The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1894-09-01
COMPERS' VIEWS.
Pre- eident OF the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor Testifies.
He DECLARES THAT STRIKES DO GOOD.
They Attract tho Attention of the Public
to the Evils of tho Industrial sys-
tenn and Suggest Many
Reforms.
OBEFoRE THE COMMISSION.


OBEFoRE THE COMMISSION.
CHICAGO, Aug. 1.-When the labor commis-
sion met at 10 a. IT. three distinguished labor
leaders we're ready TO 20 on the stand. They
were Samuel A. Gompers president OF the
American Federation OF Labor. Eugene v.
Debs and George w. Howard, president and
vice president OF the American Railway union.
This was Mr. Gompers' first appearance. Com
missioner Herman was not present during the
session.
Only a Joke.
Mr. Debs was called first. He read letter
written to him by q telegraph man at South
Butler, Mont named Calderhead which ex-
plalned that the phrase "save your money and
buy gun was q standing Joke sentence
used time and again 10y telegraph operators
and understood by them as nothing moro
than joke. The letter also said that its
! writer understood from the first that the tele-
gram containing the phrase was sent by
Mr. Benedict and not by Mr.. Debs
| Mr. Debs did not have any personal
definite knowledge OF blacflisting. A
! suggestion had been made to the
! commission advocating amendment to
the ONeill act to bond corporations and labor
| organizations TO secure arbitration. Mr.. Dobs
did not favor anything that looked like COM
! pulsory arbitration
Gompers Tolls of the. Conference.
President Samuel Gompcrs OF the American
1
! witness stand. He said the federation had
/ membership OF 10000. lie told the commits
I sion about the Briggs house conference of
! July IL, at which there were present repre-
! sentatives OF all the prominent national
| labor organizations. This conference was
called upon by a committee from several Chi
cago unions asking that general strike be or
dercd as suggested. The request was considered
carefully and the conference OF the American
Federation OF Labor came to the conclusion that
the president OF the United States should
be called upon to do whatever there was In his
power to bring the great labor trouble TO an
amicable settlement, To that end telegram
was sent to the president asking that he either
come to Chicago or send some one to net for
him In conference with the exective
council Of the American Federation OF Labor
The president did not reply to the telegram.
The council decided that it would be ,detri-
mental to the cause TO indorse general strike
us the American federation had no such au-
thoity even were its members disposed.
Killed by the Haymarbet bomb.
MIR. Wright asked under what circumstances
the federation could order general strike.
This, the president said. would be very diff
hcult except under the conditions pertaining
To the early days OF the organiza-
ton. To-day general strike would
have to arise by separate votes in
all local unions and this action
would have TO be crystallized In
the general convention of the federation 1t
was decided in 1850 that a general strike for
the eisht-hour rule would be unwise. The
main fight of the federation has been to secure
the eight-hour day, but strikes have not been
used largely for that purpose The throwing
OF the Haymarket bomb had killed the fedora
tion's eight-hour work.
Industrial System Wrong.
Mr.. Gompers said he had no scheme for the
abolition OF strikes, boycotts and industrial
disturbances, He said that he did not join in
the denunciation OF strikes So long
the present system OF labor and
trade exists there would be strikes. The
strike shows that the workingman has
left yet some honor, manhood and courage.
Strikes have forced the employing classes and
the rest of the world to pay some attention to
the labor question. Strikes were not the fail
ares they were usually written down TO be.
More than two-thirds of the strikes were victo-
ries for the laborers involved. Mr. Gompers said
that strikes bettered the condition OF the people
generally, even when they failed. Employees
of railroad strike. The corporation hires
other men. These new men certainly elevate
their economic condition else they wouldn't
make the change. Mr.. Gompers said his obser-
vations had led him to believe that tho men
who strike ere not lowered; do not take rela-
tive positions with the other men. So that
even failing strikes benefit the community.
He did not advocate strikes where 4. was pos
sible to do without them. He believed in vol |
untary arbitration,
Favored Federal Control Of Railways.
He was not prepared to say that state social
ism would he the remedy; he did believe in the !
government ownership of railways and all |
means OF transportation and communication |
He said:
''The government already operates q great |
number OF railroads. II it can operate n bank
rupt road do not see why IL could not operate |
1t before IL becomes bankrupt.
1.-THE more the wage worker gets the more he |
wants You will find that the man who earns
81 day wants 5.or 10 cents more n day; the |
man who earns 50 wants p or 30 cents more;
the man who gets 5000 wants 1900, and the |
man with $4,000 coo wants the earth.
Glad the Commission Was Appointed.
Mr. Gompers thought the beneficial outcome !
OF the recent strike was the appointment OF !
the commission before which he was testify
ing. only 1t would have been better IL the COM
mission had been sent to Chicago earlicr-dur- |
ing the strike. He thought that it would have
been able to bring the General Managers ASSOC
citation and the leaders Of the labor orsaniza-
tions together.
Talks on the InJunctions.
The witness had some things he wanted to
say about the injunctions issued by court. He
held that these injunctions were not rightly
based on the inter state commerce law, that
that law was not intended TO apply
to labor organizations. He said the
injunctions were based on court-made
law, upon decisions given in the absence OF
law. He held further that "old musty laws"
made q hundred years ago, before the appli-
cation OF steam and electricity to industry
had ever been dreamed of, were
not pliable enough elastic enough to deal
with the problems OF to-day. Conditions
had changed that the laws should be
changed. humane and beneficial law, when
passed, was not nfrequently pronounced un-
constitutional.
When Mr.. Gompcrs finished tho commission
adjourned until Monday morning ut 10 o'clock
To Sell Farm Lands.
ELIZABETH, n. j. Aug. %. - The Irv-
ington Security and Colonization com