The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-14
.LABOR|NG MEN MEET
Seventh Annual Session of the
National Federation.
LIVE QUESTIONS TREATED
President Gompers Annual Address-A
Large Increase in Membership.
Strikes Have Been for Higher
Wages and Less Hours.

Nashville, Tenn, Dec. 13.--The Ma
tional Federation of Labor began It's
seventeenth annual session in this city
to-day with an attendance Of more than
100 delegates from different states.
President Gompers presided. After the
meeting had been called to order
William Aimison of the local typo
graphical unien delivered an address Of
welcome. President Gompers responded
and read his annual address. He said.
with two exceptions all our affiliated
national unions report a large Increase
of local unions and in membership
There Is an increase of about $4,000
members in the organizations affiliated
1t has been the constant aim to organ
ize our fellow workers engaged in un-
skilled labor. With the invention OF
new machinery and the application Of
new forces the division and subdivision
of labor, many workers who have been
employed at skilled trades find them
selves with their occupation gone and
to which they have devoted long term
of years to acquire. Thus the artisan OF
yesterday is the unskiIled laborer of to-
day. 1t is a source of qualification to-
report that within the past year very
| large number of federated labor unions
| for unskilled workers had been organ
lied and from them much larger
number of trade unions.
There have been quite a number or
/ strikes within the past year. out tns
| change in the causes which have pro-
duced them are worthy of note The
strikes of this year. with few excep-
| tions, have been for higher wages,
| shorter hours and recognition Of Unions
| (Applause). Our organizations report
| with gratifying unanimity the very
| large number OF successes secured, the
! advantages gained and the growth and
/ pf he
| enjoyed. The movement to reduce the
| hours of labor is always enc which
| commands the first attention OF or
| ganized labor. We hold that no condl-
| ton is satisfactory nor solution cem-
plete which fails to eliminate the curse
| and the degrading influence of non-ena-
/ ployment and so long as this evil shall
| be with us, our best efforts will be con-
centrated TO the reduction Of the hours
| OF labor of all, until the desired end is
| attained.
THE establishment of a postal saw
| ings bank system, also a postal teie-
| graph. long since demanded BY organ
/ lied labor. seems no nearer accomplish
/ ment than at any previous time. LII is
| submitted whether it would not be BET
/ ter to modify our position in so far as
to impose no objection TO the passaSa
| of law providing for compulsory arbl-
/ tration in disputes of organized en-
/ ployes of railroads and railroad compa-
| full arbitrators. but we should hesitate
| to give our Endorsement to any legisla-
! ton, state or national, empowering the
| compulsory enforcement of a~asi and
the enforcement of contract to Ia
| Dor.
There should be no equivocation as
| to our position on any question, much
| less one of such Importance as immi-
| grafton.
Recently one of the branches of the
1
/ vote that the boycott is Illegal. The
suggestion is made that upon any letter
| or circular issued upon such a matter
| Of this character after stating the name
| of the firm and the grievances COM
| planned of. the words We have been
| enjoined by the courts from boycotting
| this firm, could be added.
We not only demand the right OF
| trial by jury for any offense charged,
| Mr.. Gompers says. but also that we
as workers and citizens shall not be-
restrained in the exercise of our law
| ful and natural rights. Courts cannot
| issue injunctions restraining persons
| from committing crimes and should not
when there is another complete remedy
at law
1T is but just that the workers insist
| upon being regarded as equals before
the law and that in their activity to-
| prevent an infringement upon their
| rights. and their hopes and struggles To
4 maintain their manhood, extra judicial
proceedings should not lie against them
as is now the case. by the use, or. more
| properly stated. abuse of the powers OF
the courts in the issuance of writs OF
| injunction
OF the Lattimer massacre Mr.. Com
| pers says: This crime against our
| laws. this brutality against inoffensixe
men. the wall of widows and orphans.
| the wounded pride of American citizen
4 ship and common humanity, cry out
not only that justice shall be meted out
TO these modern hyenas, but that never
4 again shall so great a wrong be infiict-
| ed upon any of our people,"
The steps that have been taken to-
ward securing an eight-hour work day
are reviewed. and the address contin-
! nes: Nothing remains now but for the
| final decision of the convention as to
| the ways and means by which the pro-
| ject shall be carried into effect or
+ whether the judgment of the conven-
I ticn is that the time stated. in view of
/ industrial conditions. is a practical one.
/ or whether ii would be advisable to
/ wait the full fiood-tide of an industrial
4 revival for its general and sinuItane-
/ Gus enforcement. This question must.
of necessity, receive your careful con-