The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-18
ANOTHER GREAT STRlKE E.
TIE MEANING or TIE A0EEAL-' I
ODEFEAT GOMPERS.
REPRESENTATIVES. OF over o Million trade
Unionists will Adopt Drastic mo"s
ures at Denver.
Copyright 1894. for The Iimes)

When the repre- sentatiVes of ofgah'@eu
.obor assemble in Denver next Decem-
her they will vote and speak FOR one
million and quarter waS ,-eaiheiS'
This Is a greater constituency than mas
ever before been behind any trades union
.ongrees. vet that fact Is not the one oil
clbef importance, in estimating the SiS
,iNcance of the assembaee. There are
many matters far more noteworthy 10
make the conclave of the American
Federation OF LABOR CpCCH lHdhIhS III "
i'm mo fist place another and fierce
effort will be made 10 defeat Sdilutl
Goupers i'm the contest Tor the piesl-
dency OF the Federation. lie Narrowly
..scaned defeat last year when John Nc
Bride Just missed The ONCE. rms o.
CASTOR may prove less iaVoiaDie 10 ~" ne
present refine Mcbride IS man OF
Wonderful Iorce and magnetism VINO dC-
nieved a place among the hrSt Oh 'ne
Industrial leaders by his management oi
the great strike on the part OF the mine
workers. John Mcbride Is no" Az 'he
head of this organization and his popular
ity with all classes OF WaGc-eafh Is -
30 great that only man llke HaWueI
,;ornpers could overcome It. what tho
outcome OF the contest between the Two
men, this year viii be remains TO pc
seen. IL is claimed That Gompers VIII
'ack forty votes. at least, OF majority
on the nTst ballot. However. Gomp"l@ Is
not without cOterIc OF supporters OF ms
own ana he may come out oil the hSHt
in triumphant shape.
4 troublesome matter for cOnSldrld-
lion is tn location of the Federation
boaduuarters The sentiment OF the
DELEGATES faVors Chicago, but the Com
peers administration has all aIohS lnSlSt-
I'd upon New York. 1t Is very HkcS
that at the approaching toncldSe the
Windy City Will get the headquarters
away from Manhattan. 1t Is certainly
true that Chicago would be TAR more
convenient a location for most Of the
members of the Federation and Gcmpers
would he more popular III the N esq Wflt
Il not that he is known 10 be welded
10 the East. one great issue IN the
Federation now is OF a sectional charac-
ter I'm the West trade unoniSts are rtr
more radical than tBey are IN tie East
and this fact Is Responsible for much
of the disharmony iii the ranks OF labor
at present.
An important matter to the delegates
viii be the case OF Debs The Fedora
ION is at present defraylng part OF the
expenses OF Debs in his legal impllca-
lion in the contempt cases before me
Federal courts. An attempt Is to be
made by the radical element 70 commit
the Federation TO an unqualified sup
port of Debs and there is some proba-
bhity that this attempt Will succeed.
Debs has retained much of his prestige
among wage-earners Notwithstanding
the failure of the great strike ana
when ne appears among the delegates,
as he will the explanations he makes
may win him general suppof n, -
The presence of John Burns WIN be
personally interesting but will have
no effect upon the deliberations OF the
delegates as far as their industrial pol
icy is concerned. The English leader
will simply deliver a fraternal message
from the wage earners OF Britain.
The conclave will be In session for
one week beginning December 10th;
Denver Will be the objective point oil
anti 1aI
the country as fully five hundred repre-
sentatives will be entitled 10 vote.
Chicago will have large representa-
ton than any other city. Ne" YORK
will be next. OF the various classes
into which wage earners may be
grouped. train hands will be the most
numerous at the convention rms iact
The more conservative among the del
egates have begun TO assert that an
attempt Is 10 be made 10 pack the con-
vention hall in favor of Debs.
OF the more widely known labor leaders.
there will be a truly representative at
tendance. Peter NJ. Arthur. chief Of the
brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers,
heads a brilliant delegation from Gin
cinnati including as il does some of the
best known engineers In the country.
Samuel Gompers himself VIII head the
Cigarmakers' unions: Mr.. Gompers first
became prominent in labor circles as
an officer of the CiGarmakers' union.
and 81 is understood that If he is defeated
for the presidency Of the Federation Of
Labor ne will return to his former field
among the tobacco workers.
one OF the under currents OF the
gathering is significant OF the predomi-
naut influences IN labor circles just now.
II Is declared that the western faction
PROPOSES TO bring about the election OF
Mcbride as the preliminary movement
OF a national strike next spring. The
strike will he a railroad one and on an
unprecedented scale Of organization.
There Is not the least doubt that Ne
Bride is the most capable strike lead
err in the United States. and n any such
scheme as the one limited at is on the
carpet Mcbride would be just the man
to carry IL out. II Is but fair TO say,
however, that McBride's supporters deny
anv imnlication in these PROJECTS.
The Frances OF the Federation are In
most excellent condition, and the treas
urer'6 report viii show a balance TO the
credit side OF the account, most graft
fying tribute 10 the success Of the Com
pers administration In view Of the heavy
disbursements for strikes and lockout
benefits. The heaviest losses Will he
shown by the railway men whose FUNDS
were literally poured out during ths
strike led by Dehs.
AT Is not often" said Secretary CHRIS.
Evans. when asked about the coming
assemhlage, that there - such eratlty~
ing outlook for labor on the eve OF a
Federation convention. Bui at present
matters are I'm very satisfactory shape.
I do not mean that the wrongs or labor
no longer exist. Far from IL. But for
! The first time la years IL Is appreciated
NV ali classes of wagesearners that II
they Wish 20 accomplish anything Tor
themselves they. must act tosetner. 90
- think organized labor was ever more
% a unit, and q harmonious unit at
that. than IL il now.
"xre the relations between capital ana