Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-12-18

Points, Which was Clearly Dis
proven, was That He Had Been
improperly Connected With the
Free Silver Movement During the
Campaign-All the Old officers
Likely to be Re-elect ID Except
the Secretary.
Cincinnati, Ohio, December H.
When President Gompers called the
! American Federation Of Labor TO order
for its fourth days session, the roll call
showed full attendance. There has
/ been a disposition to keep out such
, questions as the socialist agitation,
made at Denver; the silver issue at New
| York, and other questions that dis
! turbed other annual conventions, and
| not to protract this session longer than
| the present week. But after the dis
cussion of the Cuban resolution yester-
! day, it was announced in the lobbies to-
day that the silver question would be
| sprung again and cause long discus
sion on political lines.
There was considerable canvassing
to-day for the election Of officers which
takes place tomorrow afternoon. 1t
is the general opinion that all of the
general officers will be reelected ex-
cept Secretary August McCraith, who
is opposed by Frank Morrison, of Chi
cago, the representative Of the Inter
national Typographical Union.
On the call Of committees the commit
tee on organization reported the condi-
tion of the different trades unions,
most OF which needed and asked for
help from the federation. Most of
these applications for assistance were
referred to the incoming executive
council, but the federation organizers
were directed to give immediate assist
ance to the Engineers Progressive AS
sociation, the Horseshoers' Union, and
to various State and local organiza-
tions.
On motion of J. F. O'Sulliyan, of
Boston, to amend the report so that
the executive council shall re-Organize
the stationary engineers, an animated
discussion occurred. Chairman Penna,
of the committee on organization in
sisted that the stationary engineers had
many good local unions. They needed
more of these local unions and then a
good national or international organ
ization Mr. Penna said the engineers
had not done what they could for them
selves. and the executive council could
not carry all who were either needy or
negligent of their own interests.
Delegate Duffy, of Kansas City, de-
Tended the engineers, who are not
grouped like coal miners, printers and
others. and therefore not so easily or
ganized Delegate Malone, of the
Street Railway Union, insisted that the
executive council should perfect the or
ganization of the engineers, as these
men can do more than others for the
protection of labor in going out with
strikers. Engineers had defeated the
purposes of strikers by remaining at
their engines. Delegate Thompson in
sisted that the engineers were ready to
cooperate with other wage earners.
Delegate Malone Of the street railway
union, created n sensation at noon by ris-
ing TO a privilege question and stating
that very damaging rumors were beine
circulated about the general officers. and
moving that n committee Of five be ap-
pointed to investigate these charges. Mr.
Malone would not name the charges and
none would mention them. but the ru-
mors were generally conceded to be in
connection with the agitation for the an
nual election tomorrow afternoon. Many
delegates insisted on specifying the
charges or putting them in writing. but
these objections did not prevail.
President Gompers called delegate Phil
- rLo fr oil he off do
clined to participate in the proceedings on
this question.
A motion for Malone to specify charges
was carried-yeas 4O nays 2S-when n re-
cess was taken till 2:SO p m. for n recep-
tlon of the Chamber Of Commerce.
Secretary McCraith is said to have had
differences with officers and members OF
the executive council. and he has been
keeping a tab Of his observations. and on
his memorandum charges of wilful negli-
gence in cooperation with the officers OF
different unions during strikes and on
other occasions are made. other minor
charges are made. but the principal charge
is that the officers co-operated with GER
tain political leaders during the recent
campaign, and that some OF those who re-
voked the commission Of w. c. POmeroy.
as organizer. were themselves guilty Of
the same offense in using their official
prestige for political purposes.
A long debate followed on the motion to
90 into executive session.
The discussion on the motion 70 80 into
executive session was stopped by the
previous question being sustained. The
motion 10 20 into executive session car
ricd Then the rules were amended so as
not to adjourn at $50. but to remain con-
tnuously in executive session for the con-
sideration OF the charges against the Off
GERS.
The executive session continued from
p. m till p. m. and resulted in the vim
dication Of President Gompers and the re-
tirement Of Secretary McCraith. whose
term expires next month. While the ru-
mors OF charges surprised President Com
pers and all others except select few Of
the delegates. there seems 10 have been
much agitation during last night in con-
sultation rooms over the sensation that
was to be sprung to-day. Ex-Secretary
A. G.. Wines and Secretary August Nc
Craith were separated by friends while
quarrelling I'm a room at the Dennison
House in the early morning hours. and re-
volvers are said 70 have been drawn. The
trouble was between President Gompers
and Secretary McCraith and dated back
20 the last campaign. In the absence Of
President GOmpers. 1t is said that Secre-
tary McCraith edited "The Federationist" t"
I McCraith Is considered a Socialist. and
was afterward a silver man. but in the
absence Of President Gompers he kept
out articles on the silver question that
had been previously appearing in the or