The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-12-13

CHICAGO. Dec. 1.-THE thirteenth
annual convention of the American fed
Grafton Of labor opened in the city coun-
ell chamber today. over ninety dele
gates from all parts Of the country We're
present when President Samuel Gompers
called the convention To order.
President Madden of the state fedora
tion made short address and President
Gompers- replied to the speeches Of vel
come, and after referring TO the home
less and starving thousands throughout
the country, continued:
The men responsible for these con-
ditions, who send out protests, in which
we join, against the throwing of a bomb
in Barcelona and Paris and against
assassins in Chicago. must concede 10
the solutions Of the problem which or
ganized labor presents for the develop
ment of the human family or be con-
fronted with this kind Of warfare
The burden Of gossip regarding the
election Of officers was that the western
men believed Gompers should be
turned down because Of his attitude
on the silver question: position that
did not meet the views OF the silver
states. The eastern delegates are, how
ever, apparently solid for Gompers and
reelection. During the meeting there
will also be a vigorous contest for and
against the union label. Recent legal
decisions have been against the fedora
ton and authority TO take the matter
into the highest court viii be sought.
1t is claimed for the label that since
its adoption the federation has greatly
prospered and that the label has had
much to do with the success achieved.
The label. however, meets with oppOsi-
tion in some quarters and a considerable
contingent is opposed 10 eXpending
any more money in pushing the case i'm
the courts.
President Gompers's Annual Report.
President Gomperss annual report
was an interesting document and also
contained reference to the desutution
at present existing among the laboring
classes.
1T is no eXaggeratiOn TO say he de-
clares. that more than 100000 of our
fellow-toilers throughout the country
are without employment"
The responsibility for this condition
Of things the report charged up TO capi-
tai and labor-saving machinery, which.
regardless Of the working class. over
HLOtkEQ the mar hELS OL ll4t MDIlQ Will
cut furnishing the latter with
means with which to pur-
chase the vast store. President
Gompers thought the present depres-
sion was having a deleterious effect
upon labor organizations. He believed
a measure of relief might have been
obtained by a general adoption of an
eight-hour day. Speaking OF the feder-
alton in its relation TO politics, President
GompeTs said:
The last convention recommended 10
the organized wOrkingmen that they
take such action politically as shall Sc
cure the best results TO labor and place
the movement upon "A higher plane. L
desire to record not only that in my
judgment the trend will soon be in that
direction, but that every earnest effort
made has met with the cordial cooper
alton of the members of the executive
council. Let US elect men from the
ranks of labor to represent us i'm con-
gress and the legislatures wherever and
whenever the opportunity presents it.
self"
The report also contained some per-
tinent remarks on the car-coupler law,
the Chinese exclusion act, government
ownership of the telegraph, railroad
strikes. child labor and other matters of
industrial interest
Secretary Evnns's Report.
The report Of Secretary Evans was
mainly interesting from the fact that
it furnished detailed statement of the
money received and expended in the in
terest of the Homestead legal defense
fund. At a mass meeting called by
the executive council in Pittsburg it was
determined to raise a fund TO assist the
Amalgamated association of iron and
steel workers in their fight with the Car
negie company and to that end circulars
soliciting subscriptions were sent out.
AS "a result of this appeal the sum of
81, ,O43 was subscribed. OF this amount
Sc. .564 was expended, leaving a balance
of SS47S During the year ending Oct
81. charters were granted TO POS various
labor organizations, six of which We're
national unions. Several amendments
to the constitution were suggested by
the secretary.
Treasurer Lemons Report.
The report of Treasurer John b. Len
non showed that the total income for the
year ending Oct. 81 was S2l, ,4S7 and the
total expenses S17,S1S, leaving a balance
of S3,66S. This balance, with the uneX-
pended residue of the Homestead fund,
makes the total cash in the treasurer's
hands $7147