The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-06-18

an end, the representatives of
organized labor are casting over
their accounts and are discovering
that they received little consider
alton since the first Monday in
December. They have been able
to accomplish little in the way of
getting the legislation they have
urged congress to enact. In the
most important matters which they
have asked at the hands of con-
gress they have apparently mad
no progress says the Minnesota
| Union Advocate.
The legislation that organized
labor has gotten in the course of
this session consists chiefly Of the
enactment of new employers
liability law and a child labor bill
for the District of Columbia.
When it comes to anti-iniunc-
tlon legislation and passage of an
elght-hour law, no progress has
been mape. The bill relating to
convict made goods was not enact
ed. All of the efforts Of President
Gompers of the American Feder.
alton of Labor and all the thun-
ders of the president in his special
messages on anti-injunction legisla-
tion have not availed. Congress
has not budged an inch, and it is
hard to see that the prospects are
any brighter for anti-injunction
legislation of the sort organized
labor wants than they were when.
the session opened.
No signs appear that this con-
gress, which will exist until March
4, 1909, will do anything on anti
injunction matters unless it is of
sort that fails to meet the sane
tion of organized labor The
opinions OF members of congress
on the subject are SO various that
it would be an extremely difficult
matter to get anything agreed to,
even if the committees could be
induced to act favorably. 1t is
now thoroughly realized that when
the president was seeking to drive
congress to do something on the
question by belaboring it with
special messages he was engaged in
hopeless task so far as this ses-
sion and probably this congress
was concerned.
Representatives of labor futher-
more have practically given up
hope of getting any anti-inj JUNCTION
legislation that will approximate
what they want so long as Speaker
Cannon is head Of the house.
They say so frankly. The speak
er they regard as hostile to most
of the things they want, and they
see no prospect he will get more
lenient toward them. The only
particular in which they calculate
they have gained important ground
this session, save in respect to the
passage Of the bills already men
toned, is the fact that public sen
timent, as they believe, has been
stirred to a considerable extent in
their favor by the presidents
message.
They consider that the labor
forces of the country are more unit,
ed more organized in the movement
to get the legislation they want,
and they are getting in shape to
make themselves felt as more OF
a force at the polls than they have
ever been in preceding elections.
They are working hard to organize
for the congressional elections, as
well as the nominations. This is
being done all over the country in
districts where organized labor has
any strength. 1t has been going
on for weeks.
AS in the case of two years ago,
: certain members are especially
marked for the political slaughter
One of them is Representative
jenkins of Wisconsin, chairman OF
: the house judiciary committee
commonly referred to as the
"morgue'' of the house. Judge
jenkins is as roundly disliked by
the labor leaders as Speaker Can
non. The difference is that Mr.
!, Cannon appears to be invulnerabl,
in his own district, whereas Judg,
jenkins is being strongly opposed
| by 1. l.. Lenroot. ex speaker o
the Wisconsin house, aud one o
La Toilette right-hand men
Next to sending the speaker him
self unhorsed, the labor leader