The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1893-12-14
PRESIDENT GOMpERS

the Nountry-Synopsis or Ills tttcrnnces
OIL the Industrial Dcpression-More
than Three Millions out OF Employ nent
The Remedy,
CHICAGO, Dec. 12.-The annual adj
dress of President Gompers of the
American Federation OF Labor Is
lengthy document, and in it's entirety
would fill nearly page of metro
politan newspaper. 1t deals with the
industrial depression, its effect upon
labor organizations, the necessity for
harmony, child labor, political action,
the organization of new unions. fed
eral labor legislation and kindred
topics. Says he on this topic:
THE INDUSTRIAL DEPRESSION.
"Since August of this year we have
been in the greatest industrial dcpres-
sion this country has ever witnessed.
II is no exaggeration to say that more
than three millions of our fellow toilers
throughout the country are without
employment, and have been so since
the time named This lamentable in
dustral condition is attributed by
many TO various causes, and it seems to
me that the accurate statement OF
them here is both requisite and nppro-
pirate, so that we may he better en-
ablcd to so frame our legislation that it
may tend to
PROPER SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM
depended upon the wage workers for
solution. From the time industry be-
gan to emerge from the panic of 1879
70 there began the introduction of vast
ly improved machinery, tools and
,,ntbA,u S,f,
in electricity, the general application
of this force as well as steam to indus
try, was, indeed, 'dispacing labor
faster than new industries could be
founded Production, production, pro-
duction, faster, greater, was the inn
pulse, the thought and motive of the
capitalist class. That in the end the
greater body of workers comprise
those that must of necessity consume
the production was given no considcra-
tion whatever by
OrR CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY
AS result the great storc-houscs are
glutted with the very articles required
by the people, without their ability
or rather their opportunity to obtain
to consume them. Does it require
more than ordinary observation to dis
Germ that from conditions so abnormal
and abominabc industrial stagnation
must cnsue? We, the representatives,
of the organized toiling masses of the
country, offered the only reasonable,
practicable and tangible solution to
meet
THE CHANGED CONDITIONS OF INDUSTRY.
The federation early foresaw the
great difficulty which confronted the
people, and in 1854 declared for the
movement to reduce the hours of labor.
1t is unnecessary to'repcat the lament
able incident which frustrated the
eight-hour movement of 1856. But in
1890, the Federation Of Labor, true to
its mission, resolved to engage in the
| movement to gradually enforce the
eight-hour work dag in which we were
partially successful. Had we been met
by less
| ANTAGONIST OF THE CAPITALIST CLASS
and by those who should have been our
friends, it is safe to say that the panic
OF 1893 would have been avcrtcd, de-
fcrred and certainly rendered less in
tense. The only method by which n
practical, just and safe equilibrium
| can be preserved in the industrial
world for the fast and evcr-incrcasing
| introduction of machinery is II com
mcnsurate
REDUCTION OF THE HOURS OF LABOR.
am very sure that if employers
were to substitute division of the
work required among all their work.
crs. instead of the discharge of u num-
| ber. we would much sooner emerge
from the present industrial and COM
mercial stagnation."
AN INTELLIGENT USE OF THE BALLOT
| by the toleYs must largely contribute
| to tighten the burdens of our economic
struggles. Let us elect men from the
ranks of labor to represent MS in con-
| rress and in the legislatures whenever
and wherever the opportunity offers.
| Let us never be recreant to our trust,
and regardless of political affiliations
or predictions, always vote against
| those whose
INTERESTS ARE INIMlCAL TO LABOR.
There is still too great division and
| lack of cohesive action among the tell
| ing masses of our country, not only On
political lines, but on economic lines
also The greatest factor in antago-
nizing the demands of labor is the
large number of unorganizcd workers.
In economic disputes with employers,
or in the controversies arising there
| from In the courts or in the Legislative
halls, this factor is used to the detri-
ment of
| Q
Nor is this cause of complaint confined
to the unorganized wage earuers-that
is to say on political lines. Should the
wage earners of 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 be more
readily Forthcoming, and we would
have less, if any, necessity to oppose
and resist legislation represSive or
ANTAGoNIsTIC TO ITS CHARACTER.
Let us devoutly hope that as the final
result of our efforts to organize, edu-
cate and secure concessions for the toll
ing masses, that they will not only re-
verse the order of their former actions,
but be as politically independent as
they desire to be economically free"
Bank burglars Turn n Trick at Carroliton
KY, with, Uncertain Results.
MADISON, Ind, Dec. l2.-Early sun
day morning it was discovered that
burglars had forced a window and en-
tered the National bank at Carrollton,
Ky. They broke the knob off the safe
and cut hole in the brick walls so IFS
to operate on the safe, after which they
repaired to the cellar and raked up all
the paper and sticks into a pile and set
II on fire.
1t was not known up to noon whether
or not they succeeded in reaching the
contents of the safe, as it could not be
| .-r,nnn cd I.rhnr disnnrnral