Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-24
Demand for Favorable Legislation
not Hssdsd By This Congress.
LEADERS DISLIKE SPEAKER CANTON
Now They are Making All Sorts OF
Threats Against "Uncie joe and
other congressman Who Stood IN
Their Way.

WASHINGTON. u. C.. May 23.-
Organized labor has had its troubles
during the present session OF Con-
grcss. .
Notwithstanding the vigorous Ell
forts made by the leaders OF labor
to secure the enactment OF legisla
ton by the Congress, practically very
little has been accomplished. Sam
uel Gompers. president OF the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, and other
important leaders OF organized labor,
have appeared before the committees
of Congress and thundered their
views and their demands: but they
have had little more effect than the
pouring of water on ducks back.
Now. the labor leaders are making
all sorts of threats. Having practi-
cally abandoned hope of getting such
legislation as they want through TINS
Congress. oven at the next session,
thew propose to make all the trouble
they can for the members who have
stood in their way. They particularly
dislike Speaker Cannon. They regard
him as opposed to most of the bills
they desire to have enacted and they
see no prospect that he will let down
the bars In the House to such propos-
ed legislation. They have tried In
times gone by to defeat the speaker
In his own district. but have not been
successful Naturally. in the Circum-
stances, he does not feel especially
friendly towards them. So far as his
own district is concerned. he Is per
fectly willing to take his chances tn
a contest with President Gompers and
his labor followers. satisfied that the
people will do both him apd them
justice at the polls.
Another man the labor leaders
have marked for political slaughter. II
possible Is Representative jenkins.
Of WISCONSIN. Judge Jenkins is the
chairman Of the House Judiciary com
mittee. and has stood firmly AGAINST
certain Legislation which the laoor
people have demanded. Let 1t be IN
derstood that he has taken his stand
on principle and not because OF per
sonal feeling or personal dislike OF
the labor leaders. He simply IS op-
posed to the sort Of legislation urged
BY organized labor.
Substantially the only measures
strongly demanded by the labor
leaders which have been passed al
this session Of Congress Is the en-
ploycrs' liability law and the chiia
labor law for tho District OF Coium-
Fhia. Nothing has been done with
the anti-injunction legislation ana
nothing with the proposed amend
ment to the sherman antitrust act
A good many measures relating to the
operatiop OF railroads. In which the
labor people are Interested. also nave
been nut aside. Notwithstanding the
facts that the President himself Wig
orously urged the>enactment OF sonhe
of this legislation. no action OH ~
could be obtained.
President Gompers believes tha'
the labor forces Of the country no"
are better organized than ever ne
fore, and he. with other leaders. pro
pose to carry their cause to the pois
Tbrouehout the country. In congress
stouaI districts. where they have a
dchtiur chance to win, they are max
ing contests against men Who are op.
posed to them and for men VINO VIII
do what they want done.
Frankly. they have little or no hope
Of defeating Speaker Cannon b"'
they are fighting him. nevtrthe,ess
They do hope, however. that they
NAV he able to bring Influence enough
IN bear upon the next House Of Rep
resenta,jycs to defeat him for the
spcakership. In this effort II Is
known they will have the assistance
of some Republicans who prohap'y
will, he members ~ the House: hui
generally II Is believed that the enor'
vii, 60 the way Of some others they
have made. II Is even now reasona
bly certain that Cannon viii succeed
himself as speaker. unless SOMETHING
extraordinary should happen. Through
the efforts Of organized labor. how
over. some new faces may appear W
the next Congress. but Successor 70
Uncle Joe Cannon will scarcely %
Il among Them