The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-05-19
FUND"
FOUGHT LABOR
President Gompers Tells Bitter Ex-
periences of Unions in Cut
Throat Campaigns Waged by
the Criminal Corporations.

IN support OF the publicity bill, re-
curing both before and after elections
published reports OF all moneys received
and expended in congressional campaigns
Samuel Gompers, president of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, has addressed
an open letter TO Representative Conry
in which the bitter experiences of organ
'zcd labor in combating the slush funds
OF the corporations is graphically DIES.
cribcd
During the campaigns of 1906 and
1905, says Mr.. Goml"rs, when labor.
ing men attempted to remedy the condi.
tons concerning which we had been com.
planning, II was found that whenever Il
more determined effort was made in one
district of Il state than in another, in
that particular district in which labor
was making an honest open campaign
ihc corporations poured into such dis
trict tremendous secret campaign funds
in order to defeat the very purposes for
which labor was engaged.
When labor engaged in those cam
paigns it solicited from the membership
Of the organizations for the campaign
fund, and one of the first things was u
declaration that no man who had received
Il nomination or whose election labor ad-
rocated would be permitted to contrib
ute one solitary penny toward the cam
paign fund. After the campaigns were
over detailed financial reports of income
and expenditures of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor political campaign were
issued. These reports gave true ac-
count of all moneys received and ex-
pended for those campaigns
Without daring to openly oppose the
principle of the bill, which has already
passed the house, the millionaire members
of the senate preparing to so amend
the measure when it appears before them
that its main purpose, namely, to force
public accounting of campaign funds
before election, shall be nullied
When Havenmcyer the head of the
sugar trust, made his notable appearance
before Il senate COMMITTEE, Nc testified
that he was in the habi. Vi contributing
to campaign funds, and when he was
asked to which party he contributed, he
stances
10 which party do you contribute in
massachusetts!
To the Republican party
10 which party do you contribute in
New Hork2''
10 the Democratic party
- To which party do you contribute in
| New Jclsey!'
- Well, that is doubtful state, and l
Will have to consult the books as to
that
The bill which proposes to block the
meyers and their kind, requires congress
! sional campaign committees Of all polit
| zeal parties, which shall in two or more
| states influence the result Of COMPRESSION.
| al elections, to file detailed and accurate
| reports, under the solemn sanction of an
oath, with the clerk of the house of rep
resentatives of all contributions and dis
burscments of moneys exceeding $40.
| 1t provides, further, that not more than
fifteen days and not more than ten davs
before the election the statement of re
| ceipts and expenditures shall be filed
and made Il public record, freely open to
inspection, and within thirty days after
the election a supplementary statement
shall be filed containing n complete and
final account 1t also prescribes appro.
pirate penalties for the wilfuI violation
| Of its provisions
|