Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-12-04
BREAK In THE RANKS
OF THE COLUMBUS LABOR CONVENTION
THE ANALGATRD WILL NOT ATTEND,
The Surprise on the Announcement Very Great
General Master Workman POwdsrly's Order
Ignored In Chicago By Some Assemblies
and Others Pay Under Protest

PITTsBURG, December Sit was
learned from the most reliable source this
morning that the Amalgamated Associa-
ton of Iron and Steel Workers will not be
present at the convention of the National
and International Trades Unions, which
will be held at Columbus, Ohio, commenc-
ing on next Wednesday. As has been
stated in thee columns, the convention
gave promise of being one of the most i'm
portant that was ever held in this country
by labor representatives. The knights OF
Labor, who have been quoted at length,
have been very suspicious oi
the::object of the convention. 1t was so
generally thought that the Amalgamated
Association would be one of the leaders at
the Columbus convention that the question
of their deciding not to be represented at
all was never even doubted by the leading
labor representatives. AS The call for the
meeting of the Trades Unions had at
tached to it the name of President Will
liam Weihe of the Amalgamated AsSocia-
ton, it was taken for granted that his or
ganization would take an active part at the
Columbus convention.
When the writer informed nu mber Of
labor leaders this morning. that the report
had come from a reliable source that the
Amalgamated people would have nothing
whatever to do with the Trades Unions
Convention, they were
DUMFoUNDED,
and at first were inclined to doubt the
statement Said representative labor
leader: ''Ift the Amalgamated Association
has really decided not to be represented at
the Convention, they have made
a great mistake. If they think
that they can stand by them
selves they will soon find that they are
taking a wrong step. But then cannot
understand how such action was decided
upon. How comes it that their President,
William Weihe, has his name attached to
the official call for the convention? 1t
seems very strange"
Secretary William Martin, of the Anal
gamated Association, when seen said:
"YeS, it is true that we will not be rep
resented at all at the Convention. The
reason that Mr.. Weihe's name was at
tached to the call for the Convention is
easily explained. You will remember
that he represented US last May at the
meeting of the Trades Unions at Phila-
delphia. 1t was there that the call was
authorized. Mr.. Mcclure was Secretary.
In issuing the call he had Mr.. Weihe's
name attached to it. Our convention was
held in this city the next June. 1t was
there decided, for reasons best known to
ourselves, not to go into the Trades
Unions Convention, at least for the
present"
Thomas A. Armstrong, when informed
of the action ofthe Amalgamated Associa-
tiOn, seemed very much surprised. He
said briefly, but to the point: 81 think
that if they are not represented it will be
great, terrible mistake
A leading member of District Assembly
No 3, Knights of Labor, was equally sur
prised when informed OF the decision. He
smiled as though he considered that it was
a point gained by the Knights OF Labor
over the trades unions in their call for a
convention He admitted that he had
heard a rumor of the Amalgamated
Associations position, but had not be-
fore heard anything definite. Il don't
know" he said, but it looks to me as
though this action was the result of
the influence of the members who are
also Knights of Labor. This faction IA
vors us, and it would seem that they
would regard it as uuwise to attend the
convention, especially now that their or
ganization is voting upon the question of
entering the Knights of Labor order. >"
1t is also rumOred to-day that the Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers had taken
the same position as the Amalgamated
Association, and they would not be rep
resented next week at the convention at
COlumhnS