Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-12
LABOR LEADERS IN CONVENTION.
The Federation Meets at st. LeuIs-Pres
dent Gompers' Report.

dent Gompers' Report.
ST. LOUIS, Dec, 12-Ths American Fed
Grafton OF Labor assembled in ANIMAL con-
vention in Central Turner hail. this city yes
tsrday at noon, and after the usual prelim-
mary welcoming address and response, ap-
pointed committees and took recess to 3 p.
M, at which hour the credentials committee
reported forty-seven delegates entitled to
seats, representing thirty three bodies
President Gompers then read his report, in
which considerable space Is given to the
eight-hour question, upon which he took the
ground that active measure should be in
augurated to secure an eight-hour day. He
suggested that
We should encourage the formation of eight
hour leagues 10 every city and town throughout
the entire country, and that the trade unions and
labor unions should be represented in them, not
TO conflict with the local central labor unions or
trade councils, but to concentrate their efforts
upon the eighthour movement alone. l suggest
further that certain day be set apart, some hol'
iday-proba6ly Feb. q, is59-on which mass.
meetings shall be held simultaneously throughout
the entire country for the discussion OF this sub
iect, and resolutions of a similar character be
sub lifted TO each Of these meetings.
After declaring that "autocracies' are as
dangerous to unions as to states, he pro-
ceeded to the discussion of strikes, and on this
subject said:
For quite time a great deal has been said
| In condemnation Of strikes by labor or pseudo
labor men, with which, I confess, have no pa
| tience 1t is true that no man who has given the
| question Of strikes and the labor movement any
| thought can look upon strikes with favor
| but to be continually condemning them 1.
| entirely another thing To know when Il
| strike and particularly when not ta
| strike Is a science not yet fully understood
| Mouthlng condemnation Of strikes, we find b.
experience does not abolish or even reduce thei
| number. As consistent opponent of strikes
though, do find that those organizations Of la
Dor when have best provided themselves witt
the means to strike have continually less occasion
| 10 indulge in them The most potent factor t
| prevent or reduce the number of strikes is a we
organized trade union with full treasury, ready
| to strike should ths necessity arise
Of relations to other organizations the re
port says:
| Our position has not and Is not likely to ms
teriay change Tho Federation, being the reI
resenJative OF the trade union movement ca
| afford to be generous to Its enemies. TIL
trade unions have no flatulent existence; the
were not called into xist1nce by any necromanc,
Their existence is the natural and historically d.
| veloped result oil Our economic conditions an
environments
Powderly is charged with having asked
for a conference to harmonic the FEEDERS
ton and Knights OF Labor, and then failin
to appear, and with reference to the kD igb
the report says:
/ can merely say that their conduct toward
the trade unions within the past year has not iu
proved 1t has seemed whether by design
otherwise, to be their purpose that when trad
union has had a dispute between their employe
and themselves, TO throw the influence OF thei
organization against the toilers.
In conclusion he strongly urges for Il
future strict autonomy Of trades, yet
strong alliance Of all
! Hearty applause followed the close Of Il
report, and that portion referring to a
eight-hour day was referred to a commit.
; of seven, the debate bringing out the fai
that this question is the central one Of tt
meeting.
The session then adjourned- The delegat
attended banquet last night. rendered +
| the Trade and Labor assembly OF this cit