Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-12-20
FEDERATION OF LABOR.
President Gompers' Annual Address
-John Burns Present.

President Gompers' Annual Address
John Burns Present.
The American Federation Of Labor met
In annual convention at Denver, Presi-
dent Gompers In the chair. Addresses of
welcome and responses opened the pro-
ceedings, during which John Burns, the
English labor leader, and David Holmes,
member Of Parliament, entered the hall
and were received with cheers. After
the appointment of the committee on
credentials, T. M. Patterson, of Denver,
delivered an address on the labor strug-
gle. Adjourned until afternoon.
Upon reassembling In the afternoon
the credentials Of David Holmes and
John Burns, representing trades unions
of Great Britain, were accepted and the
delegates granted the full privileges of
the convention. President Gompers' an
nual report was then submitted. He COM
plimented the organization upon being
able to preserve its existence during the
recent adverse circumstances. Refer
ring to the coal miners strike, he said
125, 900 men were out for eight weeks,
and yet there was hardly dearth of
coal. Considering this, the establishment
of minimum rate of wages was a very
great victory. He defended the action
of the Federation in regard to the A. X.
u. strike by the assertion that Debs' pro-
position submitted to them was vir-
tual Acknowledgment that the strike was
a failure. President Cleveland's action
at that time was severely condemned.
The honest effort of the Government to
regulate immigration was acknowledged,
but amendments to the laws were sug-
gested. Hope Is expressed that govern
ment telegraph and telephone would soon
be established in connection with the pos
tai department, and unions among the
government employees were recommended
as an aid TO the movement. American
seamen claimed to be the worst treated
of those of any civilized nation. Bills in
their interest and also for protection Of
cigarmakers, he said, would have passed
the last session of Congress but for the
prejudicial effect of the railroad strike.
The convention was asked to endorse the
Phillips bill for the creation of an indus
trial commission. The efforts of the Off
GERS of the Federation i'm behalf of free
coinage of silver was mentioned and a
better understanding of the subject by
the laboring men generally was reported.
A serious strain upon labor organizations
was predicted for the coming winter, but
the speaker added that indications were
favorable for an active industrial revival
within a year. The proposition to estab-
lish compulsory arbitration was denounc-
ed and the charge was made that design
ing persons were advocating II as means
of destroying labor organizations. The
successful mediation of the general Off
GERS In number Of disputes between
workingmen and employers was reported
and the statement made that labor nust
conquer the right to be heard in all cases.
Secretary Chris. Evans, in his report.
said the receipts of the past year were
500 ,493, and the expenditures ST. 1902,
leaving balance Of So, 191 which is less
than at any time since 1890.
President Gompers then introduced
Hon. John Burns, who made an address.
Mr.. Burns said:
David Holmes and myself were chos-
en- by the organizations of labor of the old
world to represent them in this, the first
American labor convention at which Eng
lish representatives were present. The
convention that appointed us consisted of
400 members, of whom 100 were men,
bers of Parliament, justice or municipal
officers. This shows what a hold organ
lied labor has on the people of England.
shall be pleased to hear ten years hence
that you have progressed as far as we
have to-day. Our coming here is inter-
esting for many reasons, one of which
is that the country from which we come
initiated the employment system. / would
say, however, that while England inau-
gurated industrial competition, America
has eclipsed her in monopolies."
President Gompers, in response to Mr..
Burns, stated that under no government
on earth have laboring men been so inn
posed upon as in America, but expressed
the hope that conditions may soon i'm
prove and that improvement be aided by
this fraternal meeting of laboring men of
Europe and America.