Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-03
FEEDER OF LABOR.
President GOmpcrs' Letter as to tI;.
Coming Convention.

President GOmperS' Letter as to tI;.
Coming Convention.
The sixteenth annual convention of tn,
American Federation of Labor will he held
in Odd Fellows Temple. Cincinnati. Ohio
beginning Monday morning, December l.
next, and continuing until the business
for which the convention is held is con.
cluded.
In a letter received here from Presiden,
Gompers CT the American Federation OF
Labor he says: referring to the issuance
of call to meet to our affiliated unions
am prompted to call attention to the emer.
gency and necessity of 1ull and complete
representation by all who are entitled
thereto. AS We often justly complain OF
the lack of interest manifested by some O,
our members In our local bodies their fail
ure 10 attend the meetings, their failure Il
share the burdens and responsibilities q,
the legislation of our movement and thei,
consequent indiffere nce thereafter and nos
sibly their antagonism. SO with a number
OF unions affiliated, they fail to send dele.
gates and then possibly complain at the
legislation. They are unwilling to bea,
part of the burden of expense in sending q
delegate and consequently desire immunit,
from the responsibility of the legislat ior
OF the dele gates to the conventions chosen
by their respective unions.
we entertain the earnest hope that
the G ncinrau convention Will prove a new
departure, and that all unions which can
bear the financial burden or make even the
temporary sacrifice will be represented
Certainly the conditions of the wage earn
erS OF our country are such as should
prompt us to devise the best ways ard
means by which they may become the
larger sharers in the product of their labor
Surely the progress made along the lines
of economic and social reform is not such
as to lull ourselves or our fellow workers
into fdI cled security of an industrial
elysium.
THE wrongs attending our chaotic en-.
vironmentS are yet with Us. The cruelty
and suffering borne by the young and
the old. men and women. the strong and
the weak. are still marifestly in evidence
The lawmakers and their executors as
well as its eXpol nders. have not given tina
generous or fair consideration to labor $
demar DIS as are commensurate with the
ever-changing scenes on the tragic piano.
rama of our industrial and commercial life
MANY may entertain views and advo-
cate theories as to the best means by VIII; IN
every vestige Of human injustice may he
obliterated forever from our everyday life
Yet all who really think and all who sim
cerely strive &c attain Industrial freedom
agree that the best results have been
achieved, ard the hest hopes for success
can and will be secured by and through thu
trades unions federated in a compact.
comprehensive movement, where the SOW
ereignty of the members shall be safe
guarded as the last rock of resistance 10
tyranny within or without.
such an organization is the American
Federation Of Labor. where at its conyen-
lions is voiced the true and untrammelel
sentiments and demands of the wage work
ers of our land. To participate in the de-
alterations at its conventions is not only
an honor and a privilege, bat is also the
duty Of our fellow workers.
ITO take council with each other. to re-
count the struggles of the past and plan
fov n,,r f,pt,
errors may be avoided and tangible sue
cesses attained for our fellow toilers, is
part of the duties we owe to each other,
and which are now only possible on tina;