The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-10-27
WILSON HAS MADE
ARMY OF BOOSTERS
Endorsement Of Him BY
Samuel Gompers Is Re-
ceived In City

AS one Mt Vernon workingman put
it when he appeared in Democratic
headquarters the first part of this
week with a request for Autographs
Of Wilson, Pomerene and Cox, "Pve
quit the Republican party because
they never recognized labor"
That man was right and he only
voices the sentiments of countless
numbers OF his fellow-workers in the
city OF Mt. Vernon who feel exactly
the, same way and who are not only
lining up for Wilson, ct al, hut are
| going out of the way to campaign
for these men.
Democracy in Knox county has
| never had a larger army of personal
campaigners than there are this
year. Everywhere one goes, he hears
some enthusiastic booster OF Wilson,
oftimes Republican.
On. Sept. %, trades-unionists of
Mt. Vernon received a letter from the
| American Federation of Labor, sign
ed by Grant Hamilton and contain
ing statement by President Samuel
Gompers. One paragraph Of the let
ter is most significant:
Through the efforts of the Ameri-
can Federation OF Labor, congress
passed and President Wilson signed
the Clayton law. For the first time
in the history of all legislative bodies
of the world, fundamental principle
of freedom, drawing clear line of
demarcation between human and
property rights, was incorporated in
a statute-the labor of human be-
ing is not commodity or an article
of commerce."
This present week, trades-unionists
of this city have received another
American Federation of Labor let
ter, this time signed by President
Samuel Gompers himself, together
with Vice President James O'Connen
and Secretary Frank Morrison. Some
significant paragraphs follow:
Though half Of the world has
been involved in terrific conflict
and 1t seemed at times as II our
nation must be drawn into the
vortex of human slaughter, yet
the chief executive of our land
has been able to manage the
affairs of the nation and the in
terests of our citizens so that
without the horrors OF war, he
has established and maintained
protection OF human life and hui
man rights In the somewhat T.,
vague domain of international
law.
"Without involving the nation
in war, he has secured for us all
of the protection and all of the
benefits that would have accrued
from successful international
war and by diplomatic cores
pondence has achieved the vic
tory of embodying concepts OF
humanity in international activ-
ity, at least insofar as America
is concerned.
$50 far as the internal affairs
of our country are concerned, the
organized labor movement as the
authorized representation OF the
; wage.earners, has demanded for
them the right of participation in
all the affairs of the nation and
has secured recognition of that
demand to O degree never before
realized.
During the past four years
there has been enacted by con-
gress and signed by President
Wilson humanitarian protective
legislation unprecedented in
amount and scope. Legislative
enactment has secured to wage
> earners fundamental rights nee
essary for the very existence of
the organization of labor with
out which wage-earners would
have nothing of freedom and
real opportunity for self-better-
ment.
"There is no doubt that inter
ests of Wall street and their sat
elites all over the country are
and will continue their activity
to retain the special privileges