The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-19
WOMEN AND POLITICIANS
Two Subjects That Caused Debates in
the Federation of Labor Convention.
Miss Vanetten ArOuses the Ire eta Delegate
Holders Of Political Offices as Organizers
President Gompers Reelected.

adopted "A resolution at it's morning session
favoring a woman's suffrage amendment to
the Constitution. The convention refused
to adopt resolution recommending polit-
zeal action on the part of the trades unions.
resolution was passed demanding that no
further subsidy be paid the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company unless the company
discharge oil Chinese and Japanese in its
service; also, resolution to amend the
shipping act Of 1890. so as to make vessels
liable in damages for cruelty to sailors at
the hands of officers.
This afternoon Miss Ida NJ. Vanetten. repre-
senting without vote the working women
of New York, 10y consent, made q statement
as to the resolution respecting the employ
n;ent of q woman organizer, W hlch yester-
day was referred to the incoming executive
council. She referred especially to Vice
president McGuires IRA Their brutal con-
duct, 10 delegate Men calls sarcastic
reply" to one of her questions. and to
delegate Lehman as the representative OF
an organization which was willing TO re-
ceive the dues from women memb ers. but
unwilling TO allow women vote"
THAT is false; that Is untrue" angrily
replied Delegate Lehman, rising tn his feet.
Miss Vanetten was allowed TO proceed
until she was called to order for reflections
on members, more especially on Weep
dent Mcclure. When she had concluded
Vice president Mcclure said Miss Vanetten
had gone out or her way TO attack him.
He mentioned more than one organization
with which Miss Vanetten had been act
lively connected, and which had died under
her miDistratiOns.
Hitherto, the first vice. president has
stood in order of succession In case of death
or removal from office of the president.
This clause of the constitution was amend
ed, reQuiring that the Executive Council
shall temporarily fill the vacancy from it's
membership. A proposition for the estab-
lishment of an Official organ for the fedora
ton, to be edited by the president under
the direction of the Executive Council,
came mp, and the convention, by vote of
more than two TO one, refused to sanction
the proposition.
Delegate Frank A. Kidd from the COM
mittee on rules. reported unfavOrably q
resolution introduced by delegate Strigel
OF Detroit, prohibiting holders OF political
offices from acting as organizers, and the
fact was brought ont that the resolution
was aimed at an inspector of sidew alks in
Detroit whom Delegate Goldwater char
acterized as one of the best organizers in
tile United States. The inspectors name Is
Robert Y. Ogg.
Delegate Dold was strongly opposed to
allowing politicians to get into the councils
of the trades-unions.
the most remarkable one that had come be-
fore the convention. The test of man
WAS his fidelity to trades-unlonism-not his
connection with q political party. He
pointed out delegates Mcneil. August Mil
Ter, Daily and others present, all holding pO-
litlcal office,
Delegate Doherty said they had begun a
movement in Pittsburg to do away with all
the obstacles TO the rights of trades-union-
ism, and to do that they must 60 into poll
tics.
Delegate August Miller said that he had
been sent to the Missouri Senate by work
ing people, and he cited number of laws
which he had been able to have enacted
for the protection of men who worked. he
regretted the filings at politicians.
Delegate Strigel said that in point of fact
II every politician was taken from the con-
ventiOn there would be very few left. He
desired to go on record as not making VAT
on the sidewalk inspector at Detroit.
Delegate Mcbride said that in the min
ers' movement the miners had selected
from their ranks men whom they have
urged in politics. In Ohio in 1888 they had
In that State number of laws that were
pie. He himself was the first miner TO be
elected to the Ohio Legislature. The dele
gate then cited number of wise laws and
great reforms that had been brought
about by the working people having their
own representatives in the legislatures.
A similar state of affairs was true of In
diana. Illinois and other States. An ex-
Speaker of the Ohio Legislature was in
1885 swinging a miners pick in the Hooking
Valley.
The convention concurred In the unfa-
vorable report of the committee. Delegates
Harding, Kidd, Faulkner and Dodd asking
to be- recorded in the negative.
The convention then proceeded to elect
officers. President Gompers was reelected
president. receiving 1886 votes against 535
for J. II. Barth. of Wheeling. and $50 for
August Delabar. of New York. Delabar
withdrew his name before the vote. A mo-
ton to make Com Ders's election unanimous
was objected to by Harding. The other of
ficers are: p. j. McGulre. of Pennsylvania,
FIRST vice. president; w. A. Carney. of Pitts
burg. second ioe-president; Chris Evans.
of New York, secretary; John II. Lennon,
OF New York. treasurer; all of them being
reelected. Mr.. Gompers has been presi-
dent since 1888