Morning journal and courier., 1892-12-13
THE FEDKRArIoN OF LABOR

Opening OF the National Convention
at Philadelphia Welcomed by
George Chance - Entertained by
Journalist Swfnton - Prominent
Guests.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 12.-President
Samuel Gompers opened the twelfth an
nusl session of the American federation of
labor in Independence hall this morning.
An address of welcome in behalf of the
United Labor league of this city, was
delivered by George Chance of Typographi-
cal union No. Q, in which he said that,
measured by the wealth that has been
gathered, Pennsylvania Ia great, prosper
GUS and powerful. Measured by the con-
dition of the producers of that wealth, the
state is poor indeed" He held the laws of
the nation and the state partly responsible
for this condition of affairs.
President Gompers replied briefly for
the federation, thanking the lsboring men
of Philadelphia for their welcome and for
the admonitions that had been given. he
ascribed the wrongs of workingmen In
Pennsylvania to two cause.-the compare
tive lack of organization among the labor
ing men of the state, and the devotion of
wage-workers to psrtisans frat and to
their class interests last
A committee on credentials composed of
j. ]. Linehan, A. Todenhsusen, Charlie
Reicher, P. J. Mcintyre aud A. L. Nathan
was announced and the federal convention
took recess until 2 O'Clock. 4
At the afternoon session the delegates
were entertained for half an hour by John |
Swinton, the well known New York Jour |
nalist, in q savage onslaught ON "Black-
Logging Plnkertonism and Triokery." Mr.. |
Swinton declared he was not discouraged |
by the abandonment of the strikes at |
Homestead, Buffalo, Couer d'Alene, New |
Orleans and other places in the past year. |
These efforts, he asserted, had had the eff |
feet of checking aggression on the work |
ingmen. "The labor of the country" he |
continued, "has been paid millions of dol |
lars this year which 1t would surely have
lost without the help of these striking |
brethren. Every man disabled In these |
wars of labor should be remembered and |
his daily dole from his duty in the camp" |
The speaker concluded with an appeal for
union of all labor organisations on funda-
mental principles.
The committee on credentials reported |
eighty-one delegates entitled to admission.
The report was adopted. President Com
pers announced the membership of the
various committees. Resolutions were in
troduced at the request of the Typogrsph-
ical union of Chicago, denouncing the pro-
posed award of the fair catalogue to a nom
union publishing house and demanding
that the work be given to union concern.
1t was stated in behalf of the resolutions
that the printers of Chicago had subscribed
800 600 toward the fair uuder the belief |
that it would be of benefit to labor and it
was now proposed to make the award to
the only printing house in Chicago sntag-
onistic to labor interests. Several speak
ers urged the proposition. The resolutions
were finally adopted.
President Gompers and Secretary Evans
presented their annual reports.
Among the prominent men attending
the convention are ]. F. Melsven, Central
Labor union, Worcester, Mass; Thomas
Manning, Tsckmakers' union, Warren,
Mass, and ]. ]. Byron, Qusrrymen's Ma
tional union, Quincy, Mass, leader of the
great granite strike.