The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-12-12
.LABOR|NC CLASS
STUDY POLITICS
ARE TAKING AN INTEREST IN
SAME WITH REFERENCE TO
THEIR OWN GOOD.

studying politics with reference to
their own good. more cl scly than
ever before. II will be- remembered
that Samuel Gompers. prcsiden, of
the American Federation OF Labor,
has always taken keen interest
iu politics without allgning himself
with any political party. Mr.. Com
pcrs appeared before the national
republican convention with some
demands which were backed by the
labor organizations of the nation.
and which they believed would in.
urc to the benefit of labor The re-.
publican national convention summa.
rily turned the resolutions down. well
knowing that If they adopted them
That they sacrificed the influence
Of the "narell" MIR Gompers then
took his demands before the demo.
cratic convention at Denver, where
nearly all Of them were incorporated
in the democratic platform. This
certainly proved to the laboring clc.
ment that the democratic party was
their friend and the republican par.
ty the reverse
The laboring people Of the state
of Oklahoma. while not as closely
organized as In many other states.
reduced their demand {. writing.
presenting them first to the constitu.
tional convention where practically
an of them were incorporated in the
organic law. Those that were not
rut In the constitution were enacted
hy the first and second legislatures
ANA are now part of our statutes
The labOring people OF the state
of oklahoma are perfectly satisfied
with the treatment accorded them
by the democratic party and. un.
der no circumstances. would they
be- ungratcml enough to vote the
.rpublican ticket against the dcmc.
cratic ticket
The socialist party has been max.
ing much effort to gain the labor
vote Of the state. Whether or not
their claims are justified Is mat
ter for each laborcr to decide
Whether he east aside party now
dominating the state which has ac-
ccdod to every demand that he has
ever made. in favor vi a party that
can only promise without any chance
at fullillment party which. If
it causes any change in the political
situation, will be to dntach enough
strength from the democratic party
To elect the republican ticket. would
I appear To be a matter not difficult
q decide The lahorcrs of Oklahoma
well know that a socialist gain
would mean republican gain. They
know that republican gain. or
republican victory would mean the
enactment of laws beneficial to the
special interests and that such laws
4 necessarily operate against organized
labor.
In a recent article written BY
Samuel Gompers and published in
Mctmrc's Magazine he said
Organized labor In America has
been pressed hard in the last year.
II must defend itself and is pre-
pared to d so. 1t personally kept
away from politics--in spite of many
I inducements to enter in But rs head
of two million working-men of the
Federation of Labor. | have been
compelled To make cur demands for
recognition on the national political I
parties. The republican convention
rcpulscd us the democrats made |
us liberal concessions, have never F.
made the slightest attempt to die. F.
tate the vote OF the membership of
the Federation OF Labor. But what.
ever may happen in the coming elec.
tion or in the coming congress the /
progress OF organized labor will not
be checked, II includes today at
. ''''' -' l'A N'ul VI the ltDOlRfN
and clerks who do not lend them.
selves To organization The working
iu"n constitute the vast majority OF
the people in the world; gradually
they viii become fully organized:
gradually they will he economically
educated by the great cducatiye
force OF labor organizations, and H.
nally they will take over the power
of government | am not a socialist:
| believe that economic doctrine TO
be- thoroughly unsound"
Samuel Gompers is man who
has w.thstood every indignity and
hardship incident to upholdmg the
banner OF organized labor What
party do you suppose he would af
tiliatc with II he WAS an Oklahoma