Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-12-19
Labor. The vote resulted:
11fO. GoDoDarS OF
Mcbride,

Labor The vote resulted: Mcbride,
1162; Gompers, 937.
Five cities were placed in nomination
Saturday for the location of the headquar-
ters of the federation, but the contest mar
rOwed down to indianapolis and Wash
ingtOn this morning, indianapolis winning
by a vote of 1890 to 926. A resolution
to make Indianapolis the location for
three years was amended to make it five
years, and referred to the committee on
laws.
There was no excitement regarding the
election of president. 1t was evident at
the start that the question had been set
tied so far as the individual members
were concerned. Mr.. GOmpers was nomi-
mated by Mr.. Eickhoff and Mcbride by
Mr.. Penna. The vote proceeded without
| incident, except that several delegates
announced that they would vote against
Gompers by instructions from their vari-
Gus unions.
vote unanimous for Mcbride, but objec-
ton was made. Mr.. Gompers at once
wrote and dispatched the following mes
sage to Mr.. Mcbride, who is i'll at his
home at Columbus, o.:
John Mcbride, Columbus O.-Congratula-
lions; election as president of the Fedora
ton. None will be more loyal than | to
aid and make your administration success
full. SAMUEL GOMPERS.
The other officers elected were as fol-
lows:
First vice-president-P. ]. Mcclure of
Philadelphia
Second ce-president-James Duncan of
Baltimore.
Third yice-preSident-Roady Kenehan of
Denver
Fourth vice-persident-T. ]. Elderkin of
the Seaman s union.
Secretary-A. McCraith of Boston.
Treasurer7John B. Lennon.
The convention will send two fraternal
delegates to the British Trades congress
at Cardiff, Wales.
Mr. Gompers, who was turned down by
the convention, is member of the Cigar
makers union, and has held the position
| of president of the American Federati ton
! of Labor since 1882 From then until
1886 there was no salary attached to
the Office. That year it was decided to
| make the office a permanent one, and
! the salary was fixed at $1,000. This was
raised to $500 in 1892.
The defeat OF Mr.. Gompers seems to be
| due to a general desire of a change in
! administration. The mine workers with
| 800 votes were for Mr.. Mcbride for
| personal reasons; the radical Socialistic
| members felt that Gompers was very
strongly opposed to them and the presi-
! dents own action during the present CON
| vention has done much to defeat him.
| be was i'll when he came here, and his
| rulings have been nOticeably arbi-
trary and erratic. More than once he
| has lost his temper, and occasionally he
| has reversed his own rulings. The feel
ing generally is friendly to Gompers,
| but the election of Mcbride is regarded
as good choice.
| The action of Gompers IN the A. R. Z.
strike had undoubtedly an effect. 1t
was said by friends of the strikers that
had Gompers supported Debs the strike
would have been Won Others claim
that, on declining to order a strike, Com
sin no
! perfect independence of the affiliating
unions. His position has been over
| whelmingly endorsed by this convention,
| SO that it is not probable that it was a
large factor in his defeat for reelection.
Columbus, o., Dec. 1.-THE news of his
| election was SO much of a surprise to Mr.
! Mcbride that he was inclined at first
! to doubt the statement but upon being as
sured of the fact appeared pleased at the
result.
II do not know as I ought to say any
| thing concerning the action of the Fedora
ton" said Mr.. Mcbride but of course
l consider it great compliment to be
chosen president of such an organization
| and that, too, when | was not present
| For three years / have been under con
slant strain because of the unsettled condi-
| ton of mining matters and have some
times felt that I would like to be relieved
| of the continuously hard work in connec-
! ton with the labor organizations"
AS to whether he would accept, Mr. Nc
! Bride said: L would prefer to wait until
officially notified before saying anything
more"