The Irish standard., 1894-12-15
LABOR LEADERS.
Annual Session Of the American
Federation of Labor.
President Gompers Makes His Report-He
Touches Upon Features of Inter
est to All Classes of ToileTs
and Advises Loyalty.

DENVER, Col. Dec. 1.-THE Ameri
can Federation Of Labor began its
fourteenth annual convention in the
old chamber of commerce Monday.
After reading the call the report Of
President Gompers was presented. Its
main points are as follows:
I'VE meet in convention under most inauspi-
cious circumstances. and at time when the
workers are still suffering from the paralysis
of industry resulting from the incompe'
tency OF our modern captains OF In
dustry. In the midst of these ad-
verse circumstances that the trade union
has maintained it's existence speaks well fol
1t. The wrongs Of the past and the errors OF
the present may be dashed TO death at the foot
OF the mighty Rockies where we are now as
sembled, and labor inspired by hopes OF sue
cess yet to come and humane conditions yet to
be achieved, may overcome all obstacles in its
way and established peace on earth and good
will among mankind.
In regard to the miners strike it is not too
much to say that it was the industrial stagna-
ton from which the country was suffering that
robbed the miners Of deserved victory"
President Gompers spoke at length on the
big railroad strike He freely criticised Pres
ident Cleveland for ordering out the federal
troops On this point he said: THE
much-vaunted rights OF the states to
autonomous government were set at naught,
and, despite the protests OF the governors
into whose states the federal troops were
sent. q naughty and disdainful contempt for
their authority was the only answer vouch-
safed The president of the United States has
no more right to violate the constitutional
guarantee to the people than has the humb lest
citizen"
The action OF the American Federation In
refusing to order a strike at the request OF
Eugene V. Debs was defended on the ground
that Mr.. Debs practically admitted that the
strike was lost at the time that he asked for
relief President Gompers demanded that tho
convention either indorse or condemn the ao-
ton of the exc" utive committee In refusing to
help the American Railway union
Speaking Of the programme submitted by
the last convention to the aaaliated unions for
discussions, Mr.. Gompers strongly opposed any
movement looking to independents political &C.
ton by organized labor at present. Results OF
local attem pts in this line were cited to show
the disastrous affects
Regarding immigration the present laws az
q whole were commended. Government own
ershtp of the telegraph was advocated and tho
Phillips bill for labor commission OF In
Quiry Endorsed. With proper concerted efforts
Mr.. Gompers thought the eight hour day could
be achieved by 1898. He opposed compulsory
arbitration on the ground that the only way q
judgment against the laborer could be en-
forced would be equivalent to chattel slavery.
The first step must be organization; the Sec
ond, Cancellation; the next, possibly, arb1tra-
ton, but compulsory arbitration, never In
conclusion, he said:
Let me remind you that In no convention
OF the American workers have the eyes of the
civilized, the thoughtful, been so concentrated
as upon this gathering, L hope the trust
placed in us will find abiding place in our
minds and hearts, and that we shall prove
ourselves loyal and true, devoted to the inter-
ests Of our fellow wageworkers which are in
orr keeDinE "