The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1894-12-27
IN ANNUA
Fourteenth Annual Convention of the
American Federation of Labor.

VI bShooIs
DENVER, Col, Dec. 1.-THE main
work Of Friday was the consideration
of the platform adopted last year by
the Chicago convention to be approved
this year. The preamble was cut
away and the planks, amended slight
ly in some cases. adopted as follows:
!, compulsory education; ., direct legislation
by the use OF the referendum; 3, a legal work
day of not more than eight hours; 4, sanitary
inspection of workshop, mine and nome; >, La
bility OF employers for injury to health, body,
or life: 6..the abolition OF contract system IN
all public work: z, the abolition or the sweat
ing system; &. the municipal ownership OF
street cars ana gas and electric plants for pub
lie distribution of light, heat and power; y,
the naturalization or telegraphS, telephones
railroads and mines.
The tenth plank declares for the
collective ownership by the people of
all mean of production and distribu-
ton. 1t aroused the most intense in
terest and was the cause of a very ex
citing debate.
DENVER. Col, Dec. IS. The discus
sion of plank 10 in the political plat
form (the socialistic plank was re-
sumed 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 Brettell read an alleged newspa-
per interview with Attorney General
Olney, in which he was reported to
every union in America by means of
the antitrust law. Mr.. Brettell
thought independent political action
was necessary TO protect aboring 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
n~ection 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.
A resolution that the headquarters
of the American Federation of Labor
be removed from New York was
adopted.
DENVER, Col, Dec. 10. The first
business on Monday was to determine
the future location of the headquarters
of the federation. The vote resulted:
indianapolis, 1890; Washington, 926.
The election of officers was then taken
up.
Mr.. Gompers and John Mcbride,
president of the United Mine-Workers,
were the only candidates for presi-
dent. The vote resulted: Mcbride,
1852: Gompers, 937. President Com
pers moved thatit be made unanimous,
but a delegate objecting that vote
failed.
Vice presidents were elected as fol-
lows: First, p. }. Mcclure, Philadel-
phia; second, James Duncan, Balti-
more: third, Ready Kenehan, Denver;
fourth, 7. j. EIderkin, Chicago; for
secretary, A. McCraith, of Boston.
New York was selected as the place
for holding of the next convention.
The committee on resolutions re-
ported favOrably upon a number of
resolutions as follows:
Condemning attempts TO secure for trans
portation lines the involuntary servitude laws
of the maritime trade: to restrict transient
provincial immigration by national legislation;
opposing the Baltimore plan of financial legis-
lation: to secure state legislation to
abolish the sweating system: declar-
ing for a work day OF not more
than eight hours; advocating the liberia
tion of Beatty and Dempsey, Homestead
strikers. now incarcerated in the Allegheny
penitentiary; urging the adoption Of the refer
endum In national and state legislation; con-
demning the padrone system of labor employ
ment; against Establishing OF railway en-
ployes: against further bond issues. unless
specifically authorized by the lower house of
rnnuraSS