The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-08-31
LABOR LEADERS
The Conference at st. Louis
Opened With a Fair At
tendance.
Considerable Controversy Over
Naming a Committee on
Resolutions.
General Sentiment That There
Will Be No Strike of
Sympathy.

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 81. Il. v. UeDS OF
. Terre Haute, Ind, NJ. o. Ratchford of
Aof Columbus and w. D. Mahon Of De-
= -oit, were among the delegates to the
labor congress who arrived early and
registered at the La Clede. Mr.. Debs,
who is not q representative Of any or.
ganization, comes on the general invi.
tation, and will, of course, give his ad.
vice il called upon.
"Of course you know I'm out of it,
said Mr.. Debs. II am no longer affil-
lated with any labor body, but have
come simply as guest of the confer.
ence."
Mr.. Debs would not venture an opin-
on the probable outcome Of the confer.
ence.
''Is there any possibility of sympa-
thetic striker" was asked.
II hardly think SO. In fact these
delegates are not empowered to order
t-rike. They can do no more than re.
port back to their respective bodies the
the sense of the convention"
Government by Injunction" Mr..
Debs went on to say, ''as exemplified in
the great struggle of the miners, has
, been carried to the extreme, and the
! people are revolving. expect the con.
tvention will take some very decisive
action in this matter"
Ratchford Has q Plan.
Mr.. Ratchford has plan which he
will probably present to the conference,
calling upon every working man ard
woman in this country to contribute
one day of their wages to further the
relief Of the striking miners. This
money, he thinks, will amount to 81, ,0O0
and $4,000 per day. Part of this fund
the strikers in the Pittsburg district,
where the operators propose to start
their mines with non.union men. In
other words, the camps there will be
maintained with the hope Of eventually
influencing those now ut work to quit.
Among the other arrivals of the morn
ing were James O'Connell, represent
ing the city branch Of the American
Federation Of Labor, Chicago; S. j.
Meserall of the Industrial Council, Kan
sas City; Victor l.. Bergen, with Gre.
deutials from the Social Democracy of
Milwaukee, and Frederick +. Heath,
representing the street railway men,
also of Milwaukee,; w. D. Ryan, vice
president of the United Mine Workers of
Illinois; Jacob Tazelaar, from the
Brotherhood of Painters, Chicago; B. P.
O'Neill, Rich Hill. Mo-, John Mitchell,
Spring Valley, Ills, John Wallace,
Scammon, Kan, and Joseph Pollard.
Relleville, Ills., all members of miners
organizations.
Much disappointment is expressed at
headquarters over the non-arrival Of
lSamuel Gompers, but it is believed he
+ will yet put in an appearance. It was
reported that Mr.. Gompers had con-
ferred with Mr.. Ratchford at Columbus
and that he would be present at the
days meeting. It is believed Mr.. Com.
pers will be in St. Louis in the after.
noon.
Social Democracy Has u Following.
The intense heat has given way to
refreshingly cool weather. AS to what
the convention will do none Of the dele
gates seem willing to forecast. There
is no denying the fact that the 'social
democracy" movement headed by Mr.
Debs has large following, and it
would not be surprise to see that new
venture gain control of the meeting. 1t
Is known, however, that an effort will
be made to amalgamate all the brother.
hoods represented. and to this end q
resolution looking to the appointment
Of general conferenve committee will
be presented some time during the con.
vention by Mr.. Steinbis Of St. Louis.
my idea is," said Mr.. Steinbis, ito
! have one or two delegates from each