The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-11-14
President Gompers Stands Firm
ly on His Political Attitude
During Campaign.
RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH
MUST NOT BE DENIED
Country Cannot Afford to Main
tain a Permanent Army Of
the Unemployed.

DENVER. Nov. 12.-1n his address
before the American Federation Of
Labor, President Gompers handled the
subject Of organized labor's attitude
without gloves ,and showed clearly
that he does not regret a single move
he made In support of William Jen-
nIngs Brvan.
Touching upon the labor-poNtico sit
nation. Gompers said in part
FINDING the majority in congress
Indifferent and inimical to our griev-
ances the campaign was undertaken
to secure the election Of men true to
labor land the defeat of our most con-
spfcuous opponents. Several of those
hostile to labor's interests were de-
feated, the majority in congress In
1906 was reduced fully one-half, and
the majority of those of our opponents
elected heavily cut down.
'The campaign inaugurated by la
Dor in 1906, being the first conspicu-
GUS effort to punish labor's enemies
at the polls Increased their anger and
aggravated their antagonism. The
speaker. who had packed committees
any other real reform legislation, was
brazenly reelected, and to accentuate
his bitter and relentless determine
tion to block effective legislation, he
so appointed his committees as to
make absolutely sure Of the oimpossi-
bility Of having bills Objectionable to
him and the interests he represents
from even being reported for the con-
sideration of congress.
In following that vindictive policy,
he punished the representatives in
congress-. MIR. Pearre, who had the
courage to re1ntroduce our bill to
regulate the issuance of the injunction
writ and to prevent its abuse. Speak
ers Cannon refused to reappoint Mr..
Pearre as a member of the judiciary
committee "a committee upon which
he had served asbay and ~eonsptcuouslY
intwo preceding congresses: - u .
Free Speech Denied.
'Injunctions continued to be issued
In CONSTANT ynore aggravated form,
until the injunction was issued by JUS
tice Gould, Dec. 1S. 1907, against the
more than two million members Of the
organizations Of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor, as well as against
the executive council. Free speech and
free press were denied and then fol-
lowed the supreme court decision in
the Danu'bury Hatters' case, CHASING
our unions as trusts, corporations, mo-
nopolies, conspiracies and combina-
tions in illegal restrain Of trade, with
all the liabilities of three-fold dam
ages, fines of $4,000, and Imprisonment
for year.
when the events recorded, and 9TH
ers too numerous to mention trans
pired, they developed and eliminated
into an acute state of feeling among
the workers of the country. The
right Of exercising the peaceful, nor
NAL an dnatural activities of the
workers was outlawed, the very exist
constitutional rights Of fre speech and
free press were invaded and denied,
and the hostile frame Of mind of con-
gress clearly emphasized.
"At this time came demands from
our fellow workers all over the coun-
try, in the form Of resolutions and
otherwise, all Of them urging that q
definite course be pursued by our Fed
GRAFTON relative to the new conditions
which had arisen.
THE adverse decisions and injunc-
tions of courts and the hostility OF
congress created an unsettled and
anxious state Of mind among our fel-
low workers throughout the country
A number Of central bodies adopted
resolutions demanding that the execu-
tive council call a mass convention to
= take political action In some form or
other, and declaring that in the event
that this was not done by a specific
date they would themselves inaugu-
rate such a movement. The greater
number, however, expressed their de-
votion to our movement by declaring
themselves willing to follow whatever
couse upon which the executive coun-
Gil of the American Federation of La
Dor might decide
:& Democrats Willing.
THE leaders of the minority. party
in congress declared their Willingness
and their purpose unitedl yto aid the
majority or any part OF the majority
to-. enact the legislation which labor
asked; but the members of the domin-
ant party in congress had set their
hearts like flint they had no ears to
hear mo patience to heed any claim
argument or appeal involving the prin-
ciples OF equal rights to equality be-
xEore the law or of the liberty Of the
z workers on a par with other citizens
Of our country. 49,
# Congress adjourned with the defiant
declaration Of one of the Republican
leaders in congress, and recent candi-
i aates OF that party for the vice presiy
Il aency, James S. Sherman, b that the
Republican party is responsible fol
legislation or for the failure Of legis-
lation.' and that he and X his party
were willing to assume the responsi-
bility. II; ~; y S%. e,+Ss s@133 @13, :, 4 4
.$s IN s'ssWherl congress adjourned. ii after so
.sshamelesslyr refusing u to accord ~ the
Continued on page s. II q. !55 |f