New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-24
LABOR LEADERS AT DENVER
4 CONTEST BETWEEN TRADES UNION
ISM AND SOCIALISM.

movement in the United states nave peeh CREAMY
revealed in the intense and somewhat acr'i'o'',o"
debate which has been going on during the last
three days in the convention of the American
Federation of Labor between the advocates OF
trade-unonism pure and simple ana the A''o-
cafes of Socialism and its revolutionary 'eh'eh-
This wide divergence both of principle and Of
nolicv | shaIlaattempt to explain. The dehhltloh
of trades-unonism as given to me by Johh h"'"S'
rombcr of the British Parliament, in his own
handwriting is as follows: ~ medium OF COL
Icctive bargaining for its constituency. II i i''
labor what a chamber OF commerce Is Tor Taue' vi
an institute of bankers for finance" Mr. Burns
added that "disorGaniZcd labor is powerleSs against
organized capital" In word trades-"nion'Sm re-
lates to the relation which exists between en-
ployer and employe. The most important feature
of trades-unionism Is that II protects iapo'erS
AGAINST themselves. or. in other words regna'eS
destructive competition among them through as
ISOLATION.
Tho necessity for such regulation has been
clearly proved by the lessons Of experience IN
manufacture. in mining, In trade, ana III '"h9P"'
tation / would add in this connection mat the
strict trade-unionists. such as have "eScrlh''
aim AT nothing which is not secured TO all men by
the principles OF government winch prevail III
Great Britain and I'm the United states. But a
large portion OF the membership OF the trades
unions and. shall hereafter show. large
norton OF their delegates here assembled REFUSE
to be bound down to mere questions "''S"b W.
tween employer and employe. They are forever
trying to commit their organization TO constantly
expanding adIendum to the simple trades union
faith such addendum consisting Of economic, poiit
ical and socialistic dogmas.
This departure from pure trades hnionlsm ana
the sharp debate which has here been had In re-
gard to II find expression in what II termed a
political programme" This programme was Tor
mulated a year ago and a resolution was adopted
that II should be considered by this convention
Having a year In which 10 prepare themselves the
orators on both sides were fully charged for the
debate as was Daniel Webster when he replied TO
Uayne Mr. CLAYTON said 10 Mr.. Webster as he
entered the senate chamber Il hope YOU are well
charged. sir" Webster replied. Five fingers"
The discharge OF the five fingers OF the orators Of
trades-unionism the one side and Of Socialism
on the other was volley worth coming from
New-York to Denver 10 hear.
The political programme referred % Is embraced IN
the following "pianks": % Compulsory education;
2D direct legislation: ~ a lcgaleight- hour work day
90 sanitary inspection OF the workshop. mine and
home; 90 liability OF employers for injury 10 health
or life. C., the abolition Of the contract system In al
pubic work "a the abolition OF the sweating sys-
TEN: 90 the municipal ownership Of the street cars
gas and electric light plants FOR the public dstrlbu
ton Of Hight and power (9l the naturalization ~
the teegraphs. telephones rallroa Is and mines do
the collective ownership by the psope - az means
OF production and distribution. ND the principle Of
referendum In all Legislation.
II VIII readily be seen that this political pro-
gramme embraces two rlasscs Of public questions
viz questions which the people generally AZ" more
or less concerned about ana questions which rc.atc
T. what IL known as Populisn. as well As matters
involving tn. rankest kind 81 Socialism. The hrst
nine panks and the eleventh p.ank were adopted
with little discussion. Plank No II was added 10
Plank 40. ?. and water works We're add'i 70
Plank no S The champions OF debate reserved
their FIRE for Plank 80. 10. on tha WIS fought the
battle II traies-unoaism against Socialism The
discussion related not only the merits '' INC
question at issue. but also. and 10 mu'h k'''',
extent. TO the question as 10 the relative men" W
the TWO radically different methods for the advance
ment Of the tong masses. II was one Oh wv ~
forensic contests to which have ever listened nv
combatants were splendldly equipped ana eager 10.
the fray. Some o, them were OF foreign p'''" "''
others native born Americans who had inNestS''e'
the labor and Sociallstic movements IN '''"' ~
tain In Continental Europe and even IN NH'" ~
literature upon the subject al LABOR Wa "'''
drawn upon. from the dark ages TO the p'c'''' '''
Several OF the disputauts themselves authors %
repute The debate was Intense and al umes
acrimonious The anti Socialists. or trade-unioh's's
clearly had the better OF the argument from INC o'
ginning They brought overwhelming eN''"'' !"
proof OF the following declarations
First Socialism has blgh,ed trades "h''''S"
wherever the former has touched the latter both IN
ers have cOverty and by ueachefons eNpe'''''
tried to break down trades unions. and ihi'i al me
advancemen made In the Interest OF lhDoI IN" NV"
made by trade unonism. and none - socialism,
The trades-unlon orators finally crowded me 30
callsts 10 the wall by propoundlng 10 'h''" '''.
question: Are you In favor Of the c'nHs'i''" -
property without compensation ne 80 80 ' =
evadel the question, ana the IH'' .'".,', a.
gave them knockout blow Wi,. S fs, shontcd
ice" "You dare not answer thi' qlss'i,pl' -. -
a delegate. you dare not answer IL w ~, ,,,
OF the debate Ant-Soclasuc orator Po.'',e ~, I
bone TO attain There ar two LADDERS ier''ns
up to- Il one Is the ladder Of trades nni2 } ~
has uood strong rounds. all the way up ne y'n'l
IL ihs ladder Of socialism II has one round at ne
bottom and another at the top. "h'h i"u'T' VIII
You 1ne ~ the ablest am most impass!oned peeehe;
I'm favor OF tradesunionism pure ana siin"T Anu Anu
Guirc Of Philadelphia vce-Presiient 3f ", n ea' a,
chicago a rank Socialist, VINO ina'e an t his
and vehement speech, reaching the 'I"lnN ~ ~ az
argumeni by dec%rds se rachngs Of the prcv-
ous speaker. T. j. Mcclure TO ms NJ Mc' i,s;,
with merry twinkle o, nT y' ,hirpv years ago
was rcl-hcaded and foolish but 'o-'"S an e'"'
III abundant white hair and benignani count
nance added greatly t. the eject o, m.h wa Il
which we're received with uproarons laughter am
applause At last A vote Wa toacie ,, ~" .,Gs ,s
tue 10 plank number ten. when ruDsuiu'c , t'" .,
land holding and the substitution therro p,, ds
Of occupancy and use only. During ,h' p'''' II
cIsalon NJ this plank thcre wax b'N'l'p'' II"
differenco Of opinion az To- what reay ine eina
7, anne,-s TO be clearly socalistic. but the ihea
~ ~. adoptlon would he the defeat OF PLANK yen
seemed to the trades nnlonsts IN me co i,
80, through by . vote OF l2lI TO sl3 rms VOC
w.e nv constituencies. and not by delegates VINO
number only about 100 ,,os ,,,o
Than ,wo blanks were proposed and adopted mo
,ba nolItcal programme with little debate as ioi,
i lno FirstrThc repeal Of all conspiracy ana
nenai laws affecting seamen ana other WoI kms'
ncoTnorated in the Federal and state laws OF the
,rt,S S,otcs Second-rhe abolition OF the mo-
nonolv privilege OF issuing money and system OF
direct issue 10 and by the people 49,, -, u
,,n1,sxn , turn II decided year ago that
after action upon the eleven planks OF tns 20,
,his convention the following resolutions shouid
DC .psoived That this convention hereby ndorse
chic NAUTICAL action OF our British comrades
I'D OF opinion prevailed aInOhH tne