The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-07-11
Leaders of the Organized
Workingmen Desert Demo.
Gratis Who Failed to Fulfill
Campaign Promises.
UNIONS CHARGE THEY
WERE DOUBLE.CROSSED
They Now Assert That It Did
Them No Good to Make the
Fight Against Taft and
Watson Two Years Ago.
palladium SpooiaN


indianapolis. July 11.-Organized
labor is taking a different view of the
political situation In. Indiana than the
one II took two years ago. This early
1n the campaign, labor leaders are
announcing their determination to
support the republican ticket. and sew
eral OF them already have visited the
republican state headquarters In this
rity and rendered their services to the
committee for whatever work may be
assigned to them In the campaign.
This Is an encouraging sign to the
state committee. for Il means that one
Of the strongest factors In the republ!-
can defeat Of two years ago will this
year be favorable to republican sue
cess instead OF against 1t. Organized
aabor put up a hard fight against the
republican ticket two years ago. and It
made itself felt In the result at the
election. The tight was made on
james e. Watson. candidate for gov.
ernor. and on President Taft. The la
Dor organizations were very bitter to-
ward Watson because he had voted on
several measures In congress in q way
that offended labor. At the very out.
set OF the campaign Of 1908 organized
labor issued q set Of charges against
Watson setting forth . list OF the
things he had done In congress which
labor did not like. Several instances
were mentioned where he had voted
wrong and desperate nght was made
against him on his record.
The same plan was adopted with re-
ference to Taft. The labor organiza-
tions went after him ON his labor in
Junction record while he was federal
Judge In Ohio. The fight against Taft
was not as effective, however. as the
one against Watson. for Taft managed
60 carry Indiana by q small plurality
while Watson was defeated by $4,000.
II was estimated that the effect OF the
labor tight was the one thing that
threw the state away from Watson. In
other words, Watson himself said AZ.
ter the election that the number Of
labor votes which he lost as a result
OF the fight OF organized labor was
about the number by which he was de.
Seated for governor.
Democrats Broke Forth.
The democrats doubIe-crossed organ.
lied labor In this state following the
election Of 1908. They encouraged
the fight against Taft and Watson and
made glowing promises Of what the
democrats would do for organized la
bor n II would help carry the state
for the democrats. Labor leaders
were about the democratic state COM
mittee rooms all the time, and they
were called into council frequently by
the party leaders. The labor unions
had every reason to believe that they
would receive fair treatment at the
hands Of the democrats II they would
but assist In bringing about a demo-
cratic victory. They believed the dem
ocrats were telling them the truth and
that they would do what they prom.
lsed to do.
So strong was the fight which was
Gompers, president of the American
federation OF labor. was brought into
the state Tor a speaking trip. A spe-
cial train was provided and Gompers
spent four days in speaking all over
the state especially in the large labor
centers. His special effort was direct
ed against Taft and Watson. but he
and the rest Of the labor speakers
recommended the election OF the en-
tire democratic ticket.
But the democrats gave organized Ia
Dor a fine double cross after the elect
ton. Labor had been promised legisla-
ton by the democrats. There were
several matters which the labor unions
wished to have passed by the legisla-
ture, and the democrats promised them
tlat the program should go through.
But when the legislature came on and
the democrats found themselves with
q good working majority they appar.
emily forgot all about their promises to
organized labor The fact is that la
hor did not get single thing that q
had hoped to get. The program was
laid aside. Although numerous labor
leaders were about the state house
throughout the session appearing be-
fore committees and urging the enact
ment OF certain laws. no attention was
paid to them. TIE situation finally be-
came so strained that some of the la
Dor leaders began to denounce the
democrats for their failure to carry
out their promises. One laboring man
. member OF union and also a mem.
ber OF the house. made a speech one
day In which he denounced his dem
pcratic colleagues for their failure to
give labor what they had promised.
Continued on Page Eight.)