Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-12
CANNON ANSWERS GOMPERS
Speaker Opens His Campaign for Re-
election at His Home Town.
LABOR ISSUES ARE DISCUSSED
Attention of Union Men Called to Diff
ference in Labor Laws in DEM
Ocratic and Republican
States.
.ABoR ISSUES ARE DISCUSSED

DANVILLE, Ill. Sept. n.-Speaker j.
G. Cannon last night opened the campaign
for reelection to congress in his home
town. Almost his entire address of nearly
two hours was devoted to the labor ques-
ton. He paid his respects to Samuel Com
pers, president of the American Federation
of Labor, who spoke here on Labor day
and attacked Mr.. Cannon, inviting union
~workingmen to vote against him.
MT. Cannon plainly said he would never
vote in congress for the boycott and some
other things demanded by Gompers, in
GLIDING an anti-injunction law that would
make fish of one and fowl OF another.
Mr.. Cannon was greeted by an audience Of
5000. He was escorted from his home to
the theater by the Cannon Escort club, an
organization that has taken an active part
in every campaign here for twenty years.
Speaker Cannon said I'M part;
1 appeal from Mr.. Gompers'
domination Of myself and others in con-
body Of fair-minded men, unionized for
the lettering of their condition, who would
scorn to ask legislation for themselves diff
ferent from that which applies to all other
citizens.
Mr.. Gompers has heretofore waged his
war against individuls, but now he seeks
~V virtue or his ~reat power over the nom
partisan organization OF which he is head
to place its membership IN the attitude OF
voting for and supporting Mr.. Bryan,
Gompers' success, the republic is TO be
brought under the domination of Mr..
Byan's policies which | believe to be de-
structlve to the best interests of the Ameri-
can people.
Mr.. Cannon then referred TO his opponent,
Mr.. Bell, and noticed that Mr.. Bell APP
proved Mr.. Gompers in order to gain the
labor leaders support. Mr.. Cannon then
turned to his support of the especial friends
of labor. He pointed out that John Sharp
Williams had said that a party's record
consisted not alone of its platform declara-
tons, but of its actions. Mr.. Cannon asked
what the democratic party had done for
labor. He said that Of the statutes for the
benefit of labor, the most had been passed
when the republicans were in control. lie
cited mary labor laws passed by the re-
publicans.
Look to the Record.
If the working man wants u further
Illustration, said Mr.. Cannon, as to where
labor laws have been enacted let him 20
over labor legislation of our states. He
will find them most effective where re-
publicans have been in control. 1t is
from the south that some of the COM
plants Of copvlet labor conflieting with
for laborers, of long hours for the laborer,
without regulation, and also of child la
wi. a. AhN patty 5AOAlQ
come into control of the federal govern
ment 1t would be the members from the
south who would control the democratic
PARTY IN the house and senate. just as
since the civil war. There has not
been for many years a democratic speaker
who did not come from the south and
there win not be a democratic speaker
in the near future whose election will
not be dictated from the south. fhis is
not said for the purpose Of drawing
sectional lines, but TO show that a demo
cratic congress will l~egislate in harmony
| with the NlaUyE Of IhA T0a 4nEifN IN ma
jority caucus and that majority from the
Organized labor has it's strength in the
north and west and II has secured legis-
lation as already enacted by the repuDii-
can party, nation and state. If organ
ICED labor accepted the professed friend
snip OF the democratic party as genuine
II Will need appeal to democrats In con
gress, who give much heed to the APP
organized labor has never been influential
enough to procure satisfactory laws,
bryan ana HIS HeIrShip.
Mr.. Cannon then took up the claim OF
Mr.. Bryan to the heirship TO the political
republican administration. He was
amazed that Mr.. Bryan could FIND any
similarity between himself and President
Roosevelt He went on to point out the
various great and good things that Roose-
Welt had started or finished during his
administration and pointed out that Bryan
had been opposed 10 Mr.. Roosevelt on
every issue that had arisen in this coun.
try. He said that Mr.. Roosevelt had eve,
been distinguished by his nervous energy
in doing things, while Mr. Bryan hal
fought the dragons of his own haIlucina.
ton as valiantly as any knight OF old
ana been as devoted a crusader as Dor
Quixote. but he had never shown any In.
herited qualities that would Justify his