Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-12-18
MOrtuary Record.
Paris, Dec. 1S.-Paul Auguste Arene, the
French literateur, is dead, aged 81.
FEDERATION OF LABOR,
Amendments Of Federal ana state
Constitutions Demanded ~ As to
s'rI.ect the People Against
Unjust Courts.

Cincinnati, Dec. 18.-The special orde
OF the morning session of the America
Federation of Labor was the followin,
resolution of Delegate Ashe, of Boston:
Resolved, That we, the delegates of th
American Federation of Labor in conyen
tion assembled, demand such amendmen
to the constitution of the United States
and to the constitution of the severa
states thereof, as will deprive the courts
of power to set aside laws duly enacted
by the legally chosen representatives OF
the people, as we believe it the proper
function of the courts to expound and
administer the law, but not make it,"
The discussion was participated In by
most of the delegates. The imprison-
ment of Eugene V. Debs and other labor
leaders, prosecuted on account of strikes,
and the income tax decision were re-.
ferred to bitterly.
Some of the speakers condemned the
courts severely, but most of them held
that the constitutions were against the
laboring classes more thar courts we're,
and favored abandoning all constitutions
as 1t was difficult to amend these instru-
ments so as to comply with the changes
of the times.
The Ashe resolution was defeated
21; nays, A.
A resolution extending aid and coop
Grafton to the Colorado miners WAS
adopted.
The committee on resolutions reported
the silver resolution of Mr.. Weisman. of
Brooklyn, without recommendation ex
oept to state that, when the previous
three national conventions of the fedora
tlon voted for free silver, it was an eco
nomic question and since it had become
a political question.
The committee asked that the resolu-
tion be tabled without debate on auy
motions.
The Weisman resolution provided for
recommendation of the resolutions for
rec silver adopted at the preceding ma
ional conventions.
Delegate Malone moved not to concur
n the report and made bitter speech
stacking even Delegate Joulf, who was
presiding.
Delegate O'Sullivan moved to c,,ncur
q the report end hoped that the con- T
roversy would not again disturb the con-
'ention.
Delegates Weisman, of Brooklyn, and
lennehan, of Denver, had personal con-
roversy on the floor over the silver cues.
ion.
The motion to table the Weisman silver
esolutlon report and the action thereon
'as defeated-yeas 631, nays 1856.
Mr.. Varnell, of Colorado, then offered
ubstitute resolution, reaffirming the &C.
ion of the national convention of 1898,
o9f and 1895, indorsing free the unlim.
led coinage of silver at the ratio of 1G
, /.
Ex-President John Mcbride and Dele
ates Malone, Lloyd and Boyce led in
ne debate for ths substitute.
Mr.. Weisman opposed the resolution
ecause OF its expression for silver; Mr..
'Donnell and others opposed it because
ley wanted no more political issues re-
'rred for consideration.
Delegate Lennon offered substitute,
affirming the action of the previous
Inventions on silver and denying that in
doing the federation indorses or will
dorse any political party.
Mr.. Varnell accepted Mr.. Lennon's
Institute as an amendment. After many
'eeches, the Varnell silver substitute, as
nended ny Mr.. Lennon, was carried
'as 1885, nays 3O2.
Mr. Gompers Was unanimously re-elect-
president Of the Federation of Labor.