Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-04-29
REED AND GOMPERS.

CPaT9~ence on Legislation for the Protec-
ton of LabOr-Moderate Requests for Re-
lief by Congressional Enactment, Pre-
ferred by the Head of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, Fairly Met by the Speak
er of the House.
WASHINGTON, April 22.-Speaker Reed
gave an interesting talk upon the pres
ent policy of the house and incidentally
declared his views upon labor organ
izations yesterday in the course of one
of the conferences, which are of daily
occurrence in the speakers room
A delegation from the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, headed by Samuel
Gompers, the chief officer of the order,
called to request action by the speaker
and the house on matters in which the
federation is interested. They pre-
sented a memorial asking the appoint
ment of Representative Gardner, of
New Jersey,to the committee on labor.
and also suggested amendments to the
eight-hour laws.
The speechmaking on the part of the
federation was done by Mr.. Gompers
and z. j. Mcclure. Mr.. GomperS said
that there was great distress through
out the country and many unemployed,
and expressed a hope that congress
would do all in its power to alleviate
the distress. He remarked that there
had not been as much legislation in
the interest of labor by the
last congress as the 1aboring
men wished They did not want to be
put in the light of making demands
upon congress; they merely desired to
express their wishes. They regretted
a ho OF rI+ fl 1sr OF
strictly enforced in its application to
government works. They desired it
to be understood, however, that they
were antagonistic to revolutionary
leaders and believed in lawful and or
derby agitation and in the improve
ment of existing conditions by legisla-
ton.
Speaker Reed, in reply, expressed APP
probation of the moderate and reason
able attitude of the laboring men.
The labor organization, he said, was
necessary concomitant of the factory
system. While in the old days labor
ers had been individually independent,
the growth of the factory system had
forced them to organize for the preser
walton of their rights and inter
ests. He believed that results
beneficial to humanity were coming
from those organizations. While re-
forms of the class they spoke of moved
slowly, they did move. Public senti-
ment was now much more tolerant of
the eight-hour law than it had been
ten years ago. He could remember
when every laboring man expected to
work IL hours. Public sentiment had
much to do with the enforcement of
the eight-hour law, and he had no
doubt that under its impulse condi-
tions were continually improving.
Referring to congressional action.
the speaker said that only one thing
could be done at a time, and he was
certain all would agree that the first
thing to be done by congress now was
to arrive at a decision on the pending
tariff bill, one way or the other. He
hoped the delegation would use its in
fuence to mold public sentiment to
ask for as speedy action on the
tariff bill as could be OBJ
tanned. 1t was not thought best
for the house to deal with other
matters until that question was
out of the way, because any action
taken here might complicate and de-
lay action on the tariff which all must
cOncede to be necessary. The tariff
question once disposed of, there would
be opportunity for consideration OF
the other interests asking legislation.
AS to the special request for the ap-
pointment of Mr.. Gardner, the speaker
said that would be taken under con-
In response to the complaint that the
last congress had not done enough for
labor, Mr.. Reed said that remon-
strances had been received by him COM
planning that congress had been too
much under the domination of the
Federation of Labor. This fact would
illustrate that there were conflicting
ideas in the country.
In conclusion Mr.. Reed expressed
of the policy adopted by the
4 continual and constant
pressure within the law was much
more effective in securing reforms than
violent methods, he said. Violence al
ways brought a reaction, and the re-
forms sought were likely to be lost in
the turmoil of the outbreak.