The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-15
TIE FEDERATION OF LABOR
Its Rapid Growth-With 100000 Mem
bers the Salary List IL $500.


BIRMINGHAM, Ala, Dec. 1.-THE eleventh
annual national convention of the Federation
OF Labor convened this morning, being called TO
order by President Gompers- About $50 dele
gates were present from al parts of the United
States and Canada President Gompers. in call
ing the convention to order, said be would re-
serve the delivery Of his annual a6-
dress until tomorrow, and he proceeded
70 deliver q brie! sdddres OF welcome.
The growth OF the organization during the past
year, he said, had been phenomenal, and the
delegates before him repres more than
three-quarters of million of organized laborers
Gompers, in concl ueion, said that much re-
NAMED to be done, and combinations against
labor can only be successfully coped with by
compact and thorough Organizations of our
countrymen- The burden on our sisters and
the cry OF the children for relief demand that
We labor with all our power 70 relieve ourselves
from the great wrongs By which we are sur
rounded
Al tie conclusion OF the presidents address
the convention went into executive session.
General secretary Evans, in presenting his an
nual report, said that while the trades union
movement was doing noble WORK in the line of
reform, the unions are not making as rapid pro-
gress as they should, and renewed efforts are
urged. The report showed that during the
term ended October 81 2i6 charters had been is
sued to unions in thirty states. Charters had
=
ing total of $50 during the year. The receipts
OF the year were s2l ,3A and the expenditures
$751; leaving a balance OF IS, l5s The state
ment was rendered notable by showing that the
total outlay for salaries on account of organi-
cation with hundreds of branches and q mem
barship OF three-quarters OF a million was but
$500.
SAN Francisco, Dec. 14-Acting Deputy
Grand Chief Ramsay, of the Order of Railroad
Telegraphers OF North America, has issued an
order Tor strike of ell the members of the en-
tire Pacific system of the Southern Pacific, be-
ginning tomorrow morning. The grievances
arc stated 20 be Southern Pacific opposition to
the Order of Telegraphers and its demand that
telegraphers sign az affidavit that they are not
members and will not become members of that
order.
TOPEKA, Kan, Dec. Authorization has been
received here to the effect that the Southern
Pacific railroad has supplied the places of ell
the striking telegraph operators with new men,
and that the Western Union will pat in new
men at FL Paso
CRESTED BUTTE, Col. Dec. 1.-THE attempt 70
compromise the differences between the miners
and operators has failed, aud the situation Ia
still serious.
In regard to the council of federated trades of
the Pacific coast the committee on credentials
referred the matter TO the convention itself.
The San Francisco case 10 the NOS:
important question likely 70 come
before the convention, with the possible ex-
ception OF the boycott. Delegate Carter did
not wish 20 oppose the seating OF the san Fran
cisco delegates, but he questioned the wisdom
OF such action. They should be careful lest
they encourage INSTRUMENTATION. They
should not let sympathy lead them astray.
Delegate Valentine, OF San Francisco, believed
that IL any local union were guilty OF insub-
ordination il should be suspended The san
Francisco federation had been suspended for not
paying an assessment, not on account of the
money involved but because they knew il 70 be
unjust. The money was no object in the
matter. Delegate Jones offered a resolution
that a special committee be appointed to con-
slider San Franciscos case, and after prolonged
discussion the resolution was adopted. The
president appointed Blackmore, Byron, smead,
Faulkner and Shields as committee, with in
struc.ions TO report tomorrow morning.