The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-12-19
ADDRESS by PRESIDENT GOMPERs
CONGRESS- Must he Watched by La
boris Representatives.


When the delegates to the federation
were assembled after lunch, President
Gompres delivered his annual address. He
was loudly applauded when he arose. The
address WAS of unusual length and touched
every feature of the labor question. In the
opening, he said:
Comrades and Fellow Workers: With
the cycle of time has come the annual
gathering of the representatives of the or
ganized workers of our country. We meet
here today conscious of all the sadness
and all the pathos, as well as all the right
eousness, the heroism and the glory for
which our movement stands and with
which it is inalienably interviewer. The
wrongs of the workers have not yet been
obliterated nor their rights yet attained.
The myriads of toilers of our country OBJ
serve with a quickened and most acute
sense fhe burdens they have to bear. not
withstanding the marvellous progress
which should tighten them. We see cur
country blossoming forth like . rose,
through our handiwork. vet countless
thousands of our number with but the
sting of the thorn for their reward or their
consolation. Bncircled with the wizard
like instruments the result of the con-
centrated genius of ages to produce the
necessities and luxuries of life, still the
struggle of life is most intense and often
excruciating Greed and inhumanity, pro-
viding they result in acquiring wealth, are
still regarded as human attributes of VIC
tory and responsibility. Masses or the
young and innocent may suffer and decay
in the process, but this is of little concern,
only that the end, wealth's possessions by
the few, Is attained. By all the memories
which bind us to the heroic sacrifices Of
past struggles of the lowly, by the recosnl-
ton of the battles fought and won and the
wounds received in the battles of our day,
by the nobility of our purposes, the free
dom for which we strive for all, success is
as sure as that night follows day and the
day follows night
Labor Legislation.
The speaker proceeded to review at
length the labor legislation of congress,
which he characterized as only fair prog
ress. He concluded his remarks under
this head as follows:
Il would recommend that this conven-
ton decide that the representatives OF
this federation be constantly at the seat
of government during the sessions of con-
gress, to guard and further the legisla-
ton which our organizations demand in
the interests of labor. We can secure the
ahrogation of laws inimical to the inter
ests OF the masses and the passage OF
others for their advancement and protec-
ton. The lines suggested have proven
successful in every instance in which they
have been fairly tried. and although we
may all desire to secure the purposes fol-
which we are organized through other
methods that should not deter us from
oil
demonstrates is conducive to the best re-
suits.
1.-The workers Of our country need i'm
mediate relief. immediate improvements
They can not afford to wait until the
millennium shall come, and in the mean
time suffer the wrongs which exist, more
especially when the opportunity of secur-
ing that relief is at hand. We may not
always be favorably impressed with the
means by which that relief is obtained
hut that 1t must be secured, that it is
necessa~ y and essential to our well be-
ing and progress should be sufficient in
centive to seek it on such lines ana by
such methods as promise and assure sue
cess"
Reference was made 20 the fact thai
when Utah was admitted into the Union
a clause in the constitution authorized
the legislature to limit the hours of la
Dor to eight per day. The Legislature
complied. The mine owners were con
victed of violating the law, failed in an
appeal to the supreme court of the state
and have now taken the case to the Unit
ed States supreme court. President
Gompers recommended that the fedora
ton render financial assistance for the
employment of competent attorneys.