The herald., 1895-12-09
Begins Its Sessions at New
York Today
A MILLION WORKING MEN
Send Delegates to Represent the Cause
OF Labor
English Delegates Arrive Who VIII Speak for
100000 Workers-The Questions
Scheduled for Discussion
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
NEW YORK. Dec. s.-The largest con-
gress OF labor lea iers ever held in New
York. as far as the mum bers represented
and interests involved are concerned, will
begin tomorrow at M adison Square gar
dens with the opening of the fifteenth
annual convention of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor.
More than $780, 900 organized workmen
in the United States are sending their
delegates, 1l5 in mum ber, to represent
them. Perhaps a million wOrkingmen
would be nearer the mark, but the officers
Of the federation are conservative as 20
mum bers and only reckon those who are
in good standing with the subordinate
unions.
1t is now twelve years since the budy
was organized, since which time it has
been expanding until it b IS its represen-
tatives in every state in the union and
oil over Canada.
1t has affiliated with it eighty national
organizations. There will be one woman
deIeagte, Miss Frances Msrtell, who will
represent the Garment Workers union OF
Chicago. For the last three days the
delegates to the convention have been al
irving. Ex.Presidenl Gompers of the
federation, and several local officers are
finding quarters for the delegates at the
hotels.
The executive council OF the federation
reached this city yesterday and the men,
bers are at the Ashland house. Tho coun-
Gil consists of John Mcbride. president
of the American Federation Of Labor; p.
J. Mcguire, vce-president; John u. Len
non. treasurer; Augustine McGraith,
secretary, and N. Nj. Garland, president
and Steel Workers. Ex. Prsi, cat Gompers
attended meeting of the executive
council, which was held yesterday after
noon at the Ashland house. The busi-
ness consisted of preparation for the
oepning of the convention.
L. Convey and j. Mawdsley OF the Coal
Miners and Spinners' unions OF Eng
land, who will attend the convention as
representatives of those bodies, arrived
tuday. They were met bv n delegation OF
local offers and escorted to the Ashland
house, which will be the headquarters OF
the executive council. rhcy represent
aobut 800, 600 workingmen in England and
Wales.
President John Mcbride of the fedora
tion is not delegate, having been de-
feated at the election for deleRats for his
local uninn. He will, however, as presi-
dent open the conventoin.
Special arrangements have been made
to entertain the visiting delegates. A
mass meeting will be held in Cooper
UDion tomorrow evening under the
auspices of the trades and labor unions
OF New York, Brooklyn and Jersey City
in connection with the convent IN, at
which the visiting delegates will be in
vited to spesk.
Important questions will come berore
the convention, including the carrying
out of general eight hour law move
ment on May /. 1896. Questions affecting
tho standing of the subordinate nation j
unions will ne discussed and some long.
standing fights between rival unions will
be considered.
The question OF harmonizing national
branches will also be considered and
efforts will be amde to extinRu sn the
X nights of Labor as trad,s unioh move
mcnt, and compel that body to become
a purely educational one.