The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-13
OF LABOR.


Annual Address of President Gompers-His
Views on Recent Troubles.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 12-PresIdent SAM
uel Gompers opened the twelfth annual
session of the American Federation of Labor.
in Independence Hall this morning. An ad-
dress of welcome in behalf of the United
Labor League. of this city, was delivered
by George Chance. of Typographical
Union, No. 2. in which he denounced the
action of the authorities in fostering "sonl-
less" corporations. President Gompers
replied briefly for the federation.
thanking the laboring men of Phila-
delphio for their welcome and for
the a%dmonitions tina had been given. ''lt
is lamentable," he declared. that judges
should stoop go low to arrive at such des-
picable ends as has been witnessed recent
ly in PennsylvanIa. He ascribed these
wrongs to two causes: The comparative
lack of organization among the laboring
men of the State; and tho devotion of wage
workers to partisans first and to their class
interests last.
At the afternoon session the delegates
were entertained for half en- hour by John
Swintop, the New York journalist, IN a
savage attack on '..Blackleggine. Pinker-
tonism and Trickery." Resolutions were
introduced at the request Of Typo.
Chicago, denouncing the proposed
awarding OF the contract for the worlds
fair catalogue to a nOn-nniUn publishing
house and demanding that the work DO
given TO o union concern. The Chicago
men made q determined effort to get the
resolutions through the convention imme-
diately. After q short discussion the reso-
lutions were referred to q special commit
90. -hs &An. and nor
back 10 the convention. The resolutions
were adopted, however, In their original
form.
President Gompers then read his annual
report. In full il would fill an entire page
OF o newspaper, but its chief interest lies
in his remarks upon the great labor DIS
~turbances of the past year. He took up
in succession the Tennessee miners
troubles. the Homestead affair. the
Buffalo switchmen's strike and
C9ur d'Aiene mining disturbances Of
the Tennessee matter he declared that the
miners did not resort 60 violence until oil
legal means had failed and when a shock
to the public was the only means
aasy mad to 5sma shsin w oI raW Ros
ferring to the Homestead strike, Mr..
Gompers characterized Pinkerton men as
IAN armed band of marauders sailing I'M
der no flag, owing allegiance TO no State or
country. and. consequently. BY the laws OF
all %natlous. considered pirates" lie de.
ounce in most severe terms the action of
Supreme Judge Paxson sitting as a com
uniting magistrate, and cited the dlf.
ferent treatment accorded the indicted
millmen and the capitalists as q striking
commentary upon the constitutional decIar-
alton that all men reequal before the law.
In the Buffalo strike Mr.. Gompers de-
clared that because some irrespon,
some worthless cars. the entire
militia OF the State of New York
was called out to compel tho men to go
to work. regardless OF their inclinations,
rights of the switchmen. Mr.. Com
pers was even more severe in bis
deDunciati0n OF tho authorities In The
matter of the CPur d'Alens Strike. He de-
clared that the United. states Judge and
the commander of the federal troops
combined to prevent the constitutions
right of free assemblaqe, and enforced their
edict that An employer should not carry on
his business if he employed union men.
In this connection he recommends that q
dtmand be- made for an In vestigatiop OF the
conduct of the judicial and military
affairs In the mining regions OF Idaho.
these oases,' said he. "call for the seri-
Gus consideration of this convention They
are fraught with pregnant and burning
questions of the hour. War has practically
been declared against the labor organiza-
tions and war measures resorted to In or
der to crush them"
IIcelucut OOmp eTb ucuib oTicHy WIN IL
question OF unrestricted immigration, which
ne declared to be a great injury to the
country. He urged that the alien
contract labor law should be made
more stringent The relations OF
the Federation with the knights OF
Labor. be regretted to say. were not
cordial. owing to the insuIting attitude OF
the knights at the Birmingham conven-
ton. MIR. Gompers closed with an appeal
Tor concerted political action among work
ingmen.
Secretary Evans then submitted his re-
port. 1t showed that during the year com.
mencing Nov. l. 1891. and ending Oct. 81,
1892. 277 charters have been issued, lnclud.
ing local unions. central bodies and State
federations. in thirty-two sites of the
Union. In addition to these eight charters
have been issued to national unions, max
ing q total of 2S5 for the year
the largest number of charters that have
been issued during one year since the
American Federation of Labor hes beer
organized. In his comparative statement
as to the receipts and expenses. he said the
receipts for the last year were SIS. $3.50 AND
the expenses S1S. 324. as compared with 3d..
34S received the year before and S13. 100 ex'
pended. The convention then adjourned