The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-12-18
CONPERS DEFEATED.
BY Big Majority He Is Retired From the
Presidency Of the Federation Of
Labor,
ENTIRELY LOYAL, BUT NOT CAPABLE.
Secretary Chris Evans Also Relieved From
the Burden Of Further Eraeting Labor
on Salary,

more bunlncaa to-day than iu any pre-
ccdIng day, The members expended
their surplus energy Ia discussing the
merits of tho political programme. and
were ready to do business. There were
some surprises In the days action. thr
most important OF them being the de-
frnt uf President Gompers for rr-clcc-
lion, II had been known that an effort
Waa being made to dIsplnoe him, but
whom The convention ndIourned pn Sat
urday night u was not believed 10 w0uld
succeed. Sunday was, however. dee
voted 90 clrctionccring by The Mcbride
| contingent, and when the delegates
came together this morning IL was gen
orally understood that Gompers would |
De- retired. HE election az fratoruai
delegate 10 the British labor congress
WAS intended us SORT NJ evidence that /
The convention recognize hls loyalty /
while questioning his ability 10 best |
serve the federation aa ita president |
The selection of indianapolis as ma /
tionnl headquarters was also I'm line |
with the idea of general revolt II |
was declaration by western delegates /
that they propose. hereafter, 10 con- |
trol the organization. II Is expected the |
work OF the convention will be finished |
tomorrow.
The delegates were nearly all In their |
seats when the roll was called today |
The first business was 10 determine the |
future location OF headquarters OF the |
federation. indianapolis and Washing !
ton We're the only contestants to-day, |
The vote resulted indianapolis 800. |
Washington 962 A motion 10 make In
dianapolis the location for three years
was amended 10 make II tive years,
and referred 10 the committee on laws.
The election OF officers was then Ia
ken up. Gumpers and John Mcbride,
president OF the United Mine Workers.
were the only candidates for president
The vote resulted: Mcbride l,lG2
} Gompers 937. IL was evident at the start
that the question had been settled so
far as individual members were con-
cerned. The vote proceeded without
incident, except that several delegates
announced that they voted against
Gompers by Instructions from their
unions. President Gompcrs moved to
make the Vote unanimous for Mcliridc
but objection was raised.
Gompcrs nt once wrote and dispatched
the following message To- Mcbride.
who lis now 40 al his home 40 Columbus,
Ohio. "Jrhn Mcbride: COngratula-
tlons ON election as president of the
federation. None viii be- more loyal
than 10 aid and make your admlnistra-
tlon successful. Samuel Gonpers
The first vice president, r. j. Morgan.
Of Chicago. ana Mr. Mcclure. OF fhila-
delphia, were nominated The vote was
J. SOS for Mcclure 226 for Mr. Morgan.
The election was made unanimous,
James Duncan. OF Baltimore. was mnde
I IsaHs -. f.H
10 go for Charles BechtOld. OF ST Louis,
who was said 10 be connected with the
knights ~ Labor For third vice pres
/, ident. James Brettel and Rhody kenc-
han. OF Denver. were nominated. The
result was Brettel l5g. Kenehan l,1lt.
Harry Lloyd of Boston. w H. Mnhun,
of the Street Car employees, and T. ID.
Elderkin. of the Seamen's union. were
! nominated for fourth vice president,
; The result was. Elderkin 1858. Mahon
70S. Lloyd 773, no election, Lloyd With
drew his name and on the second vote
Mr. Elderkln was elected, the vote be-
Ing. Elderkin l,2l5. Mahon 9iS
The election Of secretary being next
In order, Daily was called 20 the desk.
j. w. Brentwood. OF Denver; j. Nal
colin Burns. OF Philadelphia; A. Me-
Crnith, OF Boston; Richard n, Metcalf,
OF indianapolis; Chris Evans, present
Il incumbent. and j, J. Lineham, OF CHI
cago. were nominated. Evans with
drew and McCraith was elected. For
l treasurer, John h. Lennon was elected
= by acclamation.
r Gompers took the floor and announced
A his satisfaction upon being relieved
:. from the responsibility ot the presl-
, dency Of the organization. lie said he
i had been made an old man I'm his COM
e parative youth by the burdens Of the
r office. but felt that he represented
. principle, and would not lie down, lie
4 preferred to be n.)ved down. He re-
1 gretted no act OF his official career
e He reviewed his allegiance to the fed
= Grafton. II he had met defeat In the
A | Chicago convention he would have gone
e out of the convention broken hearted.
r Now hc felt differently. He read his
telegram 10 Mcbride saying II meant
r that, aud if any man or men should Try
!, TO drug down John Mclridc, or to strike
z at the heart of uulon labor, through
o John Mcbride he win ind me harder
(, lighter Tor him than l have been FOR
q myself"
For the place Of the next meeting
K New York was chosen, aud for fratannl
e delegates to he sent to the British
trades congress. to be held iu Cardiff,
| Wales Samuel Gumpcrs aud H. j, Ma
guire were chosen.
The special committee appointed 10
ldun resolutions ON the Mcclure sea-
= mems rights hill now before congress-
4 reported resolutions providing that a
/, committee of three, one OF whom should
, br a member of the Scamrn's union,
. go To Washington as a lobby. asking
! John Burns 10 give the matter httrn-
= tion in his meetings iu America. urg-
, Ing local unions tn Cull upon their con-
4 gr.ssmcn Zoo favor the bill, The report
i was agreed a..
A resolution was adopted against the
T, Baltimore currency plan, as was one
~ l0uposnd to "gWnut shops and rcrom-
I ImyudluE laws To- abolish "a. providing
for rnEroRsrd resolutions of esteem to ho
n lprvspntrd tu John Burns and Richard
Z Holmes English fraterna delegates,
fayortng tho eight hour day. fnvurluu
the liberation OF Hugh Dempsey noN
Ia the Pennsylvania penituuuary uu
account OF his connection With Tho
s Homestead strike. and alleging that one
of the prosecuting witnesscs had since
acknowledged hC was Pnhcd; proWd'
c Ing FOR a committee tn work fdr direct
a legislation by means of the referendum
ID ln each state; demanding national
l. law providing that no bonds be issued
N without special law, 10 be originated Ia
B the lower house ot cungfoan.
is A resolution crtlclHlug the report of
> the national strike commission uud "a.
VOring government ownership ot rall-
roads was reported unfavornblo by the
committrc, but referred to the executive
h, council
In regard tn the work OF the c0nvcn-
= tion. pi,.sideut GOmpers said' II think
'r the general work ot the convention W
n highly satisfactory and regard the out
look as equally 10. The determination