Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1908-10-27
GOMPERs MAKES REPLY.
Answers Presidents Statements
In Letter to Knox.
EXECUTIVE IS ARRAIGNED
Head of American Federation OF La
Dor Severely Takes to Task What
He Desgnates a Change of Front
on the Part of Mr.. Roosevelt.

tor Knox in reference to the applica-
ton OF the writ of injunction in labor
disputes, Samuel Gompers, president
OF the American Federation of Labor,
in a statement just issued, severely ar
raigns the president for what he terms
a change of position of at least APP
parent friendship to bitter, indefensi.
BILE antagonism."
ut has been my pleasure" says Mr.
Gompers, to have often had the priv
ilege of discussing with President
Roosevelt number of fundamental
questions of right, justice and moral
and social uplifting. Including these
discussions were the invasion of per-
sonal rights and human liberty by the
courts in the injunction abuse. 1t is
true that the president has not al.
ways fully agreed with my conten-
tions, but he has never. until the pub
LEGATION of his latest utterance, even
limited. much less charged. that any.
thing that we advocated was lawless,
unfeeling. despotic, brutal or wicked ;
and yet the rights for which the work.
ers of our country contend, which |,
as best | can, defend and advocate,
have been so well known to him du.
ring the past several years as they are
when he now so unjustifiedly under.
takes TO misrepresent my work, my
motives and my law-abiding citizen.
ship. Surely that opinion was not al
ways entertained by the president.
Mr. Gompers says that last Febru.
airy he sent Mr.. Roosevelt an issue
of the American Federationist, in
which he published the chapter, Some
Equivocal Rights of Labor" from
George A. Ayers book, Moral Over.
strain"
The chapter of the book" Mr. Com,
pers says, is as keen a criticism Of
the courts OF the country in their de
cisions affecting the rights and liberty
of the workers as anything have ever
said or written. The president, in ac
kwonledging receipt OF the article,
sent the following:
White House, Washington, ID. c.,
Jan. 81, 190S.-My Dear Mr.. Gompers
You may be amused to know that
have sent copies of the Moral Over
strain to Justices Day and McKenna
! am glad that you were able to use
II In the American Federationist. and
/ thank you for sending me a copy of
the magazine. Sincerely yours, =
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
''The fact of the matter is" Mr.
Gompers declares. that President
Roosevelt, having made Injunction
Judge Taft the candidate of the Re
| publican party for president, and see
ing that the labor vote which so Of
ten has been corraled, diverted anC
perverted by the politicians, is now
aroused and determined to deliver II:
own vote that the tolers will not BIZ
i caioled. deceived or browbeaten, hal
become desperate and angry, and il
his anger, by the worst exhibition o
demagogism, tried to instill into thu
employers and business men the fea
that their property and business are
I'm danger if a square deal, implied
BY equality before the law and hu
man freedom are accorded to thu
workers with all the other citizens
1t is an exhibition of impotent rage
and disappointment and an awful de
scent from the dignity of the high OF
flee OF the president of the United
States. None but himself will be de
ceived as TO the purpose Of Mr.. Roose
welt.
The workers and liberty-loving cit
i2ens are aroused as never before
| 10 Of N
is again taken up. Then it was fo
the Union and abolition of black slav
ery: today it is for the Union, equa
rights and freedom for all"
Mr. Gompers insists that the pres
ident makes a direct and specific at
tack upon labor" in his letter TO Sen
ator Knox.
The pretense that the attack il
made upon me is too thinly yelled t
deceive any one" he adds, He strikes
over my shoulder at the hearts of thu
great rank and file of the workers
and other liberty-loving citizens of on
| country. So far as | am concerned
have neither the inclination nor th'
desire to bask in the sunlight of Pres
ident Roosevelts benevolent assimila
ton by which he placates some b,
the big stick browbeats others, ant
by his sophistry hopes to fool thu
masses into supporting Injunction
Judge Taft
President Roosevelt says that Sen
ator Knox has a peculiar right to dis
cuss the principles involved in injunc
tions. because he, as attorney general
prosecuted civil suit for damages
TO an injured workman. That Senator
Knox was the special counsel of the
PENNSYLVANIA railroad and of the Unit
ed States Steel corporation would in.
deed qualify him to discuss the in
| junction abuse, but certainly only
from the viewpoint of the friends of
corporations who profit by the abuse
of the Injunction writ as it brings adj
vantage and profit to corporate greed
and power.
'Tf the courts have not invade hui
man liberty; If they have not under
taken to protect corporate interests
TO the detriment of the people, why
does President Roosevelt characterize
Judge Grosscup's reversal Of Judge
Lands s29.000,O0O fine upon the
Standard Oil trust as "a gross miscar'
riage of justice?