The Portland daily press., 1896-12-15
FEDERATION OF LABOR.
Gompers Delivers His An
nual Address.
TELLS OF PROGRESS OF LEGIsLA.
TION HURING THE YEAR.
There Has Not Been the Industrial Re-
vital Looked and Hoped For From Re-
cent Events-The Eight Hour Day Law
and4the Immigration Laws.


cent Events-The Eight Hour Day Law
and, the Immigration Laws.
Cincinnati, December 14.-In the morn
ing session of the American Federation
Of Labor, President Gompers delivered
his spnua1 address, He said in part:
"In thor matter of Legislation by Con
gress$Nring the year, bill has been in
rroduced amending the eight-hour law
and making it apply to all governmental
work, whether performed direct or by
contract. The report Oh the bill is ex-
peoted at this session. The bill provid-
ing that officers or organizations Of labor
In the performance OF their duties shall
not be subject to Injunction proceedings
and thereby placed in a position of con-
tumacious of orders of court, has passed
the Senate and awaits the action OF the
House. The non-partisan commission
bill passed the House and awaits the
action Of the Senate. The bill providing
that. prison-made goods shall be SO brand
ed and not be permitted to be transported
into any other state, was reported to the
House by the committee on labor.
II would recommend that this c0nven-
tion decide that the Tepresen tatives of
this federation be constantly at the SER
vice of the government during the session
of Congress to guard and further legisla-
tion in the interests of labor.
"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 leg
islature passed law that eight hours
shall constitute a days work. The
mine owners violated the law. were con-
vioted and appealed to the state supreme
court. That law declared the law con-
stitutional. 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 eiRht-hour constitutional
provision declared unconstitutional.
"While industry and commerce have
just about emerged from the panics OF
1884, changes or Improvements have
teen very msagre. There has not been
the industrial revival looked and hoped
for, which we had u right to anticipate
after the crisis through which we have
passed. Our Nom bership during the
year increased nearly 100000. Two hun
hYed and seven cDRrserS were -lSSueu 20
local unions, compared with 14l last
year. Eleven national and international
trades unions have become affiliated by
charters with the American Federation
of Labor during the year, and 25 central
labor bodies during the same period. 10
assert THAT strikes are ineffective Is to
assert that which has no foundation in
fact.''
Mr.. Gompers urged the holding of a
series of simultaneous mass meetings by
wage workers on national holidays and
continues: 'sWe earnestly seek the sim
cere cooperation of all fair minded men
and women Of our time, and declared
openly and unequivooally our purpose to
demand general enforcement of the
eight-hour work day, May 1st, and to
that end we shall bend our every effort. !"
With regard to immigration, it is pro-
posed to deal with it in practical man
ner. Recognizing the general desire to
cement the fraternal bonds of labor inter-
nationally" said Mr.. Gompers, 81 com
municatsd with fraternal delegates from
the American Federation of Labor to the
British trade union congress which con-
vened at Edinburg, Scotland, September
last, and suggested that the congress
take the initiative with view of hold
ing Congress of the Trades Unions of
the World.