The Washington times., 1908-10-20
National Labor Tribune De-
clares Federation President
Is No Labor Leader.
POLITICS HIS FINISH,
SAYS THE EDITOR
Publication Insists Usefulness of
Man Who Is Working for
Bryan Is Ended.

Mr.. Gompers is no longer a trades
union leader. He Is simply a Demo-
cratic party politician. and has ended
his usefulness TO the union cause
These two brief sentences are, with
many others OF a similar VEN. contained
In A long editorial. printed In the Ma
tional Labor Tribune. one Of the most
powerful and influential labor papers II,
the United States.
The editorial IS one Of the most scatb-
ing criticisms Of President Gcnpers.
that has been printed, and II comes
from the labor journal of the Miners
ana Steel Workers Of Pennsylvania For
weeks. the American Federation Of La
for, by direction CT President Gompers.
has made every effort to swing the
miners vote solidly into the Democratic
column. More attention has been paid
TO the miners than to any other organ
ization, and for several weeks. hundreds
Of special organizers for the American
Federation have been IN the mine fields
trying 70 turn the vote Of the wage
earners Of the mines and the iron and
steel industries
Is Opposed TO Bryan.
The National Labor Tribune IS openly
anti-Bryan, and has denounced par
iisan politics. The Tribune's circulation
is confined 10 the mine field. and lie
factories Of PiJtsburg, where President
Gomperc is directing his heavy artil-
Iery.
There are labor leaders and labor
leaders. Some of them seem 20 think
that they are beng paid their salaries
for political services. Others are at
tending strictly 20 the proper business
Of their organizations. and il Is our eX-
perienCe that any one OF them can md
plenty 20 employ all his time N the lat
Ter capacity. As a rule, the leader who
pays the least attention 10 politics Is
the one whose organization is in the
best condition 10 take care Of the wage
and other interests Of it's members II
there are any exceptions 10 this rule.
none Of them has come to our atten-
ton
"Thomas /. Lewis, national president
OF the United Mine WORKERS or Amer
lea, offers the union labor OF the coUn-
try a refreS hing contrast with Samuel
GOmpers. Mr. GOmpers IS no longer a
| trades union leader. He is simply a
! Democratic party politician. and has
ended his usefulness to the union cause
Should Get Reward
IF his candidate, Mr.. Bryan. wins. ne
VIII no doubt reward Mr.. GoInpers with
4 a fat berth for his endeavorS to lead
/ the American Federation OF Labor into
/ the Democratic camp On the other
hand, if Mr.. Bryan loses, Mr.. Gompers
/ next big fight Will be to save his own
| bacon His partiss activity has 80
weakened his prestiga and his power fol
good that for the I rst time IN years
| there may be a serious movement al tho
| Ifcderation's annual convention to elect
! some Other man president. II ldr. Lewis
! could not be induced to accept the post
the anti GOmpeTs element in the organ
\ iZatiOn ought TO secure as q candidate
| some man Of his type
| Mr. Lewis shows his superior calibel
! by sending out 10 the United Min,
! Workers a circular that Mr.. CiOmperi
4 can read with profit II refuses TO in
Gorse any political party OF candidate
/ although It IS generally understood II a
favor Of the election Of Taft He keep
his personal preferences TeliEiOusly II
the background, however, while he &
| speaking in his official capacity. An,
that Is what Samuel Gompers woul,
have done had he been as wise as Mr.
Lewis.
Luck May Save It.
If the Federation OF Labor is no
lhOpelessIy disorganized by Mr. Gompers
partisanship. ii VIII be sheer good lucl
and by no means good management an,
Judgment. The notice thaU Mr.. Levi
serves that the Uritcd Mine Worker
are not a partisan organization show
how little success Mr. GOmperS IS hav
ing ia his Bryan crusade. AS most o
our readers are aware, the United Min
Workers are by far the largest an
most powerful organization in the fe1
ieration.'