Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-12-15
LABOR'S LEADERS.
Twelfth Annual Session of the
American Federation.
President Gompers Gives a Review of the
Work During the Past Year-MOre
Laws Favorable to the
Masses Wanted.
LEApERs ooNvFNE.

A@As<AbAAAso YIN ENh--
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 1S.-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. 2.
Treasurer ]. B. Lemons financial
report for the fiscal year ending No
vember gives the total receipts as
SIS. 900. 81; the total expenditures S1S,-
324 90 and balance in treasury 81, 666. 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 a request and the
armed forces of the state ana of the United
States were at their bidding, OF the Home
stead trouble he says;
cat Homestead, where the iron and steel
workers were offered a wholesale re-
duction in their wages, an armed band
of marauders sailing under no flag, ow-
ing allegiance TO no state or country (and,
consequently, by the law OF all nations consid-
cred piratesl, was brought by the corporations
to invade that peaceful town, to aid in the ef-
fort TO supplant their labor by poorer and de-
morali7ed set of human beings The men OF
Homestead, seeing their liberties endangered
took up arms against the invaders and repealed
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 a conference with the fedora
ton A discourteous and insoent an
swer was returned and nothing further
had been done. The knights were referred to
as manifesting petty and great antagontsm
The speaker declared in favor OF political 40
ton by organized labor and on the eight-hour
question said it was their duty TO keep up the
fight until a substantial 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-cosing clause.
Secretary Evans, in his annual report, said
that during the year ending October 81 2s7 char
tiers had been issued TO local unions and state
declarations, and eight charters to national
unions The total receipts were $500, and the
expenses SlSS24.
Among the prominent labor men in
the convention besides President
Gompers were the following:
Secretary Evans, New York; Samuel Good
water, representing the cgarmakers Of De
troit Charles Dold, Of the same union, OF
Chicago: p. H. Penna, vice president of the
United Mine. Workers, of Linton, Ind; j A.
Crawford, state president OF the
United Mineworkers and mem
Der of the federation executive board
Bryant. III W. G. Pearce secretary
United Mine Workers of Ohio p. j. Mcguire,
first vice president Of the federation ana secre-
tary of the Brotherhood Of Carpenters and
Joiners OF America; William A. Carney,
second vice president of the fedora
ton of Pittsburgh; Frank Nalesch,
deputy labor commissioner Of Du-
luth, Mimi; T. J. Morgan, Machinists'
union, Chicago; o. A Tanner, Theatrical At
laches union Pittsburgh; James F. Melaven,
Central Labor union, Worcester, Mass. Thorn
as Manning, TacKmakers' National union, War
rem, Mass; James Duncan, Federation Of Bal
timore; John j. Byron, Quarrymen's National
enion, Quincy Mass, leader of the great gran
ite cutters strike; A. l.. Nathan, Trades As
sembly Pueblo, Col; r. M. Campbell, Mem
phis, Tenn; w. b. Prescott. president of the
International Typographical union, Indianap-
oils; William Johnson, photographic Plate
Printers union, Washington; w. L Hatton,
Iron and Steel Workers. Youngstown, o.;
James J. Linehsn, Thomas J. Elderkin. Chi
cago: Charles F. Reichers, Henry White, New
York Joseph Valentine San Francisco. and
Martin Fox, Of Cincinnati.