The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-15
Federation Leader Accuses the
President of Preventing Fa-
vOrabIe Legislation.
CONGRESSMAN r. 0. MOON
DEFENDS HIS MEASURE
Injunction Bill, He Ayers, En-,
bodies Best Practice of the
Federal Courts.

ST. LOUIS Nov. 1.-THE American
| Federation of Labor. which convened
here today will get down to actual work
tomorrow. The report of the credentials
committee shows that the deliberations
of the body will be controlled by the
miners unions OF the country, that
branch of labor having 1907 votes
while the carpenters are next with e12
votes. The delegates vote the strength
of their respective organizations, one
vote for each group.
Secretary Frank Morrison s report
showed that the convention represents
! SCI, l5l trades unionists,
President Samuel Gompcrs said
that President Taft had contlnuoG-.y
opposed labor legislation. He told how
then opposed the Moon bill fearing that
congress. by considering that bill might
open the way for amendments that
labor wanted. Among other things IN
his address President Gompers said:
In spite of our best endeavors II
seemed impossible TO obtain uoDsidera-
larry of III. r, 305S, as IL was with
labor's advice later rein ntroduCed by Rep
resentatiyc Wilson as IL. r. 251SS, The
| majority membership OF the committee
was composed OF the most docile repre-
sentatives whom Speaker Cannon could
have possibly selected His Ingenuity In
his choice of this most important com
mittee was characteristic. II became
the object of derision OF the sixty -hrSt
congress.
One Of Its members. Mr. Reuben o.
Moon OF Pennsylvania, obeyed orders and
introduced the administration bill: IL Il.
2l333. II was bill providing legal au-
thority for the issuance OF iniunctions,
an authority which does not now exist.
The president at first urged him and the
committee 10 report the bill. but party
exigency evidently forbade il. President
Taft. in an address AT Passaic. n j. on
May ., after discussing the provisions oil
the Moon bill, said.
The great difficulty I'm respect 10
the matter is that il the bill Is re-
ported from the committee and put
upon its passage in the house there
Will be q movement to introduce
amendments In accord with the rec
concentrations OF the Federation OF .
Labor by which "A jury trial shall
he required in contempt cases and
boycotts shall be made legitimate.
II is feared that If such amendments
were proposed they might pass and
thus make the bill an obnoxious one.
Whether parliamentary condition
the submission Of such amendments
| or not is i question that l can not
anticipate.
President Apprehensive.
In other words the president was ap-
| prchonsVc that IL that bill which lie
| favors came before the house OF repre-
scntatives. amendments would be offered
securing TO the workers tho rights 10
| which labor is entitled equal with All
| other citizens, and that these amendments
1 49,. tIsnr
he hoped that a parliamentary condition
| might be created to prevent labor 5
amendments being brought 10 the con
sidcration Of the house. OF course. II is
| "A misstatemcnt. more than likely an Un.
| Intentional one, when the president de-
ciarcd that labor has asked for jury
| trial In contempt cases.
| The presidents mistnCorma ton upon
| this subject indicates clearly that he has
| not understood the provisions of the VIII
sen bill n. X. 25lSS.
| The session being then we'll advanced
| IL WAS found impossible 10 obtain fur
| ther attention. but "A we'll organized por.
| ton OF the house members was prepared
To attack the oill If IT came UP, and also
son bill. II. Il. 25isS This Information
coming 20 the president, he relaxed his
! cagcrncss 10 obtain the passage of the
Moon bill. he feared that II that bill
! came before the house the opportunity
| would come 10 carry the Wilson bill aS
| an amendment. and by that means cN'
| tend 10 labor the legitimate relief foI
| which il has been contcndng and tc
which he is aEgrcssycly opposed.
Says Executive Was Angry.
The president carried his opposition e
| such an extreme that nc exercised Tho
| limit OF his power. working with all his
| might and main on Juno 2" and Junf
| % TO defeat the amendment our friend
| Mr.. Hughes of New Jersey. proposed Il
| Tire section uf the sundry civil appro
| prlatlon bill on June . 1910 The sec'
lion provided an appropriation for tht
| prose cutiou OF the criminal trusts, MIR
| IIugiies's amendment was as follows;
Provided further. That no part OF
this money shall be spent an the
| prosecution of any organlzat ton or
Individual for entering into any conf
blnatIon or agreement having In view
| the increasing Of wages. shortening
Of hours, or bettering the condition
OF labor or for any act done In fur-
thorancc thereof NOT in ITSELF
UNLAWFUL.
This evidently snsered tho president
ns he Immediately took the matter Int
his ow'f hands. He suspended other pub
lie business and swept aside every on
gaEcment. lie called 'wnvering' repre-
| sontatjvcs To tho white house and insist
ed upon their active opposition, even 20
ing so far as TO say that If IL cost hin
the support of every laborinG man II
the country he would not approve of sue
G. proyiso in the law.