The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1894-12-15
FIGHT OVER SOCIALISM
1 Fierce and Exciting Discussion 10
The American Federation Of Labor.
HOT SHOT IS EXCHANGED
The Congress Votes In Favor OF
Several RadIoal Changes and
10 still Discussing the
Sociallstlo Plank.


convention OF tho American Federatian
Of Labor to-day, the matter Of adopting
joint label for tho shoe workers was
brought up by majority and minority re.
port. As one of tho three organizations
uniting on tho label il affiliated with the
Knights OF Labor. tho matter was de-
fsrrsd until tho committee on conference
reports. A letter from Governor Waito
was read. II WAS o characteristic docu.
mont, touching ON tho administration Of
Presidents Harrison and Cleveland, tho
calling out Of the federal troops for set.
tlina labor and other troubles, and urging
the workingmon 10 unto In political &c.
ton.
Al 10 o'clock tho political programme"
which was submittod by the last conven.
ton to tho various unions to be acted
upon by them and then by tho federation,
was taken up. 1t was as follows:
WHEREAS, Tho trade unlonlsts OF Great Brit.
ain have. by the light Of experience and the
logic Of progress. adopted the principle Of inde.
pendent labor politics - auxiliary TO their eco
nomlc action; and
wMEnEAs. such action has resulted in most
gratifying success; and
WHEREAS. such independent labor politics
arc based upon tho following programme. to
wit: !. compulsory education; ., direct legisla-
ti0n; 9. legal eight.h0ur working day; 4. sani.
tary inspection OF workshops. mines and homes;
q liability OF employers for injury to health,
body or lf'; q. abolition OF the contract system
In all public works; Z, abolition OF the sweating
system; 9, municipal ownership Of street ears,
and gas AMI electric plants for the public dlstri-
button OF light, heat aud power; .. tho nation
alization Of telegraphs, telephones. railroads
and mines; 10. collective ownership by the p~o-
pie Of vii means OF production and distribution;
II, the principle Of the referendum In ali leyls-
lation: then DO it
Resolred. That this convention hereby On.
dorses this political action Of our British com.
rades and.
Resolved. Thai this programme and the basis
Of the political labor movement be. and Is
hereby submitted for the consideration Of tho
labor organizations Of America, with the request
that their delegates to The next annual couven.
tion Of tho American Federation Of Labor be In.
structed on this most important subject.
The preamble was stiamatized by MFR.
Strassr as bold misrepresentation. This
brought 7. ]. Morgan, the auther Of tho
platform, to his fest Ia o very spirited ~.
joinssg. Strassr moved that the prsamhls
hs stricken out. It was claimed that the
| A81VG oosou8 VI 43Akaouo 004 HU IDOlttC1k
organization. John r. Tobin, Of the boot
and shoe workers, stirred upa storm when
he asserted that there was political organ.
isation among the labor,nR mon and that
the presidents aud secretaries and other
officers OF labor unions use their positions
to secure political election and appoint.
ment. Objection came from dosen mon,
including President Gompers, Secretary
Evans and othor federation officers. Tobln
remarked that such show of feeling was
all the proof he wanted that his shot had
hit the mark. Ho was applauded by T. ].
Morgan and othcrs.
When he finished President Gompers
took tho floor and denounced - . lie tho
general charge which included him. He
deflsd Mr.. Tobiu, Mr.. Morgan or any
other delegate to point to vulnerable
place In his career, ~ to honesty. He
charged that II was cowartily, covert
attack upon organised labor. His words
were very bitter.
Others followed In q milder vein, but
the display during the 10 minutes occupied
BY Tobin and Gor,pers showed tho nature
OF the fight on taps between tho sup
porters and opponents Of tho socialistic
plank. p. j. Maguirc denied that tho
action OF tho English workingmcn politi.
cally was based on the planks given in
| the political programme. He read an OK.
| trnct from On English newspaper which
charged John Burns with acting as de.
coy for the liberal party. lie denounced
tho attempt to force tho federation into o
| political party when oach man had been
assured upon joining his union that its
| pledges should not conflict with his politi-
cal views In any particular. Hc said tho
100 labor leaders of Great Britain who
arc holding municipal offices arc greatly
outnumbered by their American brethren
in similar positions.
| At IL o'clock the previous question was
called and the roll call resulted in strik.
ing out the preamble by q voto of 1855 tc
sol. A vote was then taken on plank ono
without debate. IL was adopted. The
convention decided to consolidate planks
and II, making the plank read "direc,
legislation through tho referendum" Il
was adopted.
Delegate Strazer offered an additional
plank demanding the repeal of objection.
ablo laws regarding seamen. lie wanted
it made one of the leading planks. The
delegates favoring plank 10 saw In tho
motion an attempt to change tho number
ing Of the planks SO as to sidetrack thei.
favorite. The discussion OF this subjec
was unfinished when at Il 80 recess wa.
taken.
On the reassembling of the convention
N. X. Hysell of the mine workers moved
that O committee of three be appointed (,
draft resolutions in regard to tho decision
OF Judge Woods and the Imprisonment oi
Debs and others. Hysell, 7. j. Morga,
aud Thomas Tracy were appointed. Mr.
Strazer asked permission to withdraw hi
amendment to the political programn,
with the understanding that il would b.
rcintroduced. II was granted.
Plank 3was taken up and Weisman @
the Bakers union moved TO amend il {,
read IAN eight-hour day for all govern
ment employees. national, state an
municipal This was met by s,ron
opposition. Delegate Lloyd of Bosto
offered an amendment TO read "a lcgu
working day OF not more than cirh
hours" winch was adopted. Plank va
taken up and an amendment was oifcrc
eliminating the words "aul home
was claimed that the homo should be ii
violate from the intrusion of government