The Washington herald., 1908-05-08

In q communication written to Repre-
sentative Charles n. Brumm. Of Pennsyl-
vania. by Samuel Gompers, of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. the latter as
sails Speaker Cannon. OF the House Of
Representatives.
The communication is in answer to one
written by Representative Brumm pro-
testing against the proposed early ad-
jourament of Congress. Mr.. Brumm says:
"As it will be impossible 10 act upon
and pass such legislation as is demanded
BY the people and asked for by the Presi-
dent. there is no disgusting the fact that
Speaker Cannon intended to prevent leg
islation on these lines by referring the
Presidents message ana other bills TO the
Congressional crematory. known as the
judiciary Committee"
GOmpeFs' Letter 10 Brumm.
In Mr.. Gompers' reply 10 Representative
Brumm he says:
Mr.. Cannon is the embodiment, and
in himself represents all that is antag-
onistic to the protection and reformatory
legislation demanded by the people Of
our country.
You viii remember that an effort was
made to arouse the Republican members
of this Congress to elect another than
Mr. Cannon as Speaker: you have not
forgotten the gusto with which they
unanimously nominated and then elect
ed him 10 show that man Gompers' that
eef L.=
dence Of all the Republican members OF
Congress.
Holds Cannon Responsible.
These Republican Congressman and
the newspapers which belabored and de-
rided me because I knew the genial
Uncle Joe and the interest for which he
stood can now realize the position In
which labor and the people generally are
placed by Speaker Cannon and his small
coterie of benehciaries: how he packs the
committees and blocks the passage Of
legislation which even Republicans, the
newspapers, and labor. aye, the people
generally, require even for their ordinary
as well as imperative needs.
Protests Against Adjournment.
Aye, with you join in protest against
adjournment Of Congress before these
measures are enacted. There is no rea-
son for adjournment before legislation
for the protection and restoration of nat
ural human rights of the toilers and Of
the people, of which they have been
shOrn by the Interpretation by the courts
OF the Sherman antitrust law; by the
abuse of the benehcent writ of injunc-
tion denying 70 the workers the consti-
tutional right OF equality before the law
Those members who are responsible
for legislation or its failure, who will
vote for adjournment before the enact
ment Of these measures, may imagine
themselves in a FOOLS paradise but I am
quite confident that the people will hold
them responsible for the vote to adjourn.
equally as though they had voted against
the measure to which I refer.
Insists on Legislation.
In the name Of labor, in the interest OF
all our people. we urge and must insist
upon the enactment of the Wilson BILL H
r. 205S4, amending the Sherman antitrust
law; the Pearre bill, H. r. 81. regulating
the issuing of the injunctive writ Of its
original and benefcent purpose; the ex-
tension Of the eight-hour law TO all gov
ernment employees and 70 employees of
contractors or subcontractors performing
work for the government; q general en-
ployers' liability law applicable to all
workers, so Ear as the Federal jurisdie-
tio1 extends.
The above measures are specifically
mentioned because they are some Of the
most important to the needs Of the work
ers Of our country, the workers who by
their very numbers and the service they
render to society are the most important,
necessary, and patriotic citizens of our
republic. and upon whom in the last
analysis must devolve the mission 10
secure. maintain, and perpetuate true
all tine to come.
You know I speak neither as Re
publican. a Democrat. or as a member
Of any other political party. but rather
as the representative OF the organized
wage workers Of America. And il may
perhaps not be amiss TO add that to
large extent the organized labor move
ment represents the hopes and aspira-
tlons of even the unorganized men and
women of labor Nor Is 1t our place TO
state that there is a constantly growing
conviction among a large part of the
thinking men of our country that the
demands which labor makes upon Con-
gress and upon society as a whole,
forms the cogent, reasonable, evolution
airy movement for justice, right, and
progress.
THE toiling masses of our country
and their friends are thinking and pro-
pose TO act more independently. industrl-
ally. and politically than at any time in
the past. They propose TO stand by their
friends and advocates and elect them:
to oppose those who are Indifferent or
hostile TO their interests, rights, and vel
fare and defeat them. And this inde-
pendent thinking and acting applies not
only to candidates for Congress, but to
all who aspire to public preferment.
from candidates for the great office Of
President down"
Only 10 cents a week, delivered at