement men Of all creeds,
and all parties, and the right of the
humblest citizen to vote as he pleased
mast be secretly guarded.
President Gompers made the asser-
ton that iniunetions as issued against
workmen are never applied to or issued
against any other citizen of the coun-
try, and that it had been perverted
from the protection Of property rights
and extended to the invasion Of person
al rights and human freedom.