The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-12-15
LABOR'S LEADERS.
Twelfth Annual Session Of the
American Federation.
President Gompers Gives y lfGe4ew Of thu
Work During the Past fesr-MV<e
Laws Favorable to tho
Masses Wanted.
LEADERS CONVENE.


PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 13.-President
Samuel Gompers opened the twelfth
annual session of the American feder-
alton of labor in Independence hall at
10 a. m. Monday. An address of well
come in behalf of the Union Labor
league of this city was delivered by
George Chance, of Typographical union
No. 9.
Treasurer ]. 3. lemons financial
report for the fiscal year ending No
vember gives the total receipts as
So, 900. 81: the total expenditures SIS
324. SO, and balance in treasury -, 6f6. IS.
In the afternoon. President Gompers delivered
his address Perhaps the most interesting part
of the document is the review OF
the labor troubles Of the past year Mr.
Gompers scores the authorities and en-
ployers and declares that in each of
these labor struggles the employers-the cor
porations-have simply made request and the
armed forces of the state and of the United
States were at their bidding. OF the Home
stead trouble he says:
"At Homestead, where the iron and steel
workers offered wholesale re-
duction in their wages. an armed band
of marauders. sailing under no flag, ow-
ing allegiance to no state or country tand.
consequently. Dy ule law Oh all LailOlS, CONSll'
cred pirates, was brought by the corporations
to invade that peaceful town. to aid in the eff
fort to supplant their labor by poorer and de-
moraliZed set of human beings The men OF
Homestead, seeing their liberties endangered.
took up arms against the invaders and repelled
them
Referring to the knights of Labor Mr.. Com
pers said that. in obedience to the instructions
of the Birmingham convention last year. the
general officers of the knights had been
invited to conference with the fedora
ton discourteous and insoent an
swer was returned and nothing further
had been done The knights were referred to
as manifesting petty and great antagonism.
The speaker declared in favor of political ac-
ton by organized labor and on the eight-hour
question said it was their duty TO keep up the
fight until a subs tantial reduction in the
days labor of the masses had been
attained. He urged that the alien
contract labor law should be made more strin-
gent that all immigrants should be subject to
return until two years after their arrival in this
country, and that the employing contractor
should be held liable for five years after the ar
rival of the contract laborer.
Regarding the worlds fair Sunday closing
question the president insists that congress
should have .refrained from legislating upon a
subject entirely foreign to its sphere, and
urges an appeal to that body to repeal the Sun
day-clOsing clause
Secretary Evans, in his annual report, said
that during the year ending October 81 I'll char
tiers had been issued to local unions and state
federations and eight charters to national
unions. The total receipts were $s5 800 and She
expenses slS3s4.
Among the prominent labor men in
the convention besides President
Gompers were the following:
Treasurer John H. Lennon, of New York:
Secretary Evans New York: Samuel Good
water, representing the cigarna&ers of De-
Chicago: p. H. Penna, vice president OF the
United Mine Workers, of Linton, Ind: J. A.
Crawford, state president OF the
United MineworlSers and mem
Der of the federation executive board,
Bryant. ILL.,: w. c. Pearce, secretary
United Mine Workers of Ohio: p. j. Mcguire,
first vice president of the federation and secre.
tary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and
!oiners of America: William A. Carney,
second vice president OF the fedora
ton of Pittsburgh: Frank Valesch
deputy labor commissioner OF Du
luth Mimi: 7. j. Morgan. Machnists
union Chicago: O. A Tanner Theatrical At
,aches union. Pittsburgh; James F. Melaven
Central Labor union. Worcester Mass: Thorn
as Manning. TacKmakers' National union, War
rem. Mass: james Duncan Federation of Bal
timorc: :ohn J. Byron, Quarrymen's National
union. Quincy. Mass, leader of the great gran
tie cutters strike: A. l.. Nathan, Trades AS
! sembly, Pueblo, Col: r. NJ. Campbell Mem
pins. Tenn: w. b. Prescott, president of the
Intcrna t:onal Typographical union, Indianap
oils: William johnson. Lithographic Plate
Printers union. Washington: w. E Hatton
Iron and Steel Workers, Youngstown. o.
James J. Linchan. Thomas J. tElderkin, Chi
cago: Charles F. Reichers Henry White, New
| York: Joseph Valentine. San Francisco, anc
Martin Fox, of Cincinnati