The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-29
Represer
Representative Richardson Get Presidents Horseback
 Modified, But It Is Already
 Done--Bill For Bridge.

Washington, January 2S.- Special )- Samuel Gompers, president of the Amer can Federation of Labor. will issue d 1 statement within few days on the de- cision of the supreme court on the Erd-
 man act, employers liability. and other cases which have recently gone against l labor
 Organized labor has sustained such & 1 series of defeats within a short time as has never been known in this country. The supreme courts conclusion that the 1 Erdman law is unconstitutional is both l the latest and severest blow The dismay of organized labor is only equaled by the exultatlon of the organized employers, 1 who for several years have been meeting the efforts of labor with an opposing or ganized force.
 Mir. Gompers called at the White House this morning. On leaving MT. Gompers was asked for an expression on the recent series of decisions against labor. He de- clined to express himself at this time, but it was plain that to suppress himself re- quired effort.
 "I shall not be dragged into any express 1 sion simply because the public demands It, until I am prepared to say just what | want to say, and in form in which it
 will not be misunderstood" he declared. l MT. Gompers proceeded to catalogue some of the recent decisions in which | labor has sustained defeat. He mentioned 1 the decision of yesterday, which declares l the Erdman act unconstitutional; the de- l cision of few days ago. holding the en- 1 ployers liability law unconstitutional; the | decision in the supreme court of the Dis 1 trict of Columbia against the American | Federation of Labor and MT. Gompers personally, in which the We don't pa l tronize list" published in the organ of the l federation was held to be against the l law; the decision in New York, holding I the bakers 10-hour law unconstitutional; | the decision in the case of the National l Hatters association, and finally the in- | junction issued by Federal Judge Day. l ton in West Virginia, restraining the 1 officers of a labor organization from att l tempting to induce the employees of coal l company to join a union
 l Mir Gompers would do no more than | that they did not make the complete list. | War Claims Allowed. Representative Haskins, chairman of the war claims committee, today intro | duced a bill for the allowance of certain claims passed upon favorably by the court of claims. Among the Alabama benefciaries are the following: J. M- | Thomson of Colbert county, $6s5; Cecilia l Wheat. Macon, $4S90; w. T. Hammer of l Tuscaloosa, sS05; Mary k. Haygood of Lauderdae county. s9oO; Lewis F. Martin | of Limestone county, ssOO; J. P. McClen- I don of Jackson county, s7OO; John c. Me- | Daniel of Cleburne county, s7eo; J. c. Ma son of Limestone county s3990; J. W. Nit | chell of Jackson county, s299: James A. Paulk of Bullock county, s3SsO; K. B. Roberson of St. Clair county, s12s0: Charles O. Rolfe of Morgan county, s2ssO. Order Is Modified. Representative Richardson of Alabama recently introduced bill restricting the | sweeping terms of the Presidents horse- back order. He has been informed by Secretary Taft that it will be unneces- sary to press the bill, as the Presidents notifications of the order are In line with the measure proposed by MT. Rich ardson.
 Representative Hef1in of Ala bama, with MT. Bryan will be among the speakers at the democratic club of Delaware, at Wilmington, next Friday night Repre- sentative Hefn has introduced bill tabishing a fish hatchery at Prattvile. Ala.
 Bill For a Bridge. Senator Johnston today called up and had passed Representative Claytons bill ~.-t~- the court of county commissioners of Geneva county, Alabama, to construct a bridge across the Choctawha tchee river near Jones old ferry. The bill is before the President and will be approved this week
 the state of Alabama, the location to be
 decided upon by the commissioner of fish cries, has passed the Senate. It was in-
 troduced by Senator Johnston.
 Bill To Aid Negro Fair.
 Representative Taylor of Alabama has
 by request introduced a bill appropIiat-
 ing S250.000 to the national negro fair, to
 be held at Mobile. Ala, this fall. The
 exhibition is for the purpose of making
 an exhibit of the progress and civilization .,
 of the negro race in the United States.
 The money is to be paid to George w.
 Sims and A. J. Sager, after investiga-
 tion by the Attorney General. The fair
 is to be closed on Sundays and no in
 toxicating liquors are to be allowed on
 the grounds.
 Oates Accepts Place.
 Governor Oates has taken possession of
 his office at the war department and
 has actively entered upon the duties of
 his position-the ommissionership to
 mark the graves of the Confederate dead
 The governor will leave for Montgomery
 tomorrow, but shortly will return to
 Washington, his permanent headouartsruv
 w .. !