The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-12-19

positions to secure political election and
appointment. objection came from d
dozen men, including President GOnlpers,
Secretary Evans and other federation Ofii-
GERS. Mr.. T1bin remirked that such a
show Of feeling was all the proof he wanted
tina. his shot had hit the mark. He was
applauded by J. T. Morgan and others.
President GOmpers took the floor and de-
n0unced as lie the general charge, which
included him, and defied Mr. Tobin, Mr..
Morgan or any other delegate to point to
a vulnerable place in his career as to
honesty. He declared that it was a coward
", covert attack UpOn organized LABOR.
He was mad clear through and his words
were very bitter Offers followed in a
milder vein, but the display during the
ten minutes occupied by Tobin and Com
perS showed the nature Of the fight on the
taps between The supporters and opponents
Of the socialstic plank.
i. J. MCGUIRE denied the action of the
English laboring men politically was based
upon the planks given in the political
program" He read an extract from an
English newspaper which charged John
Burns with acting as decoy for the lib
eral party. He denounced the attempt 10
force the federation into a political party
when each member had been assured upon
joining his union that its pledges should
not conflict with his political views in any
particular He said the 1,200 labor leaders
of Great Britain. who are holding munich
their American brethren in similar posi-
TONS AT II o'clock the previous question
was called for and the roll-call resulted in
the striking out of the preamble by vote
Of 1866 to sol.
4 vote was then taken on plank one
without debate. 1t was adopted. The con-
vention decided 10 consolidate planks two
and eleven. making. the plank read:
Direct legislation through the refer
endum." II was adopted.
Delegate StraSSer offered an additional
plank demanding the repeal of the objec-
tiOnable laws regarding seamen. He
wanted it made one Of the leading planks
Delegates favOring plank ten saw in the
motion an attempt to change the numbering
of the planks so as to sidetrack their ia
vOrite. Discussion on this subject was UNI
finished when at 1890 recess was taken.
On the reassembling of the convention n.
r. Hysel Of the MinewOrkers moved that
a committee of three be appointed TO draft
resolutions in regard TO the decision of
Judge Woods and the Imprisonment Of
Debs and others. n. r. Hysell, Thomas ].
Morgan and Thomas Tracey We're appointed.
Mr.. Strasser asked permission to withdraw
his amendment to the political program with
the understanding it would be reintroduced.
Granted.
Plank three was taken up and Mr.. Weis-
man Of the Bakers union moved to amend
it to read:
"An eight-hour day for all government
employees, national, state and municipal"
This was met by strong opposition. Dele
gate Lloyd of Boston offered an amend
ment to read:
"A legal worlxday of not more than eight
hours which was adopted.
Plank four was taken up and an amend
ment was offered eliminating the words,
land home" 1t was claimed the home
should be inviolated from the intrusion of
government officials. On the other hand il
was claimed many so-caliRd workingmen's
homes need inspection as much as shops and
factories. A'ter lengthy discussion the
plank as originally drawn was adopted.
Plank five was adopted without discus
sion .as were also numbers six and seven.
Plank eight was amended to include water
works and adopted.
Plank nine was adopted without discus
sion although several delegates asked to be
recorded as voting in the negative.
When the famous plank ten came UP
few minutes before o'clock, the tug of war
was reached. Mr.. Strasser Of New Jersey
stated he proposed TO make the author of
that plank declare himself. He referred as
an amendment the addition of the words,
''by means Of confiscation without compen-
sation."
t. ]. Morgan, author of the plank sec
onded the amendment. A. McCraith Of
Boston offer a substitute as follows:
The abolition of the monopoly system Of
land holding and the substitution therefor
a title of occupancy and use only
j. Mahlon Barnes of the Cigarmakers'
union raised the point of order that a sim
liar resolution had been already adopted
by the federation and therefore could not
be considered. President Gompers ruled
against the point and Mr.. Barnes appealed
from the decision of the chair. Then a
dozen men wanted to discuss the appeal,
but the president ruled that only the APP
pellant and the appellee could speak
Barnes demanded that the president vacate
the chair during the discussion, but the
latter declined The chair was sustained
by vote Of 81 to 10.
Most Of the delegates came to the hall
this afternoon with speeches on plank ten
prepared, and this fact no doubt did much
to keep down infiammatory expressions.
Thomas /. Morgan of Chicago presented
a chart to show the relative numbers and
wealth of wordngmen. business men, cap
italists and millionaires His speech was a
vigorous advocacy of socialism.
A five-ninute limit had been made, but