New-York tribune., 1908-08-24
GOMPERS TURNS TRICK
WINS POINT FROM c. T. Z,
Gets Bryan Circular adopted After
Painting Ont Bryanism.

Selecting time when the attendance at the
meeting of the Central Federated Union was
bound to be very slim, the supporters of Pres
ident Gompers of the American Federation OF
Labor managed to arrange that his circular ask
ing for contributions to aid in Supporting the
friends and defeating the enemies Of labor IN
the political campaign should be sprung at the
meeting of the Central Federated Union yester-
dav. 1t was well known by GOmpers. who
suddenly appeared at the meeting unannounced,
and his supporters. that the Eccentric Ffremen's
Union was holding its picnic and games at Celtic
Park yesterday and that, as some of the members
of the American Olympic athletic team were 10
take part in the contests many delegates would
be absent
Despite the shrewd move of bringing up the
question a slimly attended meeting, the
question failed OF passing until Mr. Gompers
had told the delegates that they need not fear
committing the organization to the Democracy,
as there was nothing in the circulars that could
be construed into such action. But some of
the delegates got together after the meeting
s,5 st their conference one remarked. Gold
brickedr, And even after this retreat there
ras a fierce fight, the circulars being indersed
only after a fierce debate, in which one OF the
delegates said hat the sending out of the cir
cular at all savored of treachery to the unions
There were two circulars, on blue paper
and the other on white, but they were lndis-
criruinately referred to as the circular Inc
white circular was strong Endorsement OF the
,>a.,ocratic narty as the friend of labor and as
strong a denunciation OF the Republican party
# said that the Democratic party granted ali
that labor demanded in its platform, Whlie the
Republican party ignored all demands.
II declared that the Republican party def
niteIv lined I'D with the corporate interests or
the country and defed the people TO help them-
selves. and then said of the Democratic party;
The Democratic party indorses labors demands ~
and pledges Itself to carry them i'U @ 70 make
The choice which is in accordance with the best
aer9sss th sS of of labor and their friends do their
duty they will have TO reckon with even "oiSo
condition of affairs than now optilh-
The labor planks Of the Democratic party ara
given at length. and declared to be placed the
Democratic platform IN response to labor's de-
mands. The workers are then urged to study the
two platforms and vote "as their conscience dc
tates"
The blue circular asking for campaign con-
tributicns carefully evades all reference to po-
utical parties, but asks that the union men sup
mort the friends of labor and try to defeat the
enemies OF labor at the polls Inc suppoSeu
enemies of labor indicated very pidlliy IN
the white circular the Republicans, ana the
snnnosed friends OF labor as the Democrats.
signed by Gompers and the executive council or
the American Federation OF Labor, were sent
together to the chiefs of the natlonat unions ana
were sent together to the Central Federateo
Union. They are therefore. practically the one
circular and though the delegates who voted
Yesterday for ~the circular did so on the under-
standing that they were not committing the
hody to any political party, they were virtually
hoodwinked into indorsng the Democratic party.
irIo q
party.
When the actual vote taken very few per-
sons were in the hail. as a number of the dele
gates had become tired and had gone away.
when Gompers was spied and escorted TO the
niatform he declared that his appearance there
Was a coincidence No one had expected him,
and he was supposed to be in Washington.
In the debate the first opponent of the cir
culars which were referred to as THE circu-
lar" was Morris Brown. of Cigarmakers' Union
144. of New York. of which Gompers is a charter
member He said he regarded the circular as a
call on the unions support the Democratic
party.
"On that account" he said. "1 enter protest
against this body indorsing any party. My
union turned it down, only one man voting for
it. IL the unions go into politics 1t will be
against the policy OF the American Federation
of Labor. 1 regard the Democratic party In its
attitude TO labor more contemplate even tnan
the Repub can party"
A number of others spoke and there was
great deal of firing. Then Gompers took
the floor and said he came to the Central Fed
Grated Union meeting because he happened to
be In the city, and he wanted to thank the Cen
tral Federated Union for inviting him to address
the unions Labor Day. He was sorry. how
ever, that he could not do so as he had received
about two hundred invitations. One of these
was from Danvie, ILL.,. which he would accept
1.-The reason 1 going there" he said. lis
because st is in the district now msrepresented
by Joe Cannon. (Applause) There is nothing
in the circular that is not in line with what you
have heen doing all along, and am surprised
and panied at the suggestion of treachery. The
circular does not commit the labor unions TO
the Democratic party in any way.