The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-24
MIR. NASH LEADS THE TRADES AS
ri SEMBLY TO SILVER
fe STREAM,
BUT COULDN'T MAKE 1T DRINK.
WANTED TO GET THE MEMBERS
ON RECORD ON THE SUB
JECT,
BUT THEY WOULDN'T HEAR TO IT
Open Meeting of the Organization
Developed Discussion of I'm
usual Warmth.

usual Warmth.
small edition of Vesuyius broke
loose at the open meeting Of the
Trades and Labor assembly. held at
Labor hall last evening. The eruption
was started by cleverly conceived
plan on the part of Louis Nash. dele
gate from the Retail Clerks union, to
swing the labor vote into line for the
cause of free silver.
The assembly had scarcely been
called to order by President Christoph-
erson when Delegate Nash secured the
hoor and announced that he wished to
offer resolution. The resolution was
read and called upon all delegates to
the st. PAUL. Trades and Labor assem-
bly, to defend the declaration of the
American Federation Of Labor. and de-
Tclared that failure to do SO on the
part or the delegates should be grounds
Tor questioning their loyalty to labor
Ihere was but little discussion on the
resolution, and as every delegate pres
ent was essentially loyal to the cause
OF labor and the American Federation
OF Labor stood for all that was best
Tor labor, 1t went through without a.
dissenting voice. Mr. Nash then ex-
planned that he had heard several rem
resentatives of labor taking sides
against certain principles enunciated
by the Federation and that had been
ms reason for offering the resolution.
lie was glad to see that the ST. Paul
Trades and Labor assembly was loyal.
out before he sat down he wished to
oTer another resolution The document
was read by the secretary and then the
fireworks began. 1t was worded as fol-
lows:
First-Whereas, The American Federation
~ aaoor at It's last three conventions has
emphasized its advocacy of the free and IN
limited coinage of silver, without waiting for
the consent or intervention of any other ma
tioh, py making it one of the demands of
the lederauon platform, an issue of direct
dement, and Importance to the wage-earning
class. ~ee a. MIS-
Second-Therefore, be it resolved That this
is the sense of this assembly that any mem
Der hereof advocating an adverse policy is
subscribing interests other than those rem
resented in the American Federation of La
DOT, 70 the detriment of the wealth producing
class, to which organized labor belongs. and
be it ~1
Third-Further resolved, That we question
tnelr ndelty to the cause of labor when they
mands of-the American Federation of Labor.
and
3 Fourth. Resolved further, That as no pro-
test has been made by any individual organf-
cation against the above mentioned plank, it
is fair to- assume that by their silence thew
have unanimously Endorsed it, as silence
gives consent"
5. Delegate Metzger said the resolution
was in favor of a trust and monopoly
just like any other trust. for such he
considered the free silver forces to be,
and he did not think there was any
such plank as referred to in the docu-
( Irent inrthe declaration, of the Fedora
7 ton of Labor. If there was he wanted
to be sure of it before he voted for the
resolution.
Delegate Deacon called attention to
the fact that the resolution would com
nit every labor union represented at
the meeting to the free coinage Of sill
yer, and he by his vote did not feel at
liberty to bind the members of his
union to any such policy.
Harry Franklin took the floor with
blood in his eye. This resolution"
said he, lis wholly ill-timed and ill-ad-
.vised. The question of free silver has
been made a political issue and it has
no place in this body. Those economic
measures adopted by national labor
organizations are all right, and. while
they may not meet with the approval
of all the members of labor unions. we
paSSiyely indorse them by not actively
opposing them, but when the American
Federation, the Trades Assembly OF
any other body attempts to coerce me
into voting contrary to my belief it is
going too far. This is what this resolu-
ton proposes to do. 1t contemplates
the same coercion for another cause
which every labor organization is now
condemning in the employer. The sill
Yer question is open to argument,
therefore you have no right to coerce
me in voting for it against my convic-
lions by attempting to impeach my
loyalty to labor
Mr.. Nash-I said nothing about
voting in the resolution
Any man." retorted Franklin, who
advocates one thing and votes for an
other Is a traitor. This is the first
time / have ever heard of a labor or
ganiZation trying to force man to
advocate what he did not believe. If
you do not believe in coercion on the
part of the employer, how can you
sanction it in the labor organization.
This silver question is wholly political.
1t was first sprung by the Peoples
party, then by the Federation of Labor,
and finally swallowed by the Demo-
cratic party because it could not go
before the people without an issue,
and yet you try to force me into voting
against my convictions for such a cause
because labor organization simply in
dorsed it. You go too far; you over
step your province"
Delegate Becker, of the BARRIERS
union, came right back at Mr.. Frank
lin in vigorous support of the resolu-
ton. He declared every member of
the assembly who was affiliated with
the Federation of Labor through his
national organization who did not
support the principles Of the Federation
was traitor. The resolution declared
for the principles of the Federation and
the same statement applied to those
who did not vote for its adoption. The
fact that the issue had become one of
politics amounted to nothing. 1t might
as well be argued that If labor advo-
Gated any movement and a political
party happened to take it up, 1t should
be dropped by organized labor.
Mr. Franklin said he did not object
to the assembly adopting a free silver
resolution if it was so desired, but he
did object to reading out of the ranks
Of labor those who did not support the
resolution introduced by Nash.
The resolution was finally adopted
with the third and fouth sections
stricken out on roll-call vote
w B. Hammond, of Minneapolis call
ed attention to proposed constitution
al amendment to be ratified at the COM
ing election which referred to the
right of towns and villages to frame
their own articles of Incorporation, and