The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-12-18

The following, offered by George W. Nc
Neiil. was then unanimously adopted:
Resolved That the delegates 20 the six
teenth annual convention or the American
Federation of Labor do hereby declare in
President Samuel Gompers man
worthy of the cause he mas espoused. and
for which he has sacrificed his time. health
and ability
A similar resolution of confidence was
unanimously adopted in indorsng the five
members of the executive council. During
the debate it was brought out that only
two of the five members of the executive
council knew anything about the rumorss
circulated By Secretary Secretary, Gl McGraith nd;i ana
Delegate Mahore called attention to them
in the convention hall to-day.
After the action of the convention in ex-
ecutive session Secretary McCraith
nounced that he would retire, and the
friends of Delegate Morrison, of the Chi
cago Typographical Union, are now conf
dent of Morrison's election tomorrow aft
ernoon without opposition. IL Is the gen.
eral opinion that all of the old officers VIII
now be reelected, except Secretary NC
Craith.
Since the silver question was such fea-
ture of the executive session. when the
charges against Gompers were being con-
sidered IL is now announced that resolu-
tion will be offered tomorrow TO strike out
the Endorsement of the three previous na-
tional conventions OF free coinage at tns
ratio of l6 to l. and a long and animated
discussion is expected.
At the opening of the session this morn
| ing a special committee was appointed 10
visit the proprietors of the Cincinnati Free
Presse and Abund Press to get them TO
| unioniZe their offices.
the condition of the different trades unions.
most of which needed and asked help from
| the federation. Most OF these appiicauons
ing executive council, but the iederatloh
organizers were directed to give immediate
/ assistance to the Engineers Progressive
| Association. the Horseshoers Union and TO
| various State and local organizations. Inc
committee on organization strongly IN.
| Gompers for the federation to employ
| special organizers and lecturers to assist
the trades unions nee9lng assisofi4e of Poston
| to amend the report so that the executive
| council shall reorganize the stationary en-
gneers an animated d,scassSn Rennst Gap
land and others the amendment was
| adopted. a., .
| report on organization further as to in
| struct the incoming executive councM 10 Or
| ganize all wage earners-the unskllled Ia,
| borers as well as skilled laborers. A general
| discussion followed on the organization OF
| unskilled labor 1t was urged that sectlon
| men on the railways as well as the snop
| and trainmen should be organized: The
| arguments extended to all unskilled labor
ers in the cities, and the amendment was
carried with tbsss Classes tG sne TSe
port of the Committee was then received
| and approved.
A DELEGATE APOLOGIES.
Delegate ODonnell, on a question of priv
| ilege apologized for referring to Delegate
| Black i'm harsh terms yesterday during the
| debate on the Cuban resolutions. j. f.
O'Sullivan offered a resolution fixing 80
cents month as the minimum assessment
for all male members of unions.
President Gompers stated he had invited
Ex-Governor Charles Foster, chairman of
the Ohio commission on the investigation
of convict labor. to address the convention.
Mr. Foster could not be present, but sent a
letter on the subject. which was read and
| ordered printed in the proceedings.
The special committee on the Armour
| boycott at Kansas City reported for more
vigorously pushing the fight The commit
| tee on labels and sbcycotts reported a long
list of labels for different orders. with a
| resolution for the families of members as
we'll as the members of unions to observe
| the same.
Delegate Phillips made an amusing speech
on educating wives and women on shop-
| ping Mr.. Phillips insisted that women
| usually educate the men, He said women
pqy taey 4eped Sa many
were better unionists than their nus
bands"
Delegate Woodbury. said the list of labels
was forty yards long, and no one could
| remember Ii. and there should be one label
| adopted for all trades unions. he tbought
the monogram of the American Federation
| of Labor would answer the purpose. Sew
eral delegates said there We're many using
counterfeits. or labels, fraudulently, The
| report was received and the resolution
| adopted.
Resolutions were adopted for boycotting
| the American Tobacco Company. of New
York; for enforcing the hatters' label, and
other approved labels.
| Delegate Mahone of the Street-railway
| Union. created sensation at noon by ris-
ing to privileged question and stating
| that very damaging rumors were being cir
culated against the general ofhcers. ana
| moving that q committee OF 1--WE be ap-
| pointed to investigate these charges. Mr..
Malone would not name the charges Many
delegates insisted on specifying the charges
iections iid not prevail. President Com
pers called Delegate Phillips TO the chair
and all the officers declined to participate
| officers denied any knowledge OF the ru-
| mors motion to table Mr.. Mahone's S
tons were made and voted down Mr. Ma
hone again refused to mention the charges
unless the convention went into executive
ssS' A FREE DISCUSSION.
Delegate Warner moved that Delegate
Malone be required TO present his charges
in writing at the afternoon session. Many
bitter speeches followed, mostly directed
against Mahone's action. 1t was held that
IL random rumors are to be investigated
all members of the convention could be ar
raigned. 1t was held that Delegate Malone
made his motion in open session for an in
vestigation and he should specify his
charges in open session. Delegate Tobin,
president of the Shoemakers' Association
believed that Malone and others were
chasing shadows. he had differed from
President Gompers and others, but was not
circulating these rumors. Delegate Keough
| had heard the rumorS and wanted them
| investigated. He said the charges were
not sensational. but based on differences In
administration. Delegate Yarnell had heard
the rumors. One OF these charges he said
was willful negligence on the part of Off
GERS and thought it would not be denied
by some of them. Several delegates thought
their unions had not received proper sup
port during the troubles they had expert
enced
Mr.. Malone insisted that he had made
no charges and would make no charges.
He had simply informed the convention
that there were rumors of charges and he
| moved that a committee of three be APP
pointed TO investigate those rumors. The
| motion of Mr.. Warner for Malone to spe-
city the charge in writing was carried
yeas 40: nays, %. Then recess was TAX
en- till 230 u. m. for reception at the
| Chamber of Commerce.
On reassembling for the afternoon session
there We're many visitors present to hear
the charges of Delegate Malone In the
absence of President Ratchford p. j. Nc.
Bryde was seated for the miners. The com
mittee resolutions made Il supplemental
report.
for dues of not less than 30 cents pei
month. q cents a week preferable in al
unions affiliating with the Federation, or