The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-08-31
LABOR LEADERS
ARE IN SESSION
The Delegates Had Busy Day But
Achieved Nothing.
A FAILURE Is PREDICTED
By An Alleged ASitatOr Hho is Glad
Hes 4kes No Part.
AN ExT.S SESSION is WANTED
OF thelg tied States Congress by President
Ra. rd to Define the Peoples Rights.
s, ebs and Social Democracy Rep
resented on the Committee.
SESSION is WANTED

st. Louis Aug. 30.--T hn coLven zion of
labor leaders which began today had a.
busy day, and what the conference,
| achieved, m anything, is in doubt. 1t is
not believed the leaders have attained
any definite result, and in fact the presi-
| dent of one national organization said to-
| night that the failure Of the conference
was a foregone conclusion.
/ II should feel very much chagrined."
said this man, "if had any part in this
conference"
The committee on resolutions and plan
| of action was at work all the afternoon
and evening, and tonight Mr.. Sovereign
announced that they had formulated a
plan, but declined to give airy details.
The platform, it is expected, will be sub
mitted to the conference tomorrow MORN
ing.
The fourteen different organizations
represented in the convention represent
an unwieldy body, and it is improbable
that all of them can be satisfied with a.
platform formulated by five representa-
tives of branches of organized labor
The only work accomplished at the.
morning session was the naming of COM
mittee on credentials. This committee
made its report Immediately upon the as
sembling of the convention for its AFTER
noon session. 1t was shown that SS del
egates representing the many organiza-
tions were present.
The report, after some discussion, was
adopted. 1t was decided, however, that
delegates be recognized as coming from
the particular organization they repre-
sent instead of the general body. The
report showed also the presence of one
woman delegate, Mrs. Mary Jones, of
Chicago, who represented the social de-.
mocracy.
Mr. Ratchford then took ths floor. He
went over the miners strike plainly and
dwelt particularly on government by
Injunction He pleaded for prompt ac-
tion and coming to the point of his ar
gument advocated a special session Of
congress as the best and in fact the only :
relief.
II believe," said Mr.. Ratchford, "a spe-
cial session of congress is necessary to de-
fine the rights of the people of this coun-
try If they have any. believe if suf-
ficient time was given the president of
the United States he would call a special
session of congress to act on tn. matter
of injunctions and find some means to
relieve the existing troubles of the labor
world. In case of REFUSAL" said Mr..
Ratchford, impressvely, after an out
burst of ch :erlng had subsided, st will
then be time to consider more extreme
measures. / am in favor, If the presl-
dent refuses to call congress together of
complete paralysis of business. I be-
leve then in a sympathetic strike"
Mr.. Pat O'Neal, of Rich Hill, Mo-. who
said he repr: sented 1900 unorganized
picks favored labor revolution. He
was socialist, he said, and believed in
the miners taking things in their own
hands If necessary. His fiery harangue
PLEASED the audience greatly.
Mr.. Sovereign put himself on record as
opposed to Mr.. Ratchfords plan. He
believed this would be the last convention
to be held under PRESENT conditions and
that the crucial test now confronted or
ganized labor.
MT. MdnOn, OF Detfolt, SAID q committee
was useless. The convention should
vote on Ratchford's proposition and thsn
go home. The power of the nation he
said, was in the courts. If anybody was
to be convened let it be the courts. He
was opposed to Mr.. Ratchford's propo-
sition.
Mr.. Mahon, as in the cas= of his pre-
decessor, took fling at Senator Hanna
He said that the president would have
to get Mr. Hanna's permission In con-
vening congress.
Mr.. Carson, of the Illinois miners. de-
tailed the conditions confronting the
miners In his state and said he believed
his men would be beaten in two weeks.
Te1egrams of greetings and protests
against government By injunction were
received from the populst convention OF
the Sixteenth congressional convention
of Ohio; the German trade assembly, of
Philadelphia. and the Atlanta Fedora
tion of Trades.
The polite request to quit monkeying
and strike for single tax on land values''
was read from fh= Youngstown, O., sim
gle takers, and the talk went on.
Mr.. Ratchford took exception to Mr..
Carson's statement that the Illinois
miners had lost their strike. He said the
miners were winning their strike. and
Furthermore his nlen were not asking this
convention for asl. They wanted this
injunction. Taking ding at Miner Pat
O'Rcilly, dge said man who advocated
the use of Wholesalers had no. place i'm
the convention.
Down our way" said Mr., Ratca1f FORD,
"nsirers don't know how to handle
guns"
AT s o'clock the convention adjourned.