Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-08-09
.F|LCH|NG OF LABOR.
Reached a Crisis and
Caused Extra Session.
HERR AL TGELD ENDORSED.
Summary Of Business Transacted by
the Federation of Labor.

Boston, Aug. 9.-The state branch OF
the Federation of Labor put itself on
record as being favorable 10 the use OF
silver as currency in the shape Of resoiu-
| ton TO congress- There was no debate on
this subject
/ President Gompers made an address, In
which he alluded TO the great public ques-
| tions that are just now watched with in
terest by labor people. Massachusetts had
taken the lead always In labor legislation.
| The masses must be educated before much
quicker progress could b. made among
the labor unions, yet there are some peo
pie who are continually crying that they
act too slowly.
The trades unions are elastic and will
conform to the wishes Of the people as
soon as these wishes are expressed wisely
The fight for shorter hours and more
Just remuneration for toll will go on
Until the Balance Is Reached.
Congress has been called together in this
extra session because the flching Of labor
has reached a crisis. Can congress bring
relief TO the workers from industrial in
justicei There is nothing IL can do To
adjust the inequalities between the pro
ductive and unproductive classes.
Congress can take some action which
might bring partial relief, but there Is
nothing II oan do TO efectually remedy
the present stagnation of business. The
speaker referred TO the silver question a
did not believe that the purchase Of 3,OOn,-
600 or 100000 ounces OF an article
month would ruin the bdsiness Of the
United States
In the organization OF the trade union
and In the conventions Of labor will be
found the
Actual and EfectusI emedy
for such industrial stagnations rs at pres
ent exist Increase the power Of all the
people TO consume AS well as their ca
pacity to produce thus adding to their
ability 10 purchase more of the result OF
their labors. The committee on resolu-
tions then reported. Resolutions were
adopted endorsing the blue Label of the
cjgarmakers Governor Altgeld Of Hi
nois was commended for pardoning the
Chicago anarchists, and II was voted To
forward resolutions to him.
A long discussion was precipitated by a
motion debarring trade councils from rep
resentation In the state branch. IL was
finally carried. aud hereafter none but
local unions and miscellaneous central
labor bodies will he entitled to member
ship In the state branch.
The silver Question
was then taken up and the following reso-
lution carried:
II is the opinion OF the convention that we
require congress 10 so legslate as to keep up
the parity between treasury notes, gold and
silver, In order that the debt paying power Of
the people shall not be diminished and that
the circulating, mclAnm Of the people shall
not be at the beck and call of any corporation
or number of them.
Representative Mellen Of Worcester
spoke OF the honor Of now belonging TO a
labor organization, where not many years
ago mans life was endangered If il was
suspected that he had any connection with
one The eyes Of the wage earners of the
state were upon the convention, and what
the delegates were now doing would 10
forth and possess great influence, not only
with the people but with the legislature.
II the laws relating to the cigarmakers'
labels and to the railroad employees had
not already been passed, it would be
impossible to get them through now on
account OF the combination of capital
among corporations and their eagerncss to
WELD it against the laborers.
He then spoke of the proposed biennial
elections and declared that this was the
last thing labor man desired. The poll
ticians should be at all times kept rs near
the people as possible.
A vote Of thanks was then passed to
Representative Mellen for his good work
In the interest of labor while he was
member o the legislature.
Onicers For the Ensuing Year.
The following officers were elected:
President, o. A. Robbins Of Springfield;
FIRST vice president, John i. Sheehan Of
Holyoke; second vice president, J. ID.
Pierce Of Worcester; secretary. Frank X.
Foster Of Boston; treasurer, Charl $
Spencer Of Springfeld; trustees, Frank
Thompson. n. w. Garrity and A. j. Felz
Of Boston; legislative committee, A. r.
Silberstein, Frank X. Foster, Henry
Lloyd, Thomas Tracy and John F. O'Sulli-
van; delegate to convention in Chicago
next December, Thomas Tracy.