Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-10
THE LABOR LEADERS MEET Convention of theAmerican Fed
 eration of Labor. CANDIDATES ARE AT WORK Samuel Gompers, Its Ex-President, Will Be
 Candidate. THE ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT MCBRIDE He Wants the Convention to Define It's Po- sition on Politics-The Bond Deal De-
 nounced-New Constitutions
 Are Badly Needed.
CANDIDATES ARE AT WORK
THE ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT MCBRIDE

New York, Dec. 9-The convention of the American Federation of Labor was opened this morning at Madison Square garden. Labor leaders from all over the country, Canada and Great Britain were present to lend their hostage to the con- yention as an assemblage of the leading representatives of the organized working class of the United States.
 The greatest interest is already dis played in the election of officers, and the friends of candidates are actively can vassing for votes. Samuel Gompers, ex- president of the federation, is sure to be candidate for the office again. There was also some talk of removing the head quarters from Indianapolis
 The convention will remain in session for more than week. Many important questions will come up for debate and action. Among the matters to be consid- cred is the subject of a general move- ment for the eight-hour work day on May 1, 1S96
 Wednesday evening there will be a grand ball and reunion of all the labor leaders at Madison Square garden. h. vifations have been sent to men of prom fence in nearly all the walks of life. Z tIhe convention opened in the assembly rooms of Madison Square garden shortly after 10 o'clock. The hall was elaborate ly decorated with bunting and streamers. and banners of various labor organiza- tions Were also hung upon the walls As this Is the first time in twelve years that the federation has met in this city the convention has excited exceptional local Interest, and the assembly rooms and corridors were crowded some time before the proceedings begun.
 John Mcbride. president of the federa- tion, called them to order, introducing MT. Sullivan of this city, who delivered the address of welcome.
 President Mcbride responded in appro- priate terms as follows:
 i Meeting as you do in this great city of New York, the metropolis of America. the center of wealth. pauperism and crime, where dependence upon the part O. labor almost eliminates that spirit of independence needed to assure good citi- zenship; where political jugglery with the peoples interests on one hand, and reform movements that do not reform on the other, eclipse the labor movement and render it difficult for organized ef- fort to progress as it should, you will be permitted to cast your eyes to Bedloe's island and feast them upon the statue of Liberty Enlightening the World and to take glance at that noted thorough fare called Wall street, where men learn to prey upon their fellow-men; where a few men concoct schemes which, when P II, mand and collect tribute from the people of all sections of our country. and, to our shame be it said, frequently defy the government by threatening to throttle it financially-a threat that, because of our peculiar system of finance, they are able to execute successfully.
 "The duty assigned to you by your con- stituents should be done fearlessly, but with proper regard for the rights of all men. The task which you have before you is not light one, but prompted by the aims and purposes of our grand or ganization to alleviate labor's ills, ame- liorate its conditions and improve its environments, the work to be done should be a work of love-"
 On the vexed question of political ac- ton which has attracted so much atten- tion to the present gathering, and upon which nearly every delegate has been in- structed by his respective organization, the president spoke at length, adopting in measure the views of both the con- servative and socialistic factions. This is what he said: '~-' --- > Political Action.
 ' "TIave we political programme? This is a disputed question. The Denver con- ivention. by separate and distinct votes, adopted twelve declarations of practical belief, but motion to adopt as whole was defeated, and in consequence of this it is held by some that the previous decla-
 
 are of the opinion that each declaration was complete in itself and that the mo- tion to adopt as a whole was superf1uous and its adoption or rejection by the con vention could neither add to or take from the declarations previously made. Tn my Judgment the latter position Is the cor rect one, but I have not been called upon to render a decision upon the ques- ton, and to satisfy those who have en- tertained doubts in the matter ask that you clearly define the position you intend to hold along political lines. Whether the declarations made at the Denver con- venfion are approved or disapproved by you, the self-evident truth confronts us that wage-workers cannot hope to be free in the shops, mines and factories while trudging in party slavery to the polls. We cannot close our eyes and thus conceal the glaring effects in our governmental treatment of industrial la bor. nor will we be permitted to much longer neglect our duty to the peoples interests, and to allow to go on un- checked and unchanged system of dis tribution in the value of labor's produc- tion which had its greatest achievement during the last decade. according to the late. census. in the phenomenal growth of wealth. pauperism and crime We are compelled to admit. as we have long recognized. that the denial of that lib- erty of action which permits men and women to organize for mutual aid and protection comes largely from corpora tions engaged in operating plants of a ppblic character, and the franchises of which they obtained from the people.
 ..The railroad. telegraph and telephone corpora tions in natlonal sense. and the street railway, electric plant and water work corpora tions in a municipal way, are more responsible for the curtailment of liberty on the part of the employees than is all the manufacturing and pro- ducing capital in the country. To de- stroy this species of tyranny and op- pession, and to restore and maintain for employees the greatest individual liberty -consistent with public good. will neces- state the nationalizing of railroads. tel egraphs and telephones. and the munic-