Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-10-16
LABOR HITS GOMP[RS
His Letter Appealing for Bryan
Funds Bitterly Assailed
by Unionists
REFUSE PLEA FOR MONEY
Indications Are That Gompers' Effort
to Swing Labor Vote Will Result in
Dismal Falure-New York Labor
Leaders Discuss and Condemn His
Action.
REFUSE PLEA FOR MONEY

President Samuel Gompers, Of the
American Federation of Labor, in send
ing a circular letter to the various un-
ions turnout the country appealing for
money with which Ito help the friends
and defeat the enemies Of labor'-in
other words, to support William Jen-
nings Bryan and oppose William IA.
Taft for the presidency-is being con-
demned bitterly by labor men in this
city OFFICERS of the various loca's
in New York attack Gompers because
of the covert manner in which he is
seeking to raise funds to participate in
the political campaign when the chief
principle of the labor organization Is
to keep free of political alliances They
are bitter, against him because of his
apparent desire to influence every
member Of the union to vote for Bry-
an, and they are frank in saying that
he never has, and never can, deliver a
single vote besides his own against
Taft.
trail Federated Union which is the
central organization of the unions all
lied with the American Federation of
Labor. is convincing that Gomper's am
biton to swing the labor vote will re-
suit in dismal failure. They resent
the interference of the labor leader and
many Of them say that because of that
attempt at political domination they
will show their independence by voting
for Taft. Many Of the delegates to the
central local organization have been
directed to announce that the mem
bers of their local union are opposed
to political manipulations by labor and
they will not contribute dollar to-
ward Gomper's fund They served no.
tice to that effect at weekly meet
ing.
Unions Refuse Gompers' Plea.
The result of the Vaccinations of
Gompers and his efforts to use sledge
hammer methods to whip the laboring
men into line for Bryan will be that
the workingmen will vote strictly ac-
cording to the dictates of their con-
science Republican union men are
fighting stanchly for Taft and be-
cause VI STDlIlpci IiCShO0S nav Woi
democrats to their side. James r.
Ryan, delegate to the c. II. U. from the
Photo Engravers' Union No. l, who has
been bitterly opposed to the PROPOSE
ton of the central body in concurrinS
with the burden of the letter sent out
by Gompers. said that his union would
not contribute a dollar to Gompers'
fund.
"Adherents of Gompers. said he.
''are seeking to show that the repub-
lican party never has enacted legisla-
ton in answer to the request of the
labor unions In the last two years,
since Governor Hughes has been in Of
flee, the federated unions have made
many appeals to the state legislature
for laws, and practically every one OF
their appeals has been answered. Un-
der the guidance of Governor Hughes
the state legislature has enacted more
laws aiding labor than all the previous
legislatures put together
Democratic Party Never Helped Labor.
81 know as a fact that mighty few
organizations will vote a cent toward
the Gompers fund. My organization
will not give anything"
Alfred j. Boulton, leading member
of the stereotypers union, said that
his union would not take any action on
the circular. II fought for Bryan in
1885, he said, but I am against him
this year The democratic party never
has done anything for the laboring man
when in power. No party ever has
promised more and done less, and no
party has less claim upon the support
of laborers than has the democratic
party. If when the democrats were in
power the plutocrats of this country
ever were denied anything. should like
to know what that one thing is. The
leaders of the democratic party have
betrayed the masses and now Bryan is
seeking to harmonic the forces that
plumber and are plundered, but he will
fail miserably. The people who are
lined up behind him now are those who
have plundered the laboring people,
Albert Abrahams, of the Pressmens
union, asked this question: Whats the
use of the laboring men contributing a
few thousand dollars to the democratic
party when that party will get hun
dreds of thousands of dollars. if not
millions, from the Standard Oil COM
pdlV AQOlpn hfleSeF, OF local NO
4T6, United Brotherhood of Carpenters
and Joiners. is bitterly opposed to the
action of Gompers. Elias Wolf, of the
Cigarmallers' union No. 80, said: sIt
other unions are fools enough to get
money for Bryan my union won't"
Says Union Won't Vote for Bryan.
Morris Brown said: Il am always
man enough to oppose any attempt by
the American Federation of Labor to
pledge its members to any political
party I have positive evidence that
Gompers advocated abolition of the
government injunction plank and now
wants labor to vote for the weak in
junction plank of the democratic party
which never can be put into force De-
spite the requests of Gompers the
working people never will vote for Bry-
an.
Victor Bullr. member of the Anal
gamated Painters. said The cheap
est painters are being employed fol-
contracts given out by the democratic
politicians of this city. The democratic
politicians fill the taXicabs. driven by
strike breakers, with police while a lit
tie boy gets shot TO death
HOBO LEFT $4,000; HAS HOTEL