The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-02-12

the meeting Of this body In Cleveland
In 1857 a new similar organization was
also in session. Committees were ap
pointed TO confer with each other from
the " meetings, with the result that
the two joined hands and formed the
American Federation Of Labor, electing
Mr.. Gompers president by IA unanimous
vote. Mr.. Gompers has filled the Office
Of president of the American Fedora
tion VI Labor ever since, with the eS.
ception of the year 1894, when the So
cialist element in the trade union move.
mcnt brought about his defeat. The
convention Of 1895 re elected him by
aeclamation and has done 50 year after
year cver since.
one of the most interesting things
about Mr.. Gompers has been the stub
bOrnne-s with which he has held to the
idea that 1t was not well for organized
labor TO have a party of it, own. iIe
is an ancient enemy Of Socialism. Fur
years he insisted that labor should keep
entirely out Of politics. OF late years
he has been undergoing u process Of
evolution that was inevitable. Several
timCi he has broken into campaigns TO
try and defeat enemies Of his people. II
he was ever successful It was not re-
corded, but the incidents are interest.
ing as showing the change that il going
on N his mind. Ten years ago, Gompers
in politics would have been impossible.
Now he is inevitable. Really no reas.
enable person can blame him. More, no
reasonable person disputes that il is
only a matter Of time when the radical
laborites Of this country will be forced
to have u party II their own. They
seem to be unalterably opposed TO social.
ism, and not all Of them are well bal
anced enough TO see that the only real
hope that they have is IA ough the old
parties, who control things aud always
will in this country Of natural conserva
uves. Such being the ease, there is
nothing left but the formation Of a labor
party, aud while /, may he deferred sew
cral campaigns II IN sure to come. This
Is a free country. There is no bar TO
anyone getting up n party tina, wants TO.
Hundreds have done so-and their
parties are now sleeping in the political
graveyard, or skidding that way as rap.
idly ~ may be. Almost all Of them have
split upon the one.idea rock or the lag
ged edges of too many ideas. The labor
party, when II Is formed will most likely
be in the former class though there /,
no reason why II should not endure long.
er and be stronger than any Of the mush.
room growths that have gone before.
To do 10, Gompers and his school must
be entirely converted to the very appar.
ent necessity. The most worthy Of their
demands are lost in a maze Of impracti.
cal and worthy theories, 30 that neither
of the old parties can DO more than
flirt with them-and the result of that
Bryan has proven on the deeadence OF
the democratic party, Turned away from
all OF the conservative sects, il is only
natural that the extremists should or.
ganize for themselves. The signs OF
the times point that IL will not be long
before they do, as time goes. From a
good many standpoints il were better
that they should do 30 than carry on
campaign Of guerilla bushwhacking, as
they have done in the past, turning al.
t%ernately against all Of the established
elements Of the country. The open
way Is the best and most honest way.
The American people were eve an
emotional, not 10 say mercurial myriad,
and II Is proven by the way In which
the meat boycott" has swept many
who ought 10 have better sense OF their
feet. Not that II can be said that such
! boycott would not be justihable, IL il
,ould only reach the guilty parties first,
Il cant. When the American people
'ay the higher prices for meat they are
paying tho interest on the water.
u stock Of the packing companies. and