The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-12

Gomper>'s View. on the situation and tn,
Remrur,

Rrmrur.
CHICAGO Dec. II. The thirteenth annual
Convention OF the American Federation OF
Labor met here TODAY President samuel
Gomrcrs in his annual address said
Since August last We have been in the
greatest Industrial depression this country
has ever witnessed. More than 100000 Of
our fellow toilers are without employm cEt and
have been so since the time named. From the
time industry began TO emerge from the panics
o; lST3-10 there began the introduction Of
vastly improved machinery. tools. and N eth
DDS OF production. Tho inventions in electric
lily. the general application Of this force as
well as steam to industry was indeed displac-
Ing labor faster than new industries could he
inunded. PRODUCTION. faster and greater: was
the impulse, the thought. and motive OF the
capitalist class.
The fact that in the end. the great body
OF workers com prise those who must OF necps-
atty consume the product ion received no con-
sideration whatever from our captains OF In
dustry.' Asa result the great stOrehouses are
glutt"d with the very ARTICLES required Ivy the
people without their nbility-or rather. their
opportunity to obtain and to consume them.
Does it require more than ordinary obserNa-
ton to discern that from conditions az alb
normal and abominablc industrial stagnation
We. the representatives Of the organized
toilinC masses. offered the, only reasonable.
changed conditions OF industry Tho Fedora
ton early toresaw the great difficulty which
confronted tlle people, ana IN 1854 declared
for the, movement to reduce the hours OF
labor 1t Is unnecessary to repeat the lament
able incident Which frustrated the eight hour
movement OF 1888. But in 1880 tho Fedora
ton OF Labor resolved to engage in move-
ment to gradually enforce the riEht-hour work
day In which care partially successful Had
we been met hy less nntagonism Of the cap-
talist class and by those who should have
panic Of 1888 would have been averted dc.
ferred. and ccrta MY rendered less intense.
The only method by which n practical lust.
IN lar IlAf sNnI fl1.A
Industrial world for the fast and cver-increas-
ing introduction OF mnchi merry is. II com:
am very sure that II en- plnyerS wero to substi-
tnte division OF the work required among all
number we should much sooner emerge from
the present industrial and commercial stagna-
>, Upon the subject OF political action Mr.
Gompers says:
Tho last Convention recommended to the
organized woTkingmen that they take such Ac-.
ton. politically, as shall secure the best re-
suits to labor and place tho movement upon u
higher plane. desire to record n OF only that
In my Judgment the trend will soon in that
direction. hut that every earnest effort made
has met with the cooperation Of the members
81 the ENecutiv" Council. An Intelligent use
Of the ballot by the toile-s must largely con-
tribute to Tighten tho burdens OF our economic
labor tc represent US in tongress and the ca
islatures whenever and wherever the oprortu-
trust and. regardless of political affiliations or
predictions. always vote against those whose
interests are lnimicnl to labor,
There is still too great II division and lack
OF cohesive action among the toiling masses.
not only on political lines, but on economic
lines also, The greatest fActor in antagoniZ-
inE the demands Of labor is the large number
OF unorganized workers. In economic dis
putes with employers this factor il used to the
detri mont OF the entire body OF wage workers.
Nor is this caus" Of complaint confined 10 the
unorgani2ed wage cHTners: that il to say on
political lines should the wage carriers ot
our country act more in harmony with each
other in this field OF their duties we
would rest more assured that legislation
sought in the interest Of labor would lee moro
readily forthcoming. and we would have less
IL any, necessity to oppose and resist eESla-
ton REFRESHING or tantagoniStic TO it, char
uctnr. our fellow workers have tn too large an
extent been nnrtisans first and wage corners
after. Let us hope that rs the result OF our
efforts to organize, q iuratc. and secure con-
cessions Tor the toiling masses they wall not
only reverse the or 'sr % their former actions.
but be as politically Independent as they de-
sire 10 be &c ECONOMICALLY free