Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-10-27
Union Official Replies to Gompers.
[open letter to Gompers by prominent official
of La bor.1

The recent position taken by the
parent organization OF labor in the
United States, or. rather. some of It's
1 leaders, as the endorsing of democracy
has called forth no little comment from
the union. as we'll as the non-union
| workers. The executive council of the
| American Federation Of Labor was rep
resented at both the conventions OF
the two great parties. and
while some seemed to think
the republican platform was
In full retreat Of labors demands I
think the democratic platform was only
used as a snare to catch few inno-
cent voters.
We can only profit in the future by
what we know of the past. and the
records Of the past will always bear
witness of the future. will herein
show what has been going on in the
democratic south In as brief q way as
possible. both In legislative and in
a union way. We hear at this time
all about what the Bryan democracy
Will do II placed in power. but we hear
very little OF what this same brand Of
democracy has done In what they are
pleased to term the solid south think
the labor leaders and the editors of
trade union journals are sadly wrong
and are misleading their following
when they make no mention Of what
this always promising democracy has
done for labor in the south where it
has reigned supreme.
Note the peonage system In the tur-
pentine and lumber camps Of Florida;
the convict laws Of Georgia: Corners
unfriendiness to unionism In Alabama
during the recent coal strike.
If the democratic party were friendly
to labor, does anybody believe that
during the last half century it could
not have shown that friendliness some
what more than 1t has?
During. that period 1t has frequently
had control of congress. Was there any
reason at such times why it would not
have passed legislation in the interest
of labor? 1t has now 1874 men in con-
gress, who are largely antagonistic to
labor.
The democrats have been in control
in the south almost continuously for a
years. Nearly all the northern
states have passed limited eight hour
law. For all those engaged in public
work the hours are generally limited
according TO this trade union demand.
Not a single one of the far southern
states has ever recognized such legis-
lation
In Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas
only the work on public highways is
limited to eight hours, while West
Virginia is alone in having general |
law
The national child labor committee
has made extraordinary effort to get I
he southern democrats to pass anti
child labor bills. The effort has met
with little success. The democratic
friends of labor who rule the south will ;,
not even lessen their grip upon weak
and HELPLESS children.
Alabama has a law prohibiting boy
,ottng and it and other southern
states have enacted laws prohibiting
or any conspiracy of
to interfere with non-un-
on workingmen.
A number of northern states have
avs prohibiting an employer from
,xacting an agreement from an en-
,loye not to join union, but in all the
outhern states there is not a single
UGH measure.
1 will agree to take the labor legisla-
ion of the south and match every la
,or law tn be found there with two
more important measures from the Ia
or Legislation Of autocratic Russia.
They say the hot bed of Organism is
n the south. The permanent chair
nan of the convention was the most
democrat in Alabama. Well.
the Legislation of the south is a good ]
oS what enthusiastic Bryan {
les can do when they are in power.
hen God save this country from the
'ryanites.
After a two months heroic struggle {
he coal miners of Alabama are COM
elled to accept 25 per cent reduc- l
ion in wages and return to the old
ystem of servitude which is far worse {
nan the slavery in the gold and silver
lines in ancient Rome and Greece of I
-hich we find striking description in {