Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-17
HE IS NOT A RIPPER.
Gompers Expresses Himself as Dis
inclined 10 Roast Powderly.
FEDERATION AND EIGHT HOURS
Are the Themes Of His Two DiscOurses to
Workingmen Yesterday.
K. oP L. PASS STRONG RESOLUTIONS

Samuel Gompers, President Of the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor, spoke at consid-
erable length at Lafayette Hall. Mr..
Matthews was. Chairman, and delivered an
address OF welcome on behalf Of the Ma
chinlsts' Union, and spoke oil the larue-the
reduction OF the hours Of labor. Ex-Secrc-
tary William Martin, OF the A. A. OF /.
and 8. W.. and several others were Vice
Presidents.
Mr.. Gompes spoke considerably over
an hour He said the theorists
bad had their say. The pulpit the
bar, college professor, doctor and the learned
professions generally, political economists,
etc., had all expressed themselves, and oil
TO the effect that what working people were
now demanding was impracticable and
ruinous to all classes, but they had all been
answered by results which showed the con-
trary to be true. The reduction OF time OF
labor from - hours to IL and then from II
to 10 had yielded enlarged production,
larger wages for labor and larger
profits to capital. Mr.. Gompers stated that
neither In the United States, the British
possessions nor in ancient Rome had slavery
ever made millionaire. Slaves cannot In
vent, for they have no time for thought
Leisure is sometimes called laziness, but
Iaziness in James Watt produced the steam
engine, and in Franklin the application Of
electricity TO the useful arts.
MEN AND MACHINES.
linen are compelled to work long hours
they cannot invent Improvements in ma
chinery. The result of thought is that men
no longer make machines, but ma
chimes are made make machines.
There is no limit to be set to the
shortening of the hours Of labor, and will
be none SO long as a man or a woman is COM
PEELED to suffer privation for want of employ
ment Workmen may be called lazy. but the
speaker knew of no millionaires who were
averse to taking a little rest themselves.
Employers who object to reducing the hours
Of labor are blind to their own interests. Laws
may not effect the reform, but organized labor
can. The Legislature of New York refused to
shorten the labor day, but organization ef-
fected it. The saleswomen in stores cannot
succeed because they are not organized.
In PENNSYLVANIA a man may refuse to work,
but if 1000 do so it is conspiracy, and the lead
ers are sent to Jail. When capitalists combine
business.
Mr.. Gompers favored ballot reform, but held
that so long as workmen had no time to learn
the effect of political measures proposed and
must take their politics from their employers.
no proposed ballot reform would be effective.
He here detected slightly to rub down ex-Con-
gresham Scott and the owners of the
Dunbar coal mines. All men in unions
are not what they should be,
but the meanest inside one is worth more to
labor than host of the best men outside. In
not to strike unless they meant to win.
he WAS NOT RIPPING.
Some people have gotten an impression that
there was to be q shindy, that Mr.. Gompers
intended to rip Powderly up the back and that
there might be trouble, but Mr.. Gompers read
interviews between himself and two reporters
of afternoon papers and said that one of them
had misrepresented hin. and that it was for
eign to his purpose to foment discord in the
ranks Of the workingmen.
Chairman Matthews. in brief address, out
lined the local situation and urged that Mr..
Gompers' advice be followed and that no man
who put his hand 70 the plow should look back
but stay out until the demand that day be
made nine hours be conceded. Subsequently
they might demand further reduction and
get IL.
Earlier in the day Mr.. Gompers spoke at the
picnic of the Brotherhood of Railroad Tram
men on the benefits OF labor federation. He
said:
ut seems to me that there is no thought, no
action in the direction Of organization which
offers the workingmen Of this country any
greater reward or larger privileges than fedora
tion. That is federation as opposed to central
IZation. ] am opposed to the latter in any
shape or form, just as federation and central
ization are opposed In fact. We do not think
we should yield to any person over US. We
know that nothing accomplishes SO much as
the effort Of the people themselves. 1t is proper
to allow all matters appertaining to the govern
- ehA 80 fa ehnNR has 11
than by investing power and authority in the
hands Of a few to nullify the wishes of those
most concerned In the result. There are
large number of trainmen who believe in fed
GRAFTON.
A DIG AT ARTHUR.
"one Of 'our leading opponents is a msn'who
has done very much for the cause Of organized
labor. But while believing that he is compe-
tent and devoted to the Brotherhood of En-
gineers, we still have right to say that we
differ with him in his policy Of making SO much
Of federating with other railroad bodies Ar
thur says in support Of his anti-federation
views, that II the engineers were to strike. that
the firemen would take their places and SO by
creating large number of engineers lessen the
chances Of unemployment for the remainder.
My belief Is that Inst as In proportion a. rail.
beautifully less. If 1t were not for the fedora
tion of kindred bodies it is hard to see how any
stand could have been made against the corpor-
ations and their immense influence. Fedora
tion, instead of inducing strikes has prevented
them, and the number of strikes prevented by
federated organizations can never be counted.
Give those large corporations but the chance
and they will nibble away at yuur wages until
they have done away with them altogether, and
then they will do away with you.
"Our organization is not a striking
organization, but because We are not SO is no
reason why we may not strike. If we do not
strike when the exigencles of the hour require
il, we will very soon find that the corporations
will do all the striking necessary. AS working
men you should prepare yourself for strikes by
organizing to the utmost liruit, and. remember
that the more solidly you are organized the less
probabilities there are of a strike, because en-
ployers take this fact into the very first consid-
GRAFTON in times Of difficulty, Just so much as
you are thoroughly prepared to strike, just SO
much have you already won from your employ
ers They will think twice before locking you
out
PREFERS CoNCILIATIoN.
81 am not opposed to arbitration for the settle
meut of disputes. but prefer conciliation. To
arbitrate the two forces must be nearer each
other than they can be between capital and
labor. You cannot argue very well with man
who talks to you with revolver at your head.
Where one has powerful grip, with its heel
on the throat of the other, there cannot be
arbitration. Look to your organizations; bring
into them every man who works on the road.
And when you are thoroughly organized, do
not be content to stay there. Keeping on work
ing to maintain the position, commercially and
socially, that you have gained, and remember
that if you don't move forward that your en-
ployers will put you backward"
The speaker was frequently applauded dur.
ing his remarks.
Held Picnic at Castle Shannon.