The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-27
FOR INDUSTRIAL FREEDOM.

Workinsmsn to Secure and Maintain
Their Rights Must Disregard Party
Tles--Ths Ballot Box Holds thu
Remedy For injustice.
President Samuel Gompers Is re
ceivlng many communication from
his lleutenants In the states. Cal
Wyatt. general organizer OF the Amer
lean Federation OF Labor. writes from
the field as follows:
"From my observations and inquiries
since the action Of the Democratic con-
vention al Denver ! am strongly IN
cllned to the opinion that large ma
ioriy OF loyal trades unlonlsts VIII sup.
port Dir, Bryan In the coming election,
There "a developing an increasing dis.
position on the part OF the working.
men 10 disregard all party ties and
support more Loyalty their political
friends. This movement is due largely
to the educational work that has been
done through the fundamentally Of
the American Federation Of Labor and
fits leaders. Each new move has been
most bitterly criticised and often pur
posely mlsrepresented by men domi-
mated almost entirely by selfish mo
tiyes. but processing loyalty TO the
cause. These men we now find most
virulently opposing the recommends
tons recently emanatIng from the au.
thorized heads Of the labor movement
through President Gompers. A care
ful analysis Of this class. as represent
ed In the daily press. largely unfrIend-
~, ignores entirely the fact that the
course pursued which eliminated in
the action OF the Denver convention
bad the approval OF accredited repre-
sentatlves Of all international trade
unions In the conference held March
last In washington.
MEN who are partisans and more
loyal TO political parties than they are
to their unions win naturally oppose
the plan proposed by President Com
pers and his colleagues. who have been
exercising their best Judgment and dis
erection to secure the remedies we have
been pleading for at the hands OF GER
tain misrepresentation OF the govern
ment for years past. We have been
tanght to support our accredited repre-
sentatives when thoroughly discussed
and approved policy has been decided
on In our trades unions. For some time
past II has been that fixed policy which
has pushed our movement forward to
its present high standard OF efficiency
and protection Because OF the adverse
criticism and the alarm plainly lndicat-
ed by political leaders. offlceholders
and capitalists and venal press shall
we cease our legitimate efforts to Sc
cure the laws we have been advocating
for years as well as a correction Of GER
tain judicial abuses7
Every influence at our command as
trades unionists was used to induce the
Republican leaders in the last congress
10 amend the Sherman antitrust law,
pass the anti-lnjunction bill and extend
the provisions Of the eight hour law
and protect the lives and limbs Of rail-
road and government employees. Had
these small concessions been made the
fight that Is now on would have been
avoided. We were sneeringiy refused
and told that the controlling party
would assume responsibility for such
action That party has discovered now
q most serious blunder was then made,
little dreaming the demands then re-
fused would be carried to the Chicago
convention Under threat by certain
interests of Withholding large political
contributions labor's demands were lg-
nored, and notice was served that moth
ing could be expected from the Repub-
lican party In the future. The door OF
hope was closed in our face, and we
were told to go and do our worst.