Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-09-07
GARDNER
-- E,YIHnmE11f
Does Not Hold Labor
Vote In His Hat.
zifalnaE
Has Not Shown Himself
Lab0T's Friend.
He Is ListIess and Indifferent
Toward Its Measures.
- stiau
0odged Referendum and Trus-
lee Process Measures. =
Vigorous Statement OF Facts BY
Roscoe A. fddy.
Vigorous Statement OF Facts BY
Roscoe A. fddy.

| The Journal, last evening received
| the following communication from
| Roscoe A, Eddy of Bar Harbor. who
| mas been prominently identified with
| The labor interests of this State for
| several years past
Bar Harbor. Me, Sept s, 1912.
| TO the Editor of the Kennebec Jour
nal:
| understand that Obadiah Gardner
Claims by his record to be entitled to
he labor vote in Mondays election.
As member of a labor union and
Of the legislative committee OF the
unions ! deem 1t my duty to emphati-
cally challenge any such claim The
labor vote of Maine will be distributed
in accordance with the individual con-
victions of its members, and Mr..
Gardner does not carry 1t in his hat
| cannot state too emphatically that
IN my opinion Mr.. Gardner has shown
himself to be anything but friend
20 labor. will state plainly the rea
sons inducing me to make this state
ment
The State Federation of Labor was
organized at Augusta in 1904. COM
| mittee representing the federation,
composed of Abner w. Nichols OF
| augusta, John G. Clark of Portland
and myself. was sent to the Legisla-
ture for the first time, in 1905. In the
Early part of that Legislative session,
Senator Clark of Eden introduced the
so-ealled referendum bill, calling for
a constitutional amendment, which
provided for peoples veto and
direct initiative. We sent letters to
the Grange lodges of the State and
they very generally endorsed the
measure.
We were very anxious to obtain tho
assistance of the legislative commit
tee of the Grange, and for this pur-
pose made repeated efforts to get a
personal interview with Obadiah
Gardner. We wrote to him repeatedly.
but without success. We also made at
least enc appointment with him by
telephone to meet US at Hotel North
at Augusta. AT the appointed time,
Mr.. Nichols and myself were there,
but Mr.. Gardner failed to keep the
appointment, nor did he ever offer any
| explanation of his conduct
Later, when the measure was given
| hearing before the Judiciary COM
| mittee. we expected Mr.. Gardner to
| appear in its behalf, but he was not
to be found in the State House. that
| day. To the best of my knowledge he
did nothing whatever TO assist in the
| enactment of this measure, but by his
| attitude of Indifference he actually in.
| Jured its prospects
During the legislative session of
1909 In that memorable struggle of la
Dor to secure the enactment OF a law
| exempting SD of the workingman n 3
wages from trustee process, I fully
believe that Mr.. Gardner was lobbying
/ against the measure and went to him
| personally and told him So He did
not deny the charge.
| So far as my knowledge extends.
| Mr.. Gardner has never interviewed n
| single member of the Legislature, gone
before committee nor done single
| thing In the Legislature to assist la
Dor in securing its rights. During all
| the years that labors representatives
have been struggling in the Maine
| Legislature to better the condition of
the iaboring class | know of no word
or action on the part of Obadiah Gard
ner in our behalf On the contrary. BY
his iistless and Indifferent attitude he
cannot have failed to create the i'm
preston that our measures were not
worthy of his endorsement.
I hold brief for no man in thit
election. but when Obadiah Gardner
seeks To turn the Labor vote OF this
state to his own political advantage |
feel impelled by a sense of duty ia
state the facts.
Yours very sincerely,
ROSCOE A. EDDY.