River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-12-20
IN ANNUAL SESSION
Fourteenth Annual Convention of

Fourteenth Annual Convention of the
American Federation of Labor.
DENVER. Dec. 15.-Upon the assem-
/ bling of the convention of the
American Federation of Labor to-
day discussion was precipitated BY
4 the report OF the resolutions commit
4 tee, in favor of adopting a resolu-
! ton introduced by Edward L.
/ DAILY. of the Laster's union
of Boston. asking congress to
/ pass law making it an offense punish
able by fine and Imprisonment for any
employer to employ during strike or
/ lockout of his employees aliens who
/ have resided in this country less than
one year who have not expressed an
intention of becoming American citi-
zens.
/ After some discussion substitute
was offered that the resolution be re-
ferred to the incoming executive
council with instructions to secure
legal advice regarding the constitu-
/ tionality of such law, if passed. The
substitute was adopted.
The committee on resolutions rec
commended the adoption of Delegate
| Lloyd's resolution in favor of free coin
age of silver. The preamble covers
much of the argument of the advocates
of free coinage and demands the re-
enactment of the law in force before
Z 1878 regardless of the action of any
/ other nation. Adopted
! The committee on the presidents re-
port submitted its report. 1t warmly
Endorsed the action of the president in
| the A. K. U. strike and the various
recommendations of the report. 1t
was recommended that May 1, 1895, be
fixed for the general establishment of
an eight-hour day.
DENVER, Col, Dec. IA red-hot
of the American Federation of Labor
Friday over the political pro-
gramne" submitted by the last pre-
vious convention to the various unions.
John F. Tobin, of the boot and shoe
workers, asserted that the presidents,
secretaries and other officers of labor
organizations use Their positions to
secure political election and appoint
ment Objection came at once
from dozen men, including
President Gompers and Secretary
Evans Mr.. Tobin remarked that such
a show of feeling was all the proof he
wanted that his shot had hit the mark.
| President Gompers denounced as
a lie the general charge which
had included him, and defied
Mr.. Tobin or any other del
egate to point out a vulnerable
place in his career as to honesty. He
charged that it was a cowardly,
covert attack upon organized labor.
The main work of the day was the
consideration of the platform adopted
last year by the Chicago convention
to be approved this year. The pre-
amble was cut away and the planks,
amended slightly in some cases, adopt
ed as follows:
| l. compulsory education: 2, direct legislation
by the use of the referendum; 3 legal work
day of not more than eight hours; 4, sanitary
| inspection of workshop mine and home; 5 La
| bility OF employers for injury to health, body,
| or life: 6.the abolition of contract system in
| ali public work; Z, the abolition OF the sweat
| ing system; s. the municipal ownership q
| street cars and gas and electric plants for pub
| lie distribution OF light. heat and power; g.
| the naturalization OF telegraphs telephones
| railroads and mines.
The tenth plank declares for the
collective ownership by the people of
all means of production and distribu-
ton. 1t aroused the most intense in
terest and was the cause of a very ex-
citing debate. Many propositions were
introduced relating to changes on this
subject. A substitute favoring the alb
clifton of land monopoly brought
about general discussion which had
not been concluded when the session
adjourned for the day.
DENVER. Col, Dec. IS. The discus
sion of plank 10 in the political plat
form 1.-THE socialistic plank was re-
sumed in the convention of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor Saturday
morning. Delegate LlOyed moved to
rerefer the plank to the subordinate
unions.
Treasurer Lennon supported Mr..
Lloyd's motion on the ground that the
vote in many unions on the platform
was not a representative one. Dele
gate BrettelI read an alleged newspa-
per interview with Attorney General
Olney, in which he was reported TO
have said that he would break up
every union in America by means of
the antitrust law Mr.. Brettell
thought independent political action
was necessary TO protect laboring men,
The previous question was called
npon the motion to refer the plank re-
lating to the collective ownership of
all means of production and distribu-
ton by the people to the affiliated or
CARNATIONS to be again voted upon was
lost.
The proposition of the government
of establishing a savings bank in con-
nection with the post office depart
ment was defeated by a large major
ity, and the question then required
upon the substitute for plank 10, pro-
viding for the abolition of the land
monopoly ownership and substituting
occupancy and improvement as the
only guarantee of title, which was
adopted
The question of adopting the reso-
lutions and indorsing the entire polit-
ical platform was defeated. The re-
suit was considered an overwhelming
defeat to the socialistic element.
A resolution that the headquarters
of the American Federation of Labor
be removed from New York was
adopted. The following places were
nominated as candidates for headquar-