St. Paul daily globe., 1895-11-17

Spect a boycott when ordered, but
there is no penalty for failure to do
so, since to force obedience in that
matter would Ibe to disregard the fed
eraItion's fundamental principle. 1t
should be added, however, that O.
union would hesitate long before de-
Gliding to disregard "a request for co...
operation in alboycott, since such ac+
ton would render 1T liable to lack-ef
support by other unions In case 1t
should ask for, assistance. II, =
Hhe failure of Samuel Gonpers to.
yin re-election last year ait the Denss
ven convention was unquest tlonably
a great surprise both to him and the
majority of his supporters 8Opposi
tSon had been developed, 1t is true, at
previous conventions, but he had al
ways been too strong for his oppcn-
ents, and 1T was supposed that he
would continue so at DenVers Those
who were against him in previous
years had generally been OF the more
radical element which has not al.
ways been satisfied with his course,
and had Mr.. Gompenst and his friends
understood that in certain circum-
stances other elements than the rad
.iical ones would combine with them
against him they might have SO ar
ranged matters 'to re-elect him after
all 1t should be stated to the credit
OF Gompers amid his friends that they
accepted defeat I'm good part; that
they are as good federationists now
as ever, and that they have suppo.il-
ed President Mcbride during the past
year with perfect loyalty b
Whether Mr.. r.Gompers will be unan-
imously supported for election to his
old place by those who have sup
ported him in the past it is hard to
say, but there is no doubt of there
being lively contest for the presi-
dency. Mcbride will have some very
strong support for reelection, as a
matter of course, and there will prob
ably be several candidates in the
field.
In the American Federation Of La
Dor, as in the United States generally,
locality has something to do with
sentiment. Thus, the West is more
radical than the East, and it is
claimed by those who oppose the
election of Mr.. Mcbride that had the
convention been held elsewhere than
in far Western city last year the
result of the balloting would have
been different. AS the convention
will be held in New York, the very
center of the conservative element,
for the first time this year. it is be-
lieved by those making up that ele-
ment that they will stand a much
better chance of winning than they
did last year.
The candidates who have been talked
of include men from both East and the
West. The name of Mr.. Gompers is, of !
course, a prominent one in all discus
sions of the fedora tion's presidency,
but there are some who hold that P.
J. Mcclure, of the carpenters, a Phila-
delphia man, who has built up his own
in ma asterly fashion, would
make an excellent president. The car
penters would back him solidly, and
they have 290 votes in, total of about
{, 800. Mr.. MCGUIRE is a clear and fore 1
ible speaker, and is we'll known in la
Dor circles generally. Some there are
who favor Joseph Valentine, of the
iron molders, and he would probably
be a strong candidate, since, although
he is acceptable to many Fasteners,
he now lives in San Francisco, and is
therefore popular in the West. The
iron molders have $50 votes in the con-
vention. Another man who is highly
spoken of is William Prescott, of the
International Typographical union, who
is now serving his fourth term as presi-
dent of that organization, and is the
first Of it's presidents to be elected be-
yond the second term. The printers
have $50 votes in the convention. Mr..
Prescott lives in Indianapolis. August
McCraith, of Boston, another printer,
is likewise spoken of with great favor,
and, in the opinion of many, J. B. Len
non, secretary of the Journeymen Tail
ors' s'eInternational union, would make
a good president. He is now treasurer
of the federation and although his
union is not so large as the unions rep
resented by other possible candidates
mentioned above, he stands extremely
well with all as q safe and fair-minded
man, who has passed through varied
and extensive experience in the labor
movement. Mr.. Lennon now lives in
New York, but as the headquarters of
the tailors are likely to be removed to
the West, and as he was originally
from Denver, he may properly be con-
sidered a Western man. Still one more
candidate who stands well with every
one is Daniel Harris, of the cigarmak-
ers, now president of the New York
State Federation of Labor, whose
union has 300 votes in the convention
M. 1. Dexter.