The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-15
Labor and Anarchy.

The American Federation OF Labor has
been holding it's annual Convention In Chit
cago this week. There is an unusual
amount Of unemployed labor In Chicago this
winter. Much Of the great addition made
to the labor supply by the Fair. remains
there. while tho demand has been largely
decreased by the closing of the Fair as well
as by the general Industrial depression. In
view OF this situation. which the intelligent
and philosophical people OF Chicago are
doing their best to relieve. they had right
to expect some conservative. helpful, and
practical suggestions from the delegates Of
! great labor organization. The note for
the Convention was set by Mr.. W. G. PoME-
ROY, Vice President OF the Trade and Labor
Assembly. His address Of welcome was
full Of the maudln hysterical that appeals
to weak minds. Here are few select
| specimens:
| I'm tho name OF toll I welcome you within the
Ea;cs Of tho mistress OF the inland where the
Iaacs shines bright In the ante Cbrismasde and the
hovel holds not tagot to warm Its freezing tenants
IN the name Of those sdihces erected to the glory OF
Con but whose doors at night tightly closed to the
| freezing poor
| In the name Of those ministers who fa,t.n from
the vineyards OF Con. forgetting that Cons children
are hungry and have no place to lay their heads
I'm the name Of the able gregation OF the
fashionable church in the fashionable suburb where
the palace. hed with warmth within, drops from the
caves the melting SHOWS upon the frozen howell where
poverty hides Its hsggsrI soul the very threshold Of
| hypocrisy
In the name OF these thing. I bid you welcom.
I'm tue name OF the child slave whose young life 10
sacrificed on the altar q greed. bid you welcome
In the name OF the seastress In the sweaters den
.vho perils honor to toll for bread bid you welcome
"ln the name Of the haggard sweater himself vic.
tim to greed, bid you welcome
In the name OF the pillars OF the sweating system
miiionsirss and deacons whose soul. endangered
by svarioe for gold. bid you welcome
In the mans of the wage slave whose sweat OF
blood 10 coined into golden ducs,s In the mint Of nam
mon. welcome you here"
As a matter OF fact. the men and women
who live In palaces " in Chicago. and tho
clergyme1 and the fashionable congrcga-
tions have been active and generous in try
ing to relieve distress. But what are facts
to a windy blatherskite like this fellow
PoMERoY? His speech would be merely
ridiculous IL there were not disclosed I'm all
Its tawdrv sentences IN artful purpose to
stimulate hatred OF the rich and well-to-
do. and to represent the dcprivations or
sufferings OF the less fortunate ms the fault
or the crime OF the rich. 1t is talk like
PoMERoY's. accepted by crazy fanatics or
dcsperadoes Of tho VALIANT type, that Is
largely responsible for the bomb-throw-
ings and other demonstrations OF war
against society.
Mr.. II. MADDEN OF the Illinois State Fed
Grafton Of Labor told the delegates that he
had no feRr that they would not be able to
mark out system By which present dis
tress may be abolished and its recurrence
prevented in the future" and he seems to
rpnnrl the A II 4 nf Gn1h
proposition that we are at present pursu-
ing system OF wrong to the wage-workcr.
bordering on robbery We are aware that
many economists OF the sentimental school
look upon the wage-systcm ns Monsieur
PRoUDHoS looked upon property. but it
seems scarcely judlcious to press this the
DRY when great number OF workmen are
out OF employment. nor is it practical or |
consoling to tell them that they are robbed. |
Mr.. SAMUEL GoMPERs. President Of the |
American Federation OF Labor. in his re-
Spouse to the address OF welcome. used this |
language. which seems to DO threat OF |
anarchy yelled under a merely formal OBJ |
lection to anarchy:
Last evening went through the corridors OF this
building and saw men lying the stone floor and |
leaning against the iron staircase asleep Those who
are responsible for this condition OF Affairs 10 they do
not take warning viii be sleeping in false security
The men responsible for these conditions. who send
out protests in which join the throwing OF
bombs In Barcelona and IN Paris and against Assas-
sins IN Chicago must accept the solutions of the proc
lem which organized labor presents for tho develop
ment OF the human family or be confronted with this
Kind OF border waTfars"
The men responsible for these condl-
tions" are the employers. we suppose. or
the rich in general. II is difficult to see
just how they are responsible for the con-
Gestion Of labor at Chicago which has been
produced by the influx Of workmen from
outside pressing in. in the hope Of lettering
themselves. Still. IL there had been no
Chicago capitalists. there would have been
no Chicago Fair. and II there had been no
incursion Of labor or Of idleness into Chi
cago. there would have been no unusual
number OF unemployed. The responsible
ity OF capitalist. from the GOmpersian
standpoint. is n very serious matter.
The Federation Of Labor received S7.0i966
during the year for the defence of the Home
stead strikers. That was a practical sym
pathy with anarchy. The resolution pass
ed almost unanimously on Wednesday, com
mending Governor ALTGELD, the pardoner
of the Chicago Anarchists. was another
defence OF anarchy. The general tone OF
the addresses delivered in the Conven-
ton shows that the sympathy con-
tinues. We do not profess TO under
stand how labor organization can hope to
benefit labor by violent, incendiary Ian
guNge. Although such language is used as
sheer buncombe. It has direct tendency to
encourage anarchistic attacks.
ItHawaii should be annexed to the United
States It would receive the blessing OF mem
bership in this great republic. II the United
States should be annexed TO Hawaii. we should
gain by getting for President able n states
man and so sincere and genuine an American
and l0Xar OF lhartv "a Ir..-lAnt Dole.