Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-12-16
THECAUSE OF LABOR.
The American Federation in
Session at Philadel-
phia
Sunday Closers Taken to Task
in President Gomper's
Address.
The Homestead and Other Great
Strikes Reviewed.
Finances.

annual convention of tho American
, Federation of Labor was called to
order at 1915 o'clock this morning in
the common council chant ers, indie
pendence hall, by President Gompers.
Seventy five delegates, representing
400, 900 tradesmen of all kinds, We're in
attendance. II. L. Mines of Philadel-
phia Typographical Union, No. 2, in
troduced George L. Chance, President
of the union, who delivered the adj
dress of welcome. La his remarks he
depre ciated the condition of the
worliingman in Pennsylvania by
ceason Of the low wages paid,
and said the laws of the
nation and State are partly responsible.
According to a. Judge of the Supreme
court trades unions are tyrannieS,
while the reasonable act of the Car
negic corporation in making war upon
the State was perfectly justifa bic.
1t is possible that through the blood
Of the men who died on the
banks Of the Monongahela last July
may come d realization of the true
condition of affairs and that the legisla-
ton of the future will be in favor of
the ma ,eS rather than for the uggran-
iizement of the few. He called upon
the delegates to point out the way to
better this condition. His address was
warmly applauded.
President Gompers responded and
after few words of thanks said he
desired to express his appreciation Of
the warning note sounded in Itnnsyl-
vania. 1t is time he said, that
the workers who are producers should
formulate their demands and in no I'M
certain tones present them to those
who would seek the destruction of
that spirit of independence which the
workers, the wealth producers of our
country, inherited from those brave
men who sacrificed their lives and
their all upon the liar of liberty more
than Il century ago. 1t is lamenta BILE
that Judges will stoop SO low as to
aim at an end SO desplcabe as has been
recently witnessed in Pennsylvania
Mr.. Gompers attributed the status of
la Dor in this State to comparative la K
of organization and to the fact that
the wage-workers have been owning
allegiance to political parties first and
to themselves, as a class, last.
President Gompers then appointed
this committee on credentials: j. j.
Linehan, of the Carpenters and Join
ers' Union of Chicago; A. Toden-
hansen. Tailors' Union, Knoxville,
Tenn: Charles Reichers, United Gar
ment Workers of America, New York;
P. J. Mcintyre, International Typo
graphical Union, Denver, Col; A. l..
Nathan, Trade and Labor Assembly,
| Pueblo Col.
| After the reading of cablegram of
! friendly greeting from an organiza-
tion in Norway the ton took a
recess until p. IN.
This afternoon President Gompers
delivered his address. Perhaps the
most interesting part of the document
is the review of the abor troubles of
the past year. Mr. Gompers scores the
authorities and employers and declares
that in each of the labor struggles the
employers - the corporations = have
! simply made request and the armed
forces of the State and of the United
States were at their bidding. Of the
Homestead trouble he says:
At Homestead, where tie iron and
steel woi llers were off red wholesale
reduction in wages, an armed band of
marauders, sailing under no flag,
owing alleg ance to no State or coun.
try. and consequently by the law OF
all nations considered pirates, were
brought by the corporations to invade
that peaceful town, to overawe and in
timidate its citizens and workers, to
aid in the efforts to supplant their
labor by poorer and demoralized set
of human beings. The men of Home.
stead, seeing their liberties endan-
gered, their lives, their families and
their homes menaced, took up arms
against the invaders and repealed them
OF worlds fair Sunday closing Mr..
Gompers says:
In our efforts to carry out the in
struction of the last convention petit.
tions signed by more than three hun
dred thousand organized working.
men were forwarded to Congress
requesting that body to refrain from
acting upon the question of opening
or closing the world fair on Sundays.
Notwithstanding the petition and our
protest. Congress practically 'closed
the fair upon the day most readily al
the disposition of the workers.
The Board of Directors of the fail
has pledged itself that no employe
shall be allowed to work more than
six days of the week if Congress will
repeal the Sunday closing clause.
In my Judgment we should urge Con.
gress to repeal the clause and delegate
the matter where it rightfully belongs
to the Board of Directors.
Secretary Evans, in his annual re
port. said that during the year ending
Oct. 81, PIT charters had been issued
to local unions and State federations
and eight charters TO national unions
The total receipts We're S25, 800 and tn.
expenses SlS,324.