Samuel Gompers Tells Seattle: Organize, and Dare Not Do Otherwise

The following letter from Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, was addressed to Abe Spring, of this city:

New York, July 15, 1892.

Mr. Abe Spring, Seattle, Wash.

Dear Sir and Friend: Your kind and interesting favor of the 10th inst. came duly to hand, and I assure you that I perused its contents with mingled feelings of pleasure and sadness. Pleasure to have heard from you as to the fair condition of the labor movement, as well as your good opinion of my efforts to promote our great cause; sadness to note the events of today and find their prototype in the last century. Yes, my friend, it has come to this, that the wage workers are defending their lives, their homes, their firesides and their liberties against a praetorian guard, hired and fitted out to kill for the purpose of wringing a few more dollars out of the flesh and blood of the wealth producers.

I, too, regret the loss of life and the shedding of blood, but to me it is, and it should be to all thinking men, a premonition of what is yet to come. Sometimes my heart almost fails when I think of what we in our day may yet witness as the result of the overweening greed of the corporate and capitalistic class.

The wage workers can do nothing but continue to organize and to assert the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They cannot avoid it if they would, and they dare not if they could. Civilization and progress demand of them that they should stand true to their principles, their manhood, and maintain the liberties we possess while contending for the greater freedom yet to come.

I have no doubt that the conflict in its bitterest form can be avoided if we can induce the wage workers of our country to organize and to realize their position, for the more firmly we are cemented in the bonds of fraternity the more completely will we demonstrate to the employing class that it is to the advantage of all when fair conditions prevail and concessions to the growing demands of the people are made.

In my judgment it is the greatest humanitarian and civilizing work we can do when we devote our entire energies to the organization and education of our fellow toilers.

In the matter of my visit to the West of which you speak, I desire to say that I am still of the opinion that for the reasons given in my last letter it would be entirely inadvisable for me to go West for a time. I hope that we shall continue to correspond upon this and other subjects in the interest of all and assure you that I always look to the receipt of your letters with pleasurable expectancy.

I shall write to Senator Chandler and ask for a few copies of your article upon the immigration question.

Hoping to be remembered to our fellow unionists of Seattle, and with kindest wishes, I am,

Fraternally yours,

Samuel Gompers, President American Federation of Labor.