Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-12-12
AMERICAN FEDERATION.
The Work of the Convention Has Been
Moving Very Slowly
And the Time Originally Set for
Finishing the Work VIII Have to
be Extended -OfAcers May Be
Elected This Week Contested
Seats Have Been the Chief OBJ
structions to Business.

New York, December 11.-So slowly
has the work Of the American Federation
Of Labor progressed that instead of ad-
journment being reached on Friday or
by Saturday noon at the latest, which
was the original programme. it is not
likely that the election Of officers will
be reached before Monday and possibly
Tuesday of next week. The main OBJ
structions are the contested seats in the
convention, a matter which is usually
disposed Of on the first day Of the an
nual conventions At the opening ses-
sion to-day the credental committee re-
ported, the convention concurr.ng that
w. E. Ward, claiming to represent
painters union, dual organization, be
denied a seat. Subsequently the sub
ject of duality Of organization within
the ranks Of the federation was brought
up by President T. J. Elderkin,
who predicted that unless the condition
were corrected the federation would fall
under the control OF antagonistic ele-
ments. Instanc.ng the case of the I'D
lodges of the brewery employees national
union a small majority Of which are at
tached to the Knights Of Labor. Mr.. Oh
derkin said: These X. Of H. ASSEM-
blles have a national trade assembly
and meet in national convention and Sc
cretly legislate for the National Brewery
Employees Union. As a result a great
national union attached to the fedora
tion is controlled absolutely by an inner
circle of the X. of L."
AS a remedy for this condition, a
resolution was offered to the effect that
hereafter a seat shall be refused TO any
representative whose organization has
within it's ranks any other organiza-
tion comprising less than the total
membership.
Action on the report of the EXecu-
tive Council, submitted yesterday, was
deferred The various sections will be
taken up and considered singly by the
proper committees.
The eight hour work day discussion
was set down for Saturday morning at
10 o'clock.
Samuel GOmpers, James Creamer and
JOnn Wnlle were appointed Specldl
committee to wait upon the tobacco
workers employed by the American To-
baccO Company.
A resolution was adopted reaf1irming
the declaration made yesterday in favor
of the free and unlimited coinage Of
silver at the ratio of 16 TO I.
A resolution by Delegate Andrew
FuTuseth, of San Francisco, protesting
against the passage in Congress Of the
compulsory arbitration bill, was adopt
ed
There was nearly an hours discus
sion over the resolution TO discontinue
the publication in the Federatonist, or
the fair list" containing the names OF
firms favored by the Federation Of
Labor and Of the unfair list" as
well, consisting Of firms antagonistic
to the Federation. The matter was re-
ferred to a special committee.
p J. Mcclure offered a resolution ex-
pressing the conventions sympathy
with the housesmlths in their contest
with the Iron League in this city. and
urging all trades and labor orgpNiza-
tions 10 give them every assistance.
The resolution was adopted.