The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-12-15
OPPOSING SOCIALISM,
The Big Fight in the Federation
Of Labor Convention.
URGING COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
Direct Legislation, Abolition of the Con-
tract system in Public Works, Municipal
Ownership of Street Cars, Gas and Eloo-
trio Light Also Favored.

Ownership of Street Cars, Gas and Eloo-
trio Light Also Favored.
DENVER, Dec. 15.--On the reassembling
Of the convention Of the American FEEDER
alton Of Labor yesterday the manner Of
adopting joint label for the shoe workers
was brought up, with majority ant. minor
ity reports. AS one Of the three organiza-
tions uniting on the label is affiliated with
the Knights Of Labor the matter was do
ferred until the committee on conference
reports.
A letter from Governor Waite was re
ceived touching on the action of Prcsi-
dents Harrison and Cleveland in calling
out the federal troops for tho settling of
labor and other troubles, and urging work
ingmen TO unite in political action.
At 10 O'Clock the political program
which was submitted by the last conven-
tion to the various unions to be acted upon
by them and then by the federation was
taken up. 1t was as follows:
Whereas, The trade unionists Of Great
Britain have, by the light OF experience
and the logic Of progress, adopted the
principle Of Independent labor politics as
an auxiliary to their economic action;
and,
Whereas, Such action has resulted In
| the most gratifying success; and,
Whereas, Such independent labor poll
tics are based upon the following program,
| to wit:
/. Compulsory education. g. Direct legis
| lation. 3. Illegal eight hour day. t. San
itary inspection Of workshops, mines and
homes 5. Liability Of employers for in
| jury to health, body or life. O. The aboli-
tion Of the contract system in all public
| work. z. The abolition Of the sweating
system. 8. The municipal ownership of
street cars and gas and electric plants for
public distribution Of light heat and
| power. 8. The naturalization Of tele-
| graphs, telephones, railroads and mines.
10. The ownership by the people of all
means of production and distribution. II.
The principle of the referendum in all
legislation.
Resolved, That the convention hereby
indorse the political action of our British
comrades, and that this program and basis
of a political labor movement be, and is
hereby submitted for the consideration of
the labor organizations of America, with
the request that their delegates to the
next annual convention of the American
Federation of Labor be instructed on this
important subject.
The preamble was stigmatized by Mr.
Strasser as bold misrepresentation, and
moved that the preamble be stricken out
1t was claimed that the labor unions OF
England had no political organization.
John f. Tobin, one of the boot and shoe
workers. stirred up o storm when he as
serted that there was political organiza
tion among laboring men, and that presi
dents and secretaries and other officers OF
the labor organizations use their positions
to secure political elections and appoint
| ment.
President Gompers took the floor and
denounced as a lie the general charg,
which included him, and defied Mr.. To
) bin Mr.. Morgan or any other delegate tt
point to Vulnerable place in his career a
to honesty. He charged that it was COW
J ardly, covert attack on organized labor.
After an acrimonious discussion the mo
tion to strike out the preamble was car
ried by vote of 1866 to sol.
, The various planks of the platform wer
then voted on separately, being adopte,
with the following changes:
Planks and II We're consolidated, max
ing the plank read: "Direct Legislation
I through the referendum"
Plank 3 was amended to read: "a legq
work day of not more than eight hours
Plank was amended to include waite
works and adopted.
, When the famous plank 10 came up,
few minutes before 4 o'clock, the tug G
d war was reached. Mr.. Strasser, of NeN
- Jersey, said he proposed to make the AT
thor Of that plank declare himself He o.
fered as an amendment the addition {
words "by means of con1lscatiOn withou
| compensation.
II. j. Morgan, author of the plank, sc
conded the amendment.
A. Mccarthy, of Boston, offered a sui
stitute as follows: "The abolition of tn
Q monopoly system of land owning and I'll
I. | substituting therefor of a title for occI
!. pancy and use only"
y j. Mahlon Barnes, of the Cigarmaker
union, raised the point of order that
similar resolution has been already adopte
y by the federation, and therefore could NJ
:, be considered. President Gompers rule
o against the point, and Mr.. Barnes al
pealed from the decision of the chair III
\ chair was sustained.
Thomas J. Morgan presented "A chart
?, show the relative numbers and wealth {
:" workingmen, business men, capitalist
" and millionaires. His speech was VII
p orous advocacy of socialism. He said:
eve have as our allies in the socialist
movement all kinds of labor saving IN
chinery, and we have the millionaire
d They put Debs in Jail today. 1 am glad
a. it. That is the kind of work that wi
30 make you vote to put men on the benz
o. who will render such decisions"
36 Mr.. Strasser followed Mr. Morgan
o, opposition to socialism. He said socialis
was not progressing. The socialistic grow
in Germany was not socialism, he sal
, but the rise of democracy,
y, Others spoke at length, and the conye
i ton adjourned with the question still u
% der consideration.