The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-12-15
GOMPERS GIVES
THE LIE DIRECT
Wild and Woody Scenes in the
Federation Conven-
ton.
LEADERS AND POLITICS.
CHARGES THAT OFFICERS. HAyF,
MISSED THEIR POSITIONS.
sempers Was Mad Clear Through
and Other 0fsicinIs Were at a
White Heat-Tcbfn Says That such
Display of Temper Is All That
liz Needed TO Prove the assertions
Made BY Him.

liz Needed to Prove the Assertions
Made BY Him.
Denver Colo, Dec. 14-On the as
senlloling of the conventioa Of the
American Federation of Labor Today,
President compers announced that
John Burns has informed him that 1t
would be necessary 10 cancel his en-
Sagements ait Cincinnati and Detroit,
Is he must have an occasional day of
rest
The matter of adopting a JOINT label
tor the shoe workers was brought up
ny the anajoriity and minority report.
las one Of the three organizations unit
ing on the label is affiliated with the
K. of L., the matter was deferred till
Che committee ON conference reports
A aeifers from Governor Waite was
mead. Ia was Z characteristic document,
touching on the administration of
Presidents Harrison and Cleveland, in
calling out the federal troops for the
settling of labor and other troubles
ana urging workmen to unite in poIiti-
cal action.
The Political Programme.
At 10 O'Clock, the political pro-
grau.ne,'' which was submitted by the
last convention to the various unions
TO be acted upon by them and then by
me federation. was taken up. It was
as follows:
Whereas, The trade unlonists of
Great Britain, have, by the hight of
experience and the logic of progress,
adopted the principle of independent
labor pcsstics as an auxiliary to their
economic action, and,
Whereas, Such action has resulted
in the most gratifying success. and
Whereas, Such independent labor
politics are based upon the follow
programme, to-Wst:
'Fnirst-Conapulsor education.
"Second-Direct legislation.
.'Third-A legal eight hour working
day.
FOURTH Sanitary inspection of
workshops, mines and homes.
.'Fffth-Biability of employers for in
jury to health, body or life.
'Sixfh-The abolition of contract sys-
tenn in all public works.
.'Seventh--The abolition of the sweat
ing system.
s.Eighth-TT5e municipal ownership
of street cars and gas and electric
plants for public distribution Of light,
heat and power.
''Ninth-The decentralization of tele-
graphs. telephones. railroads and
mines.
isTeath-The collective ownership by
the people Of all means of production
and distribution.
'sEleventh-The principle of referen-
dunn in al legislation.
Therefore. be 1t
"Resolved, That the convention here
by endorse this political action Of our
British comrades, and
Resolved, That this programme and
basis Of political. labor movement be,
and is hereby submitted for the con-
sideration Of the labor organizations
of America with the request that their
delegates to the next annual conven-
ton of the American Federation of
Labor be instructed on this most i'm
portant subject"
Then Came Trouble.
The preamble was stigmatized by
Mr.. Strazer as a bold misrepresenta-
ton.
This brought T. ]. Morgan. author
of the platform. to his feet in a very
spirited rejoinder
Mr. Strazer moved that the preamble
be stricken out. II was claimed that
dhe-labor unions of England had no po-
litical organization.
John F. Tobin, OF the boot and shoe
workers. stirred a storm when he as
serted that there was a political or
ganizauon among laboring men, and
that the presidents and secretaries
end other officers of the labor unions
use their positions to secure political
election and appointment.
Objection came from a dozen men,
including President Gompers. Secre-
tary Evans and other Federation Off
GERS.
Mr. Tobin remarked that such
show of feeling was all the proof he
wanted that his shot had hit the mark.
He was applauded by T. j. Morgan
and others.
When ne had finished President
Gompers took the floor and denounced
as 9, lie the general charge which in
Guided him. and defied Mr.. Tobin, Mr.
Morgan or any other delegate to point
TO a Vulnerab BILE place III his career, as
70 honesty. He charged that 1t was
cowardly, covert attack upon organ
lied labor. He was mad clear through
and his words were very bitter.
Others followed in milder vein, but
the display during the ten minutes oc-
cupied by Tooin and Gompers showed
the nature of the night on the taps
between the supporters and the oppo-
nents of the socialistic plank.
Nasuire-s Hend Level.
p. J. Mcguire denied that the action
of the English laboring men, politically,
was based on the plans given in the
political programme. He read an ex-
tract from an English newspaper,
which charged John Burns with acting
as q decoy. for the Liberal party. He
denounced the attempt 10 force the
federation into a political party when
each member had been assured, upon
joining his union, that its pledges
should not conflict with his political
views in any particular. He said the
]. 200 labor leaders of Great Britain who
are holding municipal offices are greatly
outnumbered by their American
brethren IN similar positions.
At u o'clock the previous question
was called and the roll call resulted in
the striking out Of the preamble by a
vote of 1855 te sol.
A vote was then taken on the plank,
one without debate. 1t was adopted.
The convention decided TO consolidate
planks and IL. making the plank read
Direct legislation through the refer
enduu', II was adopted.
Delegate Strazer offered an additional
plank demanding the repeal Of the OBJ
iectionable laws regarding seamen. He
wanted 1t made one of the leading
blanks. Delegates favoring plank 10
saw in the motion an attempt TO change
the numbering of the planks so as to
side-track their favorite. Discussion OF
this subject was unfinished when a t
1870 recess was taken.
Regarding Debs.
On the re-assembling Of the eonven-
ton, y. r. Eysell. of the mine workers,
moved that a committee of three be ap-
pointed to draft resolutions in regard
To the decision of Judge Woods and the
Imprisonment of Debs and others. \.
r. Hysell. Thomas J. Morgan and