The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-12-19
FEDERATEDI LABOR
(Continued from Pace Tbreea

Continued from Page Three.D
For the third vice-president. James Bret
tell and Rondy Kenehan.s of Denver were
nominated. The result MAS Brettell, 49,;
Kenehan, LII
Harry Lloyd. of Boston, w. D. Mahon, Of
the street car employees. and T. ]. Elderkin.
OF the Seamen's Union. were nominated for
fourth viee-president. Quite a number OF
Mahon votes were changed to Elderkin aft
er the first roll call The result was, Elder
kin. 1853; Mahon, 7OS; Lloyd 77S; no election
Mr. Lloyd withdrew his name and another
vote was ordered
On the second vote Mr.. Elderkin was
elected fourth vice-pfesident, the vote be-
ing Elderkin, LIB; Mahon, 91S. The cleo
ton of secretary being next in order Mr..
Daily was called to the desk. j. w. Brain
wood, of Denver; J. Mahlon Barnes, of Phil
adelphia A. McCraith, Of Boston; Richard
H. Metcalf of INDIANAPOLIS; Chris Evans,
present incumbent, and ]. J. Linehan, Of
Chicago, were nominated. Mr.. Evans with
drew on the ground that he represents the
mine workers. and member of his or
ganization had been elected president
Brentwood withdrew in favor of McCraith
both representing the typogra phical unions
The first vote stood: Barnes, 273; McCraith,
S611a; Metcalf, 246; Linehan, 5O91a.
There being no election another vote was
ordered Metcalfs name was dropped The
result was. Barnes. 391: McCraith 1,O96;
Linehan, 54S. The election of McCraith was
made unanimous. on motion of Mr. Line
han.
For treasurer John P. Lennon, present in
cumbent, was nominated. Pat Mcbride
nominated w. D. Mahon, of Detroit, but
he declined on account of the proximity of
his home to Canada. Mr.. Lennon was
elected by reclamation.
MR.. GOMPERS TALKS.
Mr.. Gompers took the floor and announced
his satisfaction upon being released from
the responsibility of the presidency of the
federation. He said he had been made an
old man in his comparative youth by the
burdens of the Office, but he felt that he
represented a principle and would not lie
down. He preferred to be moved down.
He regretted no act of his official career
He renewed his allegiance to the federation
II he had met defeat in the Chicago conven-
ton he would have gone out of the con-
vention broken-hearted Now he felt diff
ferently. He read his telegram to Nc
Bride, saying:
Il meant that and if any man or men
shall try to drag down John Mcbride or to
strike at the heart of the union labor
through John Mcbride, he will find me
harder one for him than l have been for
myself"
For the place of next meeting of the fed
GRAFTON New York and St. Louis were
placed in nomination. The result was: New
York, 1 1885, st. Louis, 558.
Delegate Lennon moved that two frater-
nal delegates be sent to the British trades
congress to be held in Cardiff, Wales 1t
carried, and Samuel Gompars p T.
Mcclure. P. H. Penna George E. McNein
of Boston, were placed in nomina ton. The
name of President-elect Mcbride was pro-
posed by Thomas J. Morgan. of Chicago
but the Mine Workers Union Withdrew bis
name.
WHY THE CHANGE WAS MADE
Mr. GomeperS, who is turned down by
.his convention, is member of the Cigar
makers Union and has held the position of
president of the American Federation of
Labor since 1882. From then until 1886
there was no salary attached to the office
That year it was decided to make the Of
flee permanent one, and the salary was
fixed at $1,000. This was raised to 81, 800 in
1892
The defeat of Mr. Gompers seems to be
due to general desire for change of ad-
ministratiOn. The mine workers, with 800
votes, were for Mcbride for personal rea-
sons the rarical socialistic members felt
that Gompers was very strongly opposed to
them, and the presidents own action during
the convention has done much to defeat
him. He was ill when he came here and
his rulings have been noticeaby arbitrary
and erratic. More than once he has lost
versed his own rulings. The feeling gem
orally is friendly to Gompers. but the cleo
ton of Mcbride is regarded as a good
choice.
The action of Gompers in the A. r. U.
strike undoubtedly had it's effect. 1t was
said by friends of the strikers that had
Gompers supported Debs the strike would
have been won. Others claim that on de-
Ginning to order a general strike Gompers
simply recognized the principle of perfect
independence CT the af1iliating unions. His
position has been overwhelmingly Endorsed
by this convention, that it is not prob
able that it was a large factor in his de-
feat for reelection.