Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 October 1908 — GOMPERS’ REJOINDER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GOMPERS’ REJOINDER

What the Labor Leader Say* In Reply to the President’* Letter to Knox. HE SEES A CHANGE OF MIND Also Some Indications of “Rage That Is Impotent” Taft and Bryan Getting to Close Quarters—Both in New York. City and Both Doing Heavy ' Work.

Washington, Oct. 27. —Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, has issued a statement in reply to President Roosevelt’s letter to Senator Knox in which the president asks William J. Bryan if he takes the same view of the Democratic platform plank on injunctions as is taken by Gompers, and others who spear for organized labor. Gompers says he has often discussed with the president questions of fundamental justice and right, and proceeds: “It is true that

the president has not always fully •greed with my contentions, but he has never until the publication es his latest utterance hinted, much less charged, .that I advocated was lawless, unfeeling, despotic, brutal or wicked, and yet the rights for which the workers of our country contend have been as well known to him during the past several years as they are when he now so unjustlfiedly undertakes to misrepresent my work, my motives and my law-abiding citizenship.” Refers to George A. Alger’s Book. Gompers says that last February he sent Roosevelt an issue of the American Federatiouist in which was published the chapter, “Some Equivocal Rights of Labor,” from George A. Alger’s book. “Moral Overstrain.” “The chapter of the book,” Gompers says. “Is as keen criticism of the courts of the country In their decisions affecting the rights, interests and liberty of the workers as anything I have ever said or written," and adds that the president wrote thanking Gompers for sending the copy, and that Gompers used it in The Federatiouist; also that Gompers might be “amused” to know that he (the president) sent copies of ft to Justices Day and McKenna. “Exhibition of Impotent Rage.”

For the “change of opinion” which he attributes to the president Gompers accounts by saying that the president having “made Injunction Judge Taft” the Republican nominee, and finding that labor will not be “cajoled, deceived and browbeaten,” has tried to instill into the minds of employers, etc., the fear that a “square deal” to the laboring men means danger to employers' interests, and then Gompers calls the president's tetter an “exhibition of Impotent rage and disappointment” and an “awful descent from dignity.” Ho says that the president’s letter is an attack on labor over his (Gompers') shoulder. Gompers Indulges in sarcasm nt the statement of the president that Senator Knox has a peculiar right to discuss injunctions, declaring t’fit from the viewpoint of the corporations only has Knox that right.

REFERS TO GROSS CUP’S CASE Also Quotes from the President's Messages on Injunctions. Gompers then proceeds? “If the courts have not invaded Luman liberty; if they have not undertaken to protect corporate interests to the detriment of the people, why did President Roosevelt characterise Judge Grosscup’s reversal of Judge Landis’ $29,000,000 tine upon the Standard Oil trust as ‘a gross miscarriage of justice?’ ” Declaring that “the veriest tyro of a layman in his wildest dreams never suggested the abolition of the injunction process,’* Gompers Insists that labor desires to have the injunction restored to the use “from which it has been ruthlessly diverted, from the protection of property rights to the Invasion of personal freedom.” He quotes from the president’s message to congress and declares that they “show an utter confusion of the entire matter of injunction in Mr. Roosevelt’s mind.” He declares that the provisions of the Pearre and Wilson hills, advo cated by the Federation of Labor, are not as broad or as comprehensive in scope as the British trade disputes act. Referring to dissenting opinions of Jhstlce Harlan, Justice Moody and many distinguished jurists and legal

authorities on the abuse of the injunction, he declares that Roosevelt has “placed me in good company.” He ■iso asserts that the “Pearre injunction bill, which Mr. Roosevelt attacks, has been l>efore several congresses ■without a word of criticism or comment from him,” and scouts the suggestion that “Mr. Mitchell and other labor leaders” are not in sympathy •with Lira in his advocacy of the Pearre and Wilson injunction bills. Then he asks a question: “Will the president publicly justify Justice Gould’s injunction and the contempt proceedings to send Mitchell, Morrison, and me to jail on the grounds for contempt which are put forward by the Bucks Stow and Range company under that injunction? The injunction Issued by Justice Gould Is based upon injunctions issued by Taft as a judge, and Taft’s language is quoted by Justice Gould. Gompers charactersizes that case in its contempt stage as follows: “John Mitchell, Frank Morrison, and I are now on trial to show cause why we should not be sent to jail because we exercised our constitutional rights, having violated no law of state or nation.”

TAFT BUSY AT BROOKLYN ■peaks to Five Meetings and Reviews a Big Parade. New York, Oct 27.—Devoting the day to a trip into Connecticut and the evening to speech-making in Brooklyn William H. Taft’s first day of active campaigning on his present visit to this section was prosecuted by him with both vigor and earnestness. After speaking at New Haven, Conn., and Port Chester. N. Y., the calls that were made upon him In Brooklyn at night •were such as to keep him actively occupied every moment of his time. Before the night was over he had accomplished five speeches, eaten dinner with a hundred prominent Republicans as the guest of Republican State Chairman Woodruff, reviewed a parade which was Impressive in size and inspiring in enthusiasm, and then attended a reception at the Union League club. Similarly successful and enthusiastic were the meet jigs of the night, particularly those in the Clermont rink and the Academy of Music, where Taft made his principal addresses. The feature of the trip Into Connecticut was the New Haven meeting, •where with football enthusiasm the candidate was pledged the support of a large portion of the student body of Yale through the presentation of a handsomely bound memorial containing many pages of signatures. Here the governor and the candidate for governor with other notable state leaders were present on the platform. Taft here also met his son Robert, a julnor at Yale, and took him along to Tort Chester. N. Y„ where Bryan was also due about the same time, and where there was a great crowd to hear both leaders.

Taft’s appointments in Brooklyn were made with the aid of an automobile, and when the candidate reached the Clermont rink he de- iared he had reviewed 40.000 Brooklynites and could not understand how there could be other thousands before him. He here reviewed the issues to an Immense audience, did the same at the new Academy/of Music and was then received with great enthusiasm at the Union League club, after which he went to a well-earned rest.

BRYAN’S BIGGEST MEETING Not a Vacant Seat in the Great Mad* iaon Square Garden. New York, Oct. 27.—At the dose of a trying day—a day of outdoor speaking In a drenching rain, of fast flying trips by automobile and special train, of receptions and formal dinners, and of three big evening meetings in different sections of the city, William Jen-( nings Bryan at night In Madison Square Garden addressed the most notable gathc-. ing of his three campaigns. The great oval amphitheater of the garden held a throng of thousands, limited only by its vast capacity. From platform to the farthermost reaches nf the loftiest of the four encircling galleries there was no vacant place. The police early In the evening cut off all access to tlie building, with a disappointed waiting line blocks In length. Notable as it was In the size and enthusiasm of its great crowd the meeting took superior rank in the distinguished personnel of its speakers and party loaders who sat with Bryan upon the platform and cheered his every sentiment. It was 10:15 p. m. when Bryan finally reached the Garden. His coming heralded by eager-outposts at the door and the first cry of “Bryan,” brought every man and woman to their feet In one rising wave of humanity, and a clamor of cheers that lasted fourteen minutes. Before Bryan reached the hall four other speakers had addressed the throng—Judge D. Cadv Herrick; Governor Francis, of Missouri; Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler, Democratic candidate for governor, and Governor Hoke Smith, of Georgia. Among the first words Bryan said when he began speaking were: “I rejoice in the evidence of a victory so large that the east and the west, the north and the south will claim a part In that victory. I expect to be In Washington after March 4.” He then proceeded to discuss all the issues, referring very briefly to the president’s letter to Senator Knox, saying that Gotnpers never criticized the courts more severely than the president htmeslf had. He closed with a bitter denunciation of Roosevelt as a dictator. He was given an ovation when he closed. ' After arriving at the city from a tour that took him to Yonkers, White Plains, Port Chester, New Rochelle

and Mount Vernon, the Nebraskan began his tour of the metropolis, speaking at three meetings before he reached the Garden, where be did not close until 11:55 p. m. Bryan’s day’s work did not end with his Garden speech. He went from there to Coo;>er Union, w*here he addressed a crowd that had watted for him for five hours. Even then he was not done, for at 3 a. m. today he addressed an audience of night workers in the city hall park—which broke all records for a presidential candidate—and in his audience were his wife and the wife of Chairman Mack.

SAMUEL GOMPERS.