OR. SAMUEL PERVERTS FACTS
After Equivocal Delay He
Gives Answer to Ques
tions Which Did
Not Answer.
An ALsurb Pretense.
With characteristic disregard of
propriety Dr. Samuel has given to
the newspapers which favor his elec
tion what he alleges to be a corres
pondence between himself and a coll
ide of prominent citizens of this coun
ty, Mr. J. S. Campbell and Mr. C. H.
Dildine, ot Rohrsburg.
If Dr. Samuel had given the entire
correspondence there might have
been some excuse for making pub
lie a personal letter without the con
sent of the writers But he withheld
not only one of his own letters to the
gentlemen who, as citizens of the
Sixteenth Congressional District and
constituents of his own, had asl<ed
him questions which they regarded
as refevant to existing conditions,
bu another letter of infinite signifl
cance.
Mr. Campbell Is Master of the
Grunge at Rohrsburg and Mr. Dil- j
dine a member of the Executive Com
mittee of the State Grange. They j
had read in the papers and heard in '
the course 01' their conversations with
neighbors and others certain things
respecting Dr Samuel's official la
or. As citizens, as they distinctly
indicated, "interested in the legisla
tion of Congress," they addressed the
following letter to Dr. Samuel:
Rohrsburg, Pa„ Oct. G. I9«fi. ;
Hon. Edmund W. Samuel; M. C. j
Mount Carmel. Pa.
Dear Sir:
Vou have been nominated by the,
Republicans, the Lincoln party and
the Prohibitionists for Representa
tive in Congress, for the Sixteenth j
Congressional district of Pennsylva- j
nia, and having accepted the nomi-1
nations, are In the position of solicit- j
ing the support of the electorate of j
the District. Therefore, as citizen*
Interested in the legislation of Con j
gress, we desire to submit to you the j
following questions, and we enter '■
tain the hope that you will answer j
them at your earliest convenience:
The Penrose machine is the agent j
In this State of"The system," that |
is of the trusts and monopolies, which
have for years despoiled the peopla
not only of property but rights. If
elected, will you continue allegience
to that machine in the future as you
have given It In the past?
When tho question of completing
the railroad r:it legislation was giv
ing the President and the country 1.h4
greatest concern, th iriends of the
measure endeavored to get a caucus
of the Republican representatives in
Congress Tor til purpose of expedit
ing action on the ni- asure and you
refused to s* n the call. What ill
Suenced you to that refusal?
The oil Trust luh been adulterating
sweetmeats which are consumed by
the children of the country to the !
prejudice of their health, and the beei
trust poisoning their products. Why ■
have you failed as a representative in
Congress to insist on the prosecution ,
of these offenders?
Republican Representatives in the
Legislature voted against the reso
lution introduced by Representative
Creasy of this county to strengthen;
the hands of the President in his |
struggle for legislation to regulate j
the railroads. Why didn't you re
monstrate against that perversion of j
power and opportunity?
Your only speech during the last j
session of Congress was against the
parcels post legislation. That meas
ure was of the highest value to the
farmers and workingmen of the coun ,
try. It's defeat could have been |
advantageous to nobody else on earth >
other than the express companiesj
which have been charging extortion
ate rates for carrying parcels. Why
did you speak and vote against the
interests of the people and for the
benefit of the express companies in
that way?
The laborers in the Panama canal
/.one work under the most adverse
conditions. The contractors require
them to work long hours in an un
healthy atmosphere. The eight
hour law was enacted as a measure
of relief for them and In the expec
tation of it's extension to the States.
Why did you vote for its repeal?
Yon say you are for the President
but the records show that you were
against him when the exigencies of
the machine required you to be so.
Assuming, however, that you are cor-,
rectly representing your sentiments,
do you think your duties are to the
President or to the people whom you
represent in Congress?
(Signed) J. S. CAMPBELL, Master.
C. H. DILDINE, Executive Co.
Pa. State Grange.
To this letter Dr. Samuel replied as
follows:
Mt. Carmel, October 14, 1906.
Mr. J. S. Campbell, Master,
Mr. C. H. Dildine. Executive Commit
tee Penna. State Grange,
Rohrsburg, Pa.
Gentlemen:
Your letter of the 6th propounding
certain questions and making false
| charges and insinuations, received up
on my return home today.
I note you affix'your official titles
i as officers of the Grange, and, assume
i \ ou are acting in your official capaci
ty. Therefore, I have forwarded a
(copy of your letteV to Mr. W. F. Hill
Master of the Grange of the State of
Pennsylvania, requesting him to ad
vise me whether it is in accord witlj
the princ pies of that noble inatitu
tion for the oflicers of the same to
addres such a letter, and upon the re
ceipt of his reply I will answer your
let ter.
Yours truly,
E. W. SAMUEL, M. C.
Pursuant to this petulent and some
what puerile statement Dr. Samuel
sent a copy of the letter of Mr. Camp
be.ll and Mr. Dildine to Mr. Hill, Mas
ter of the State Grange ostensibly for
the purpose of getting Mr. Hill's ad
vice with respect to his obligation to
answer, but really hoping for a re
buke of the gentlemen. To this let
ter Mr. Hill replied that the gentle
mi 11 were acting in the capacity of
citizens.
011 October 20th, four days after
the date oi Mr. Hill's Utter and af
ter ample time had elapsed between
the receipt of . the original letter to
mnd tli. bosses, Dr. Samuel made
ii following reply:
Mt. Cariml, Pa., October 22, 1906.
Mr. .1. S Campbell,
Mr. C. H. Dildine,
urg, Pennsylvania.
. tr Sirs:
Although your letter of October 6
s no evidence that it came to
an /direction of any Grange, or,
1 you were authorized in your offi
cial capacity, to address the interro
itions to me. I recognize the right
of any constituent of mine to write
upon any questions of interest, eith
er to him or the community at large;
this consideration has prompted me
to answer your questions at length:
1. During my course in Congress,
I have acted on all legislation, as In
my judgment, seemed for the best in
terests of my constituents and the
country, and without being subser
vient to any man; this course I shall
continue.
2. I did not refuse to sign a call
for a caucus to consider the rate-bill
but on the contrary I was always in
favor of and voted for the rate bill.
My votes in favor of the pure
food law and the meat inspection bill
.-■how my position on those questions.
112. My duties as a Congressman re
cti! vd my attendance at Washington,
'I not deem it right or proper
• » neglect them in order to be in
1-i.shurg to lobby either for or
•nst the pasage of any resolutions
the legislature.
I did not vote or speak against
is post; the only reference in
s; ch to parcels post was the
irt of the Postmaster General's re
port, commending the merging of third
i fourth class mail matter, you are
• spectfullv referred to that part of
Ihe report »>f the Postmaster General.
('». I did not vote for the repeal of
the eight hour lav/ in the Panama
nal.
7. In all my official acts, I have
faithfully represented my constitu
ents, and in so doing, have supported)
the policies of President Roosevelt,
believing his policies to be for the
best interests of my constituents*, as
well as the country at large.
My votes and action on all legisla
tion are contained in the Congression
al Record, which is the official report
of all legislation in Congress, ta
which you are respectfully referred.
Yours truly,
E. W. SAMUEL.
If the answers had answered and
Dr. Samuel had conveyed his answer
to the gentlemen to whom It was ad
dressed, the incident would have been
closed. But the Doctor stupidly sent
a part of the correspondence to an
equally stupid newspaper which false
ly declared that it purported to come
by direction and authority of the
Grange. As a matter of fact it did
n't purport to come from the Grange
but as Master Hill of the State
Grange promptly pointed out. the
writer were acting as "citizens inter
osted in the legislation of Congress."
But the answers don't answer. Tk«
first question is. will you continue al
legience to the machine and the an
swer is that he is subservient to nc
, -nan. Possibly Penrose does write
himself plural an 1 the machine mn\
>e called a collective noun, but th«
record is that Dr. Samuel was sub
servient to the machine always.
The second question is why the
Doctor refused to sign the call for a
; caucus to expedite the completion oi
the rate bill and the answer that he
didn't refuse to sign. N6vertheles«
| the call was out several days search
inu for signatures and Dr. Samuel
I never got his name on at all.
The third question is, substantially
j why have you as a Representative it
Congress failed to insist on the prose-j
cution of the Standard Oil trust and (
the Beef trust for adulterating tfielr
products and the answer is that he
voted for the pure food law. That
vouldn't be.an aq,s.wer if it were true
nd as a matter of fact there was noi
•ecord vote dn tlie pure food law and
nobody, not even the Doctor himself, i
\nowH how he voted on that measure. |
The fourth question is why didn't
e remontrated against the votes of
Northumberland county Representa
ives in the Legislature in opposition
'0 the resolution endorsing Roosc- 1
velfs attitude otf the rate bill and.
lie answer is that his duties held him!
ii Washington. But the mails ami
elegraph and telephone lines were!
iccessible and he mi.uht have used •
!iem and probably would if he had
>een :i friend of t.he President.
The next question is why did you
peak jmd vote against the parrels
post, and the answer that he didn't.
Nevertheless a speech published in at'
<»aßt some of the Republican papers
o i this district purporting to be his
speech was against j the parcels post..
The next question is, why did you'
vote for the repeal of the eight hour.
law on the Isthmus of Panama and
■•lie answer is that he did not vote,
■>r the repeal. Mr. Samuel Gompers
iys Pr. Samuel dodged the vote
vhich is equivalent to a vote withl
lie majority. But the test vote on
hat measure was that on the resolu !
•ion to consider and on that he voted |
affirmatively.
Taking the questions and answers
nd the circumstances attending the
correspondence together it is not ea
,■ to see what there is for Dr. Sam-,
ipl or his friends to crow over.
SAMUEL AS_P. 0. BROKER.
Not Much of a Figure in
Washington but a Crack
er Jack in Post Office
Traffic.
A Juggling Operation in Jamison
City that Caused Commotion
Dr. Samuel didn't cut much of a Ag
ue in the public life of Washington
luring his first session in Congress
but as a Postoffice broker he held
nigh rank. Speaking of his Congres
sional servipe one of his associates
in the floor writes: "Mr. Samuel's
•ecord thus far in Congress has been
entirely uneventful, as he not only!
iccomplishe» little or nothing in the
nterest of his constituents, beyond j
be formal introduction of a, few min
ir bills and a lilte (lumber of peti-'
ions, but hp' took no part in Nation- 1
>1 affairs, having tfiade Ho speeches;
mtside of a" few Basiial remarks onj
■ue occasion, excepting which
iig was heajrd from him during that
le-sion of important measures and
oluminous dispussion.
"As a politician he is held in very
mbt esteem by his contemporaries
n the House," continues the col
eague In question, "and one of very
m dlocre ability. He seems to have
ollowed blindly the lead of his party
naehine in his voting, advocating ev-!
'i-ything that favored the trusts, and;
ipposing everything that advanced j
he cause of labor, thus indicating his |
tpproval of such a course."
But as a Postoffice broker Dr. Sam
tel shines. Senator Penrose is the
lispenser of Postoffices in Pennsylva
lia and any who is ser
ile to Penroso can pledge postofflces
n his district to the limit. The lim
t is one postoffice to a town, and on
y the experts can exceed that num-j
>er. Of course there is only one
lostoffice in a town and the ordin-j
iry Congressman wouldn't be able to;
iromlse more than one in a town.
Jut Dr. Samuel isn't an ordinary Con-i
pressman. As his associate on thej
loor has indicated, he doesn't cut I
nueh of a figure in the debates or In j
lie political affairs of Congress, but]
n the distribution of Postofflces he
s great in promises.
For example the Postoffice In Jam
son City, Columbia county, may be
*ited. That office has always been
i fixture in a certain store. For
various reasons, inadequacy of capi
til and ilf health among them, the
jresoti? wanted to dispose
if the but was a trifle more than
.vliling to* retain the Postniastership.
He suggested to Dr. Samuel as local
representative of the Postoffice De
inrtment that he would like to re
lieve tire postoffice because he had a
-hance to sell the store. The doctor
nstantly protested that the Postoffice
lelonged to the building rather than
0 the Postmaster, and couldn't be
t moved. Consequently the Post
master sold the store and the post
office.
When the people of Jamison City
famed that the Postmaster had sold
lis Store they began looking out for
1 new Postmaster. The purchaser
if the store pretended to be a Demo
crat though he had not been in the
lablt of voting, so the people thought
t would be an easy thing to get a
. ] new Postmaster. Later they discov
-11 «red their mistake.
. I While laboring under the delusion
. ihat the public had the right to select
I.he Postmaster for a town, the people
i of Jamison City induced Mr. Harry
11 Miller to enter the Held as a candi
date. In obedience to their request
, | lie got out a petition which was sign
.J ud by three-fourths of the patrons of
■! I.he olllce. It looked like an easy
r|thing. Air. Miller's friends began to
-; congratulate him on his victory. He
i tad lived In tile town longer than
' iiybody else, they reasoned, and was
h only Republican aspirant. It is
i! i cinch they said. But they counted
; vithout their host.
: ! The purchaser of the store hadn't
■ ecu a Republican or an active man
[ n politics but he had bought some
thing and the Postoiiict was among
lie chatties. He didn't take the
: rouble to ask for signers to a peti
tion, because he was a friend of the
(■'public::]n boss and (hat was enough.
Meantime Mr. Miller forwarded bis
: ! application and petition to the Post
itHce Department and advised Con
n- -man Samuel of the fact. In th«
i iitnte mail Mr. Morgan Gavltt, a Re
publican and prominent citizen of the
town dispatched a letter to the Con
ressman in the interest of Mr. Mar- j
>j tin. To both of these letters here- ■
j ulied on the same day, apparently j
about the same time, for they arrived ;
! tithe same mail, but they were of!
11 liametrically opposite import. That:
is to say the letter to Mr. Miller as-1
i tired him I hut "when the matter is
'S-eferred to me (the Congressman)
| by the Postoflice Department for rec-j
i ■mmendation 011 the matter, your ap
: illcatinn will receive careful consid-I
•ration." That to Mr. Gavltt was j
tiore fandid. "I have already for-1
; varded to the Postmaster General," |
!he writes, "my recommendation for j
| the appointment of Mr. M. H. Smith !
j gall. Didn't know that there was
'any Other candidate for th» appoint !
inent." Both letters were dated S"p |
I tember 20th.
I)r. Smithgall was the purchaser of
| the store and Incidentally owner o'«
the Postoflice, but the people were
| not satisfied. Up in that mountain
region men are of a sturdy type who
cherish their rights and insist on ex
ercising them. They began to
, kick," figuratively speaking, and the
I echo of their discontent went down
through the serpentine Fishing Creek
| Valley to Bloomsburg where it dis
turbed the serenity of the bosses locat
ed there. Mr. Martin was sent for
and implored to be kept still. He
was not inclined to yield at first ami)
| the Importunities grew warmer un
j til finally he was offered $25 in cash,
| the money to be paid in hand or
through the medium of the local
; boss at Central if he would keep
i quiet.
| A few days ago Mr. Miller wrote to
the "main guy," at Bloomsburg, de
l-lining his munificent offer.
STUART AGAINST MINERS.
lie Tells Republican* of Lackawanna Co.
To Trade Him Off in Order to
Defeat Tom Nichols,
the Miner.
! The antipathy against workingmen
J which permeates the Republican ma
chine was revealed In a speech deliv
ered by Ex-Mayor Stuart, Republican
candidate for Governor, at Scranton,
lon Saturday evening, last.
' The Democratic candidate for Con
gress in the Lackawanna county dis
trict is District President Thomas D.
j Nichols of the United Mine Workers
of America. His Republican antag
onist is Thomas H. Dale, a machine
' emissary and corporation servitor,
i Tile fusion sentiment is very strong
' in the district and the indications are
itliat Emery will not only have an im
' Intense majority, but that the entire
! Democratic county ticket will be ov
erwhelmingly elected. Mainly for
' the reason that Mr. Nichols is a work
' iiigman, the machine has determined
to defeat him at any cost and Mr!
| Stuart has most earnestly fallen into
the scheme.
. In fact in his speech on Saturday
' evening, he urged the Republicans of
r j Lackawanna county to sacrifice him
I self in the interest of Dale. In other
J words, he told the voters to trade him
I off for votes for Dale. lie realizes,
' no doubt, that his defeat is a fore
' [ gone conclusion and that something
1 may lie saved out of the wreck by
! ' : k'featlng the coal miner candidate
, for Congress.
I Nichols proclaims himself to be
r j vhat lie terms a Roosevelt Democrat
5 ; and his stand has enlisted to his aid.
I I :i large following of Lincoln Repub
licans Nichols has also back of him
ja large following of mine workers.
v \ Emery Will Pay the Freight.
1 In his speech at Wilkes-Barre the
r other evening Lewis Emery, Jr., de
r dared that after his election the De
, partments will be invtestlgated wheth-
B er the Legislature appropriates ex
t pense funds or not. In other words,
1 "be will pay the freight."
Dr. Samuel Convicted Of Fraud.
Samuel Gompers, President of the American Federation of
Labor I \poses His 112 aSse Pretense.
, j At the outset of the present campaign Dr. Samuel set up the claiM that
his candidacy was endorsed by Samuel Gompers, President of the American
Federation of Labor. Mr. Gompers is really the Legislative Committee of
1 organi/od Labor in Washington His offlco is at the National capitol aatf
part ol his business to keep a record of thevotes and actions of Senators
and Representatives in Congress on labor legislation.
Hit' endorsement of Mr. Gompers is a strong card In industrial •estres.
Every Labor organization accepts it as a guide in political action. If Mr.
lumpers were less vigilant his name would be used freely by enemies ef la
bor who covet ihe support of working-men at the polls and stab th( m in the
back in Congress. Occasionally a man is found with sufficient temerity or
enough stupidity to take chances of not being found out. Dr. Sanuel air
pears to bo in this class and he boldly claimed that Mr. Gompers has ea
. dorsed him for re-election.
Like liis Lincoln party nomination, however, the claim was spurious.
Mr. Gompers has promptly repudiated it and unsolicited, but obviously as a
1 token of appreciation of John G. McHeury's faithful friendship to the cause
!of labor, notified him by letter which follows. It ought to be read by every
workingman in the Sixteenth Congressional District. It brands Dr. Samuel
as a falsifier and inferentially as a forger for the Issue of a false claim is mor
ally a forgery. Does any citizen of this district want to be represented In
Congress by such a man? We think not. The Letter:
MER,CAN f tDERATJON 0F Labor
X-'X..,- iiVgS ' • -;aaa.'.N;.:.sa*.
uaiiomm.va.- 0::. 5,1306.
I,T ' >' '
! Mr. John 0. MoHenry,
. ••
Denton, Ponnnyivania.
Dear Sir:
I an in receipt of a nernpaper dipping, bcir.g aft editorial
I from tho Daily News of Shamokin, Pa., under data of September 6th, in
j which it is stated that I had given an endorsement the oandidaoy
| of Congressman E. W. Samuel for re-election. Let r.e sajr that I
'I have given no-each endorsement, cr endorsement of any kind to
Congressman Samuel.
Borne tine ago, a document known as Labor'a Bill of Qrievanoes
was submitted to tlfe Members of Congress, with a request for a reply
from them, and among those who replied was Mr. Samuel. His reply
was published in the AMERICAN FEDSRATIOHIST, and I am sending you under
separate cover, oopy of same, whioh appears on page 683 of the
document. Where the editorial above referred to goes onto say—
"that Mr. Samuel voted in favor of continuing the eight-hour law In
j! the construction of the Panama Canal, ■ it is an error. As a matter
of faot, Mr. Samuel Is on record as not voting on this proposition,
thereby dodging the issue.
The dipping referred to above was forwarded here'a *few
days ago and come of our friends suggested that I ought to write you.
the facts in the case.
Very truly yours,
President
American Federation of Labor.
Mil WORKER SlIM « OIK
Secretary-1 reasurer of the Great Labor Organization Ap
peals to the Voters in Behalf of a Worthy Man.
W. B. Wilson is the International Secretary-Treasurer of the United Mine
Workers of America. I» all the great struggles for the rights and interests
of labor in the Anthracite Coal region he has been President John Mitchell's
"right hand," so to speak. His life, his energy, his splendid ability have
been devoted to the cause of labor. He is essentially the faithful, efficient
and conscientious champion of Labor in Pennsylvania.
Appreciating the importance of having the faithful friends of lahor In
the next Congress, Secretary-Treasurer Wilson is taking an Interest la the
Congressional contest In this, the Sixteenth district, of this State. H« un
derstands and appreciates John G. McHenry and with characteristic candor
appeals to the voters in his behalf. The following is his address to"the
Miner, Farmers and other citizens of the Sixteenth Congressional District of
Pennsylvania:
Blossburg, PB.
Oct. 2nd.-aaoe. *9o—*
To the Miners. Farmers and other Citizens of the
Sixteenth Congressional Diotriot of Pennsylvania.
Gentlemen:
The Hon. John o. MoHenry, of Benton, Penna., has been
nominated for Congress in tho•Sixteenth Congressional District
of Pennsylvania.
S Mr. MoHenry* 8 past record and his effective work in
tho interests of the Farmers and wage workers of our country
should oonciend him to the favorable consideration of every voter
in your distriot irrespective of former poiitioal affiliations.
I trust that the Miners, Farmers, Business Men and
other Citizens of the Sixteenth Distriot win give him their
earnest support at the polls.
Respectfully yours,
International Secretary-Treasurer of ths
United Mine Workers of Aaerloa., . £