The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-13
FEDERATED LABOR.
President Gompers Makes
His Report.
HOW THE MILITIA IS USED
Held at the Call of Corporations to
Cypress the Men Who Work
for Living.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

PHILADELPHIA. Dec. 12.-The twelfth
annual convention Of the American Fedora
tion OF Labor convened here to-day.
President Gompers called the convention
to order.
George Chance delivered the address Of
welcome on behalf of the United Labor
League.
a committee on credentials was appointed
ana the convention took recess till alter
noon.
AT the afternoon session the delegates
were entertained for half an hour by John
Swiuton. the New York journalist, In
savage attack on "blacklegging Pinker-
tonism and trickery."
The speaker concluded with an appeal for
tue union of all labor organizations on
fundamental principles.
The committee on credentials reported s01
delegates entitled to admission, and the
report was adopted.
resolution was introduced at the re-
quest oil Typographical Union No. 16 OF
chicago denouncing the proposed awarding
Oh tie contract for the printing of the
world S Fair catalogue to a men, union house,
and demanding that the work 60 to union
house. After considerable debate the reso-
PRESIDENT Gompers then read his annual
report. He said, in part: Events have
transDired on the field of labor during the
last six months which have aroused public
attention. because the incidents connected
With them are more or less OF an unusual
character. In each of these labor struggles
the employers, generally corporations. have
simply made a request, and the armed
forces of the State and of the United States
have been placed at their bidding.
AT C9ur d'Alene, at the bidding of the
mlne-owners. United States troops were
brought out and the men we're overawe
and subdued. The commanding general of
the United States forces issued an order
that any employer who would operate his
mines with union men would not be al
lowed to continue work. and a United
States Judge issued an order prohibiting
union miners from holding meeting. In
other words. the constitutional right of free
assemhlage was violated by United States
Judge. and general of our army declared
and enforced an edict that an
employer should not carry on busi-
ness because he dared to employ
union men. This action Of the Jud ges and
officers of the United States was flagrantly
In violation OF law, aud l believe it our
duty TO demand that the Congress Of the
United States institute an investigation. 1t
Is also plainly evident that the militia In
our several States is now never utilized
except fer purposes of osten iatiOus show or
as an element in labor struggles. There is
not even a preteDse that they should be
what they were originally designed for. In
stead Of being popular organization for
the defense OF our homes and firesides il is
DETECTED into a machine for monopolistic
oppression against labor 1oilers need at
this time 10 answer the bitterness and vim
dictiveness Of the oppressors with organ
ization.
with the object OF financial aid in view,
December 13 OF this year is designated As
Homestead day. and all are requested to
contribute a portion of their earnings on
that day for the purpose stated.
ut is idle to say that, because we have
not been entirely successful in the enforce
ment of the eight-hour movement for oil
orders in the past, it is useless for us again
TO make an effort TO establish limitation OF
the daily hours of labor
There can be no question that unre-
stricted immigration is working a great
injury to the people of cur own country.
Notwithstanding our petition aud our pro-
Worlds Fair upon the day most readily at
the disposition of workers. We should urge
Congress to repeal this law, and 10 open the
Worlds Fair ON Sundays. as we'll as 10
amend the immigration laws.
Congress some time ago granted subsi-
dies TO the Pacific Mail Steamship Company,
and incorporated provision that the sea-
men employed by the company shoald be
American citizens. The company in ques-
tion has since violated the provisions OF the
law by employing Chinese sailors. i recon-
mend that the convention enter its most
emphatic protest against supplantiag our
American sailers by Chinese, and call upon
the President of the United States to either
compel the company in question to abide by
the provisions of the law or to withdraw
the subsidy granted.
I'm obedience to unanimously adopted
instructions, a counter proposition to those
submitted by the Knights of Labor was
transmitted 10 the general officers of that
order. The officers answer was discourteous
and insolent, and since then we have heard
nothing in reference to the subject-matter. d"
The report of Secretary Evans was then
submitted. Evans said: During the year
commencing November !, 1891, and ending
october 81. 1892. 277 charters were issued in
thrty-two States of the Union, and In addi-
tion to the above eight charters were issued
to national unions, making total of 2S5
for the year. The national unions affiliated
also received, through the Office of the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor, rhirty-seven char
ter applications"
In comparative statement as to receipts
and expenses. he said that the receipts for the
last year were S25, 500 aud the expenditures
Sld,324 as compared with S2l,3i6 received
the year before aud S13, 100 expended.
The convention then adjourned until to-
morrow.