The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-12-08


NEW YORK, Dec. Half million
workers, Of almost every skilled trade
will be represented at the annual con
vention of the American Federation o
Labor, whose opening session will b.
held in Madison Square Garden OF
Monday. Delegates from Boston an(
San Francisco. from st. Paul and Dial
las-in fact from every considerable
center of industry in the east anC
west north and south will be present
TO take part in the counsels of The
strongest combination Of labor organ
izationS now existing The meetings
will undoubtedly be full of animation
from first to last. Some of them, per-
haps, will be stormy. There is sure tC
be a vigorous contest over the election
of president. John Mcbride the Indi-
ana miner, and present Incumbent
will make a strong fight for reelection
and may win, but there is certain to be
lfvely opposition. Samuel GomperS
who was president continuously from
the. founding of the organization until
last years convention at Denver, will
unquestionably be put forward as a
candidate. Martin Fox, iron moulder
of Cincinnati; John B. Lennon, general
secretary of the Journeymen TailOrs
lion; William B. Prescott, of the print
ers; P. j. Mcguire, of the carpenters;
August McCpaith, the Boston printer,
and several others are also mentioned
as possible candidates. There is some
Likelihood that the differences between
Eugene V. DebS' American Railway
Union and the old Railway Brother
hoods may come before the convention,
end if they do the liveiiest sort Of dis
r-s.
shall or shall not endorse either party,
will be precipitated. There is no doubt
that strong movement will material
lie for the removal of the headquarters
from Indianapolis to a larger, more ac.
cessible city like New York or Chicago.
The articles which follow, contribute
ed by President Mcbride, eX-President
Gompers and Treasurer Lennon, will
be found thoroughly Illuminating as
20 the present condition, recent his
tory and future possibilities of the or
SANITATION.
President Mcbride Reviews the War
The coming convention of the Am
erican Federation of Labor will last
seven or eight days and it is expected
will be the largest in the history of
the organization. Returns from the
smaller unions show that they will be
well represented. that all the national
and International bodies will send del.
egates and that the Central Labor I'm
ions and State Federations will make a
good showing. Two delegates from the
trade unions Of England, Messrs Cowes
and Maudsley, will also be present
The most important matter to come
before the convention will be the plan
for the general Introduction of the
eight hour day. At the Denver con-
vention, last year, it was voted to
make an attempt in this direction on
May l, 1896, and it is expected that
some definite plan will be mapped out
by the New York convention. The at
tempt to force the trades unions into
politics. along independent party lines.
received a quietus at Denver and it is
not expected that similar movement
will be pursued in New York. The Of
ficers OF the organization considers the
past year to have been a trying one
as whole, owing to the business de-
preston. During the past few months,
however, there has been great improve
1nent. At the beginning of the year
strong efforts were put forth to better
the distressing condition of the sea-
men. A committee composed of A.
t'uerseth, of the Seamen's union, and
A. Strasser, of the Cigarmakers was
sent to Washington and they finally
succeeded in securing the passage of
what was known as the Mcguire bills,
with resulting great benefit.
No great strikes other than those of
the garment workers have occurred
during 1895, the unions having been
mostly engaged in strengthening and
outstanding their resources. The iron
moulders have had some local strikes
and have made considerable gains in
wages. The garment workers have
c=f1 IN &c.
in which they have struck for in
creased pay, the strike in Rochester
alone failing to yield a victory. The
federation'S executive council has sue
ceeded in adjusting a number of diff
culties and several boycotts that have
been running for some months have
been removed. concessions favorable to
the unions directly concerned having
been won in each case, International
Typographical union has been prac-
tically successful in securing prices and
hours On the type-setting machines.
and has gained close on to thirty bat
ties during the past few months. The
miners have had considerable difficulty
In the course of the wear. but have
finally settled matters without serious
complications. The following interna-
tional unions have been chartered
since the last conrc ton: Lace cur
s. o.
bacco workers, agents. granite cutters
pressmen, boot ana shoe work |
ers, besides IA local unions direct and |
over 200 through the national organiza- |
tons. Central labor bodies have been
instituted in Kansas, Maine. Texas |
Ohios Dakota, Pennsylvania and MI |
1ois- 1t is estimated that before the |
year closes the total membership of the /
federation will have been increased by |
about 100000. ~
Last summer two federation dele
rates attended the British Trade union
congress and also visited a number of
european cities, investigating the con-
iftion of labor there and the progress
# the trade union movement These
delegates viii make their report at
he New York convention and there is
much interest and speculation regard |
ng its probable mature.
a considerable sum of money vas
expended by the Federation in the de-
enSe Of Eugene Debs, although neither
Ie nor his organization is connected
With the Federation. Because of the
manner in which Mr.. Debs was convir--
ed, without a jury trial, the Fedora
ion has drawn up and will submit TO
ongres. bin prohibiting judges from
assing VI. violations of laws which
re already covered by statute. and a,
trong effort will be made to enact this
aw- Various legislative matters deal
1g with immigration and union labels
ave been attended to during the year.
he Federation, it should be under
TODD, however, is not opposed to the
Omission of foreign workmen; on the
a. resolution was adopted at
he last convention declaring general
estniction unnecessary, not to say a.
collation. of natural rights. It is with
he 'sPadrone' ard Sweater immi-