The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-12-10
FEDERATION or LABOR
THE SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION.


~F--~-~--~@
Of Fifteen Membcrs-Ths 0ppesitien to
Gompers Reelection.
DENVER, Dec. 10.--The fourteenth an
nual convention of the American Fedora,
ton Of Labor opened today at the old
Chamber OF Commerce building. The con.
yention opened with an address Of welcome
BY Roady Kenehan and response by Sam
uel Gompeys, president Of the federation.
Then the convention was called to order.
and committee on credentials appointed.
While the committee was at work T. NJ.
Patterson delivered an address on sIsabor's
Rough but Noble Struggle" Then came
reports of officers, followed by addresses
by John Burns and David Holmes, dele
gates from the British trades unions,
II Is expected that the Frenchmen, Isa-
dor Finance and "Legordeur," widely
known on the continent of Europe for their
labors In behalf of the workingmen, will
address the federation before 1t, djourns.
The congress this year has attracted gen.
eral interest among all the labor ORGANIZE
tions throughout the country, and In fact
all over the world. The meeting will be
one OF the most important ever held by the
federation both for tho number and high
standing Of the delegates and visitors in
attendance and the importance to the
labor interests of the questions that will
be discussed. Tho matters that will come
before the convention Will be Of supreme
interest to labor throughout the entire
country. One Of these is the establishment
OF national labor commission of fifteen,
composed OF five from the agricultural In,
terests, five from the labor organizations
and five from the manufacturing interests.
This idea has been broac,sed, and it is
thought by some who have studied the
labor question closely that the creation by
congress OF n commission Of this character
would go far towards adjusting the diff
culties that arise between capital and
labor and preventing strikes. 9
A strong effort will be made also to Sc
cure the Endorsement of an unequivocal
silver resolution. A silver resolution OF
general, non-committal eharactea was
adopted at tho Chicago convention last
year, but it was not sufficiently pro.
nounced to suit the views of the western
delegates. IL has been rumored that Il
strong effort will be made to commit the
federation to u number of socialistic and
anarchistic resolutions. but an. ,uch in
tention is discreditcd by the local dele
gates who are thoroughly familiar with
the program which will be carried ont.
The trades assembly has adopted a plat
form to be recommended to the conyeu.
ton embodying an eight hour work day,
compulsory education, sanitary inspection
of Workshop mine and home; liability of
employers for injury to health, body or
life; abolition of the contract systenn IN
all public work; abolition of the sweating
SYSTEM municipal ownership of street
cars and gas and electric plants for pub-
lie distribution of light, heat and power;
the naturalization of telcgraphs, telc-
phones railroads and mines; the principle
OF referendum in all legislation.
There is no doubt but that severe
struggle will occur when the election of
officers takes place. Samuel Gompcrs,
president of the organization, is candi-
date for 70 election, John Mcbride, pres
ident OF the Nine Workers union, Is con-
sidcred strong candidate and is said to
have u large following. Other candidates
will likely come to the front before the
election takes place. 1t is believed that
Secretary McGuire, of the United Brother
hood of Carpenters and Joiners, and Gen
eril Secretary Chris Evans will find u
strong opposition against their election to
any office, rs they arc, with Gompers, re-
sponsible for the action of the federation
last summer in Chicago in refusing to rec
ommend sympathetic strikes in support OF
the American Railway union railroad
strikes.
The main opposition of the west against
Gompers is that he is New York man,
and is said TO be opposed to silver Il is
likely, however, that the present officers of
the federation will be reelected While
Samuel Gompers pulled through with
very slender majority last year, he has
made many friends since then, notwith-
standing the many different reports about
his cautious action during the Chicago
strike