The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-12-15
STRIKES NOT INEFFECTIVE
SAYS PRESIDENT c GoMPERS BEFORE
 FEDERATION OF L48OB.

He Defines the Status of Labor l.sgi.lAtion Before Congross-Tho Order Hae F.. creased Its Membership 100000 D airing the Past Year-Urges the Holding of Mass Meetings on National Holidays. Cincinnati, O., Dec 14.-At the an- nual session of the American Fedora tion to-day, President Gompers del:y- cred the annual address. H. said Tn part:
 We meet here to-day conscious of ell the sadness and all the pgthos, as we'll as all the righteousness. the Geroirm, and the glory for which our ucSveE.eat stands. In the matter of legislation by congress during the year Q bill has been introduced amending the eight hour law and making it apply to all governmental work, whether performed direct or by contract. A report on shs bill is expected at this session. The t;]l providing that officers Of organizations of labor in the performance of tEN:r duties shall not be subject to injunction PAoSCCo4lie5o, cIlSi IllSlShy pletSSL ltt position contumacious of :he order os the court, has passed the senate, and now awaits the action or the house
 The non-partisan commission bill, commonly known as the Phillips bil," has passed the house, and now awaits the action of the senate.
 The bill providing that prison made good shall be so branded, and not be permitted to be transported into any other state, has also been reported to the house by the committee on labor.
 In the matter of our amendment to the eight hour law, we have had many manifestations of opposition from quar- ters which should have favored it.
 I would recommend that this conven- tion decide that representatives of this federation be constantly at the ser- vice of the government during the ses- sion of congress, to guard and further the legislation which our organizations in the interests of labor favor.
 When Utah was admitted as state a clause was adopted in it's constitution authorizing the legislature to limit the hours of labor to eight per day. The legislature passed a law that eight hours shall constitute days work. The mine owners violated the law, were convicted, appealed to the state su- preme court and that court declared the law constitutional The mine owners have now appealed to the United States supreme court The corporations and trusts of the state have united for the purpose of having the eight hour con- stitutionaI provision declared unconsti- tutional While industry and commerce have just emerged from the panics of 1885, the changes or Improvements have been very meagre. There has not been that industrial revival looked and hoped for, and which we had right to anticipate after the crisis through which We have passed.
 Our membership during the year has increased nearly 100000.
 Two hundred and seven charters were issued to local unions as coln- pared with Al last year, eleven na- tional and international trades unions have become affiliated by charters with the American Federation of Labor dur ing the year, and also twenty three central labor bodies during the same period.
 To assert that strikes are ineffective | dation in fact. Beyond doubt few, if any, will contend that workers should refuse to avail themselves of their po- litical rights. Our movement distinct- ly draws the line between political &C., ton in the interest of labor and party political action. By my course, in the recent political campaign, that is in refusing to commit our organization or myself to either of the parties, I by no means allayed personal or official criticism, or rather abuse and islander. By the partisans of one side was sup posed to be working in the interests of the silver barons," by the other, was captured for the gold bugs. Men were unable to be governed by the single purpose to try and steer our craft of trade unionism clear from the shoals and rocks upon which so many of laborS previous efforts were wreck ed
 The executive committee early set to work for the purpose of securing some concessions for an eight-hour work day. A number of unions made the de- nand, and in many instances secured it by strikes. A much larger number, However, had the reduction conceded to them without even the necessity os ceastng their work.
 l MT. Gompers urged the holding of series of simultaneous mass meetings by wage workers on national holidays and continued:
 We earnestly seek the sincere CO., operatio of all fair-minded men and women of our time, and declare openly and unequivocally our purpose to the general enforcement of the eight-hour work day, May 1, 1896, and to that end We shall bend our efforts.
 With regard to the immigration question, 1t will be handled in g. prac- tlcal manner.
 Recognizing the general desire to cement the fraternal bonds of labor internationally, said MT. Gompers. I communicated with the fraterrai dele- gates from the American Federation of Labor to the British trade union congress, which convened at Edn- burgh, Scotland, September last, and suggested that the congress take the initiative with the view of holding an international congress of the bona f1de trade unions of the world.