The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-10
FEDERATION OF LABOR.
AN ENTHUSIASTIC ASSEMBLAGE
or LABOR LEADERS
At the Annual Meeting In New York.
President McBryde's Speech-Labor
in Politics Discussed.

NEW YORK, Dec e-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 are
present TO lend their prestige to the I'M
portance OF the convention as an assem-
blage of the leading organization Of the
working class in the United States.
The greatest interest is already dis
played I'm the election of officers and the
candidates are actively canvassing for
votes.
Samuel Gompers. president CT the Fed
Grafton. is sure to be a candidate for the
Office again. Interest also centres In the
proposition to remove the headquarters
from indianapolis.
The convention will remain I'm session
for more than a week. Many important
questions will come up for debate ana
action.
Among the matters TO be considered Is
the subject of a general movement lor
the eight-hour work day on May lst. lsso
Wednesday evening there Will be grand
ball and reunion Of all the labor leaders
at Madison Square Garden Invitations
have been sent to men of prominence
in nearly all the walks of life.
The convention opened in the assembly
rooms of Madison Square Garden shortly
after 10 o'clock. The hall was elaborate
IL decorated with bunting and streamers
and banners of various labor organiza-
lions were strung upon the walls.
As this is the first time i'm twelve years
that the Federation has met in this city
the convention has excited exceptional
local interest, and the assembly-room ana
corridors were crowded some tfne Deioi'
the proceedings began.
John Mcbride. president OF the Fedeta-
ton. called the convention to order ana
introduced j. W. Sullivan, Of this city
who delivered the address of welcome.
McBRYDE'S SPEECH.
President Mcbride responded in appro-
pirate terms. In part, he spoke as FOL
lows:
The duty assigned to you by your
constituents should be done fearlessly'
but with proper regard for the rights
OF all men. The task which you nave
before you is not a light one. but prompt
ed by the aims and purposes or our
grand organization, 10 alleviate labor
ills. ameliorate its conditions. and i'm
prove its environments the work 10 be
done should be a work of love.
on the vexed question OF political ac-
ton. which has attracted so much at
tention to the present gathering, and
upon which nearly every delegate has
been instructed by his respective organi-
zation. the president spoke at length.
adopting i'm a measure the views OF
both the conservative and socialisuo
factions. This is what he said.
Have We a political programme rms
Is dispute question.
INDEPENDENT VOTING.
AS an organization. we may decide
TO leave politics alone, but untortu-
natelv for the interests of the organi-
cation and its members. politics Will not
let us alone. hence we are compelled, not
from a sentimental but from a purely
business standpoint. 10 consider and act
politically i'm such manner and along
such lines as will yield practical results
70 the trade-uniOn movement IN us Ell
forts TO ameiorate the wage-worker
condition i'm life. We may not be agreed
as TO the scope OF political work needed,
and we may differ as 10 the methods
EMPLOYED i'm political reform work nut
regardless of our differences i'm opinion
as 10 either scope or methods, we all
recognize the necessity of doing some
thing. and doing it I'm manner that
will insure the hearty cooperation OF all
our forces.
"The ideal state Of society or form OF
government aimed at by State socialists,
philosophical Anarchists. Populists. sin
ele-taxers and others, should not be per
mitted TO stand i'm the way OF immediate
and practical efforts. because the IDEAL
state of society hoped for can only De
reached. il ever II is reached, by an edu-