The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-10
FEDERATION of LABOR.
The National Convention I'm Session
at New York

New York, Dec. s-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 assemb-
ling of the leading representatives of the
organized working class OF the United
States.
ed 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 Inter-
est also centers in the proposition to re-
move the headquarters from Indianap-
oils.
The convention will remain in session
for more than a week Many important
questions will come up for debate and ac-
ton. Among the matters to be considered
is the subject of a general movement for
the S-hour work day on May l. 1896.
Wednesday evening there will be a grand
pan ana 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 assem-
bly, rooms OF Madison Square Garden
shortly after 10 o'clock. The hall was
elaborately decorated with bunting and
streamers, and banners of various labor
organizations 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 To-
cal interest. and the assembly rooms and
corridors were crowded sometime before
the proceedings began.
John Mcbride president of the fedora
tion, called the convention to order and
introduced J. w Sullivan Of this city, who
delivered the address Of welcome.
President Mcbride responded in appro-
pirate terms.
The following committee on credentials
snf.1 N.rr ~ -
Elderkin, Z. r. Tracey ]. c. Dernell, ID. r
Rowland and William Mailly.
The convention then took a recess un-
til 2 o'clock in order TO give the com
mittee time to prepare its report. There
We're only one or two contesting delega-
tions.
Upon the reassembling of the conven-
tion the committee on credentials report
ed in favor of seating eghty-three dele
gates, and that there We're six protests,
for the consideration of which the COM
mittee asked further time. The report
The chairman announced the commit
tees, after which he read his annual re-
port.
The reports of the secretary and treas
urer show that during the year there
was spent for the defense of miners and
other unions, for the defense of Debs, the
lecturing tour of Burns and Holmes, etc,
$S,467. The receipts for the year were
on hand of 1881.
The secretary says: "The total amount
contributed to the DeDS tunt THIS year
and last was S,3S6.' He continues
while we cannot report any great appa-
rent gains in the field of labor during the
past year, the agitation and education
that is progressing along economic lines
is particularly noticeable"
At the conclusion OF the. reading of the
reports, John Swinton, the well-known
writer on labor subjects, addressed the
convention. The speaker denounced the
methods of treating strikers by the au-
thorities and instanced the sending OF
troops to Chicago by the "Unspeakable
Cleveland" The militia, he said, had be-
come the tools of a plutocracy so base that
no army in Europe would "do the dirty
work of shooting women, as they did in
Brooklyn"
Conlin, the chief Of the New York po-
lice, he continued, had talked of grape
and canister for the suppression Of
strikes. shame upon that creature Con-
lin," exclaimed the speaker. who is
meaner foe than his predecessor"
The time for strikes had not yet passed,
Mr.. Swinton said; how else should the
workers meet the oppression of the gov
ernment and plutocrats? If American la
Dor found that new methods were neces-
sary to preserve American freedom, now
imperilled as never before, let them adopt
such new methods as would meet the sit
uation and the existing condition.
Rev. Father Ducey delivered an adress,
and at its close the convention adjourned
until tomorrow.