Charges Against the President

The Democratic Party issues a statement accusing President Roosevelt of using the spoils system to gain votes for Secretary Taft.

New York, Oct. 14 - The Democratic national committee, through John J. Gordan, assistant and acting chief of the press bureau at headquarters, ha made public the following statement: “It was state at the national Democratic committee headquarters that President Roosevelt, by promise of office, has succeeded in having one of the big men of the American Federation of Labor desert President Gompers in his advocacy of the election of Mr. Bryan for the presidency. The labor leader in question is Daniel J. Keefe, of Detroit, president of the International Association of Longshoremen, and one of the vice presidents of the Federation of Labor. The Democratic committee alleges that Keefe and the president were closeted for several hours in Washington on Saturday, Oct. 3, and the offer of being named commissioner general of immigration, made vacant by the death of Commissioner Sargeant, was made, in consideration of Keefe repudiating Mr. Gompers and the executive council of the federation. “Keefe on Saturday last issues a statement, in which he said: ‘I am going to vote for William H. Taft.’ “It is pointed out that on Sept. 25 last the executive council of the American Federation of Labor issued a circular calling on all organizations of labor to work for the defeat of Mr. Taft and Republican congressman, seeking re-election, and Mr. Keefe authorized his signature to be attached to it. “The source of the Democratic committee’s information was not divulged, but the information was offered that if Mr. Keefe or President Roosevelt deny the charge, another big labor leader, now in New York, will come forward with facts to prove that the offer was made, and Mr. Keefe accepted it and has commended to make good his part of the deal.

“Charges Against the President,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed December 7, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/728.