The times., 1897-09-22
Addresses by Orators of the
American Federation.
A LARGE CROWD ATTENDS
Presidents Gompers and Ratchford
Speak OF Labor's Past, Present
and Future Ringing Resolutions
Adopted Denouncing the Haz!eton
OGtrages.

III A-ACLiisNdA 0DkhtlS tiSt1lt OAt i-Od'eto''.A
avenue. The effect OF the speeches, as
wasintended, wiliGnooubtedIy De to give an
impulse 10 better an more enlarged organi
zs.tion ia the District OF Columbia.
ThEineeting was held under the auspices
of HE Building Trades Council, OF the
CITY. MI william Silver made an cx-
celient presiding officer, introducing all
the speakers very flGently.
Al tlle close of the meeting preamble
and resolutions were read. They were
positive, but temperate in tone. The reso-
luton iuveigled against the recent killing
of miners as a crime against American
iItrerly, andcalled ior the arraignuient, trial
audpnrishmentofther Slayers.
They protested against government by
injunction, ana affirmed the purpose OF
the trade uni9nists 1" enforce all their
demands through legal channels. They de
clarrtfor equality cf treaUmentasb between
the rich and the poor, and the desire OF the
Iaboring man to stand equally with ali
classes before the law.
PRESIDENT Silver, Of the Building Trades
Council. made an Introductory address, in
Which he stated the purpose Of the meet
ing, referring in complimentary terms to
tie speakers Of the evening.
President Gompers spoke first. lie said,
in part, that ne as a Washingtonian now,
and il would be unfair TO trench on the
time OF the distinguished speakers. II
was due the occasion, however, to say
| something oI the very peculiar and acute
conditions of the day. From all time
labor had to struggle and contest for Its
liberty an,lin order that the burdens might
be liGhtened.
Today, a 5 of old. the wealth possessors
were opposed rs n force to the labor,
and n 5 a general rule the governmental
! forces Were with the former The masses
! rad 10 filht for themselves and whatever
| liberties tney have achieved. The posses
/ sorS of wealth, again, were always free,
whether here or under the greatest Gespot-
isms. The toiler had always to be alert
/ for the preservation OF the liberty lie Won.
! TIE strfggle betw een-the wealth poSseSsor
| and the labor took on many phases until
| in this century began the plans OF in
/ timidatlou. Labor combined, but crowned
| heads and courts combined against labor.
| Men Were sent TO prisons and their graves
! In defense OF organization, but there was
! a change when States and the General
| Government recognized it as a right and
not a 5 conspiracy. So the new element
in the evOnoraic struggle was born.
ar Gonpers here referred, as one OF
| the forces acting against labor, to govern
ment 10y injunction, the right to which was
exer iseG noweyPn 10y the courts of cfancery.
| This put the world hack again TO the law
| against conspiracy, dangerous power as
il was exercised 10y the Judge alone. Mr..
| 'Iompe.S Illustrated On Loz. tUs i-rre t'Y
recent history in West Virginia, where,
as in the case of Judge Mason, he acted
| as petitioner, attorney, party In interest
and jcdge of his own case. An this was
against the spirit of the Constitution, q
| nagrant abuse OF the principles OF lb-
erty. (Applause.)
The time must come, however, when
| they, As all things against organized labor,
mast GO. (Appause.) Capital could do
its worst, INT there could never in the END
be a wrong against the republic as long
as the latoring men snail stand together
aud preserve what was established by
Washington, jefferson and Paine.
Mr.. Gompe.s predicted that, with the
perfection OF uuionisln, with all trades
organized, specialized and classified, and
with calm appeals TO their fello w-men, all
wI9ngS viii toe righted under American in
I'll NLLibi4rs LULU " dS ltOtiiiliE " 10
gained from passion but with enlightened
methods they could furnish remedy for
all wrongs, il there were no factions. Divi-
sion was TO be deplored, but never be
fore in tie history OF the country was
there 50 u,ucn unanimity as there W as to-
I day (Applausel. At the close of his
speech Mr.. GOmpers referred TO ''the man
who led he masses to victory Mfr.
Ratchforu, 10 hich sentiment the meeting
responded with applause. This meant
that the tendency was upward; that the
worst was over. The shooting of the
miners he characterized as a crime against
American liberty. (ApplauselI 1t was
a butcEery that had shocked the conscience
Of the American people. But it could
never again happen with perfected organ
ization. (Applausel
President Ratchford was received witt
great applause. After thanking the meet
ing for its interest in the occasion he said
re would iiscuss the strike and its causes
He regretted that the miners organization
had been accused Of too frequent quarrels
On the contrary il had been conservative
and had been forced into hostility with
the employer In truth it was the lack
of organization which led to the troubles
M Ratchford traced the cause of tho
trouble to the ever increasing tide OF
foreign labor. He was not opposed e.
/ foreign labor by men who came here tC
obey our laws and fight under our flag
(Applause' He was not In favor Of those
who come here 10 work for starvation
wages. For the past four years when
the building of railroads ceased swarms o
foreign laboreTs were dumped into TIA.
mines There was something wrong in
the law which protected labor -sayin g
machines aud which invited here hundreds
thousands Of workers TO take the place
Of American laborers. Applause Th.
mine owners, by machinery with one mat
can produce vast deal of coal, so that the
wages in Ohio, for instance, are abou
$3.50 a month; and the miners obliget
TO live on the mine owners lands and II
his houses. The miners were 10 poo
that they had no choice but to remain
Besides, the miner had to deal at the mine
owners truck stores, In which ii tool
six tons of coal to pay for one sack oi
flour. They practically had nothing al
the end OF the month.
Mr.. Ratchford claimed that It was the
miners organization which resisted the
reduction os 6 cents per ton, but in the
end forced an advance of cents ton,
applause Generally, he was not salts
fed with a settlement, which was not
full, but circumstances sometimes altered
cases. Had all the miners been in how
ever. here would haI e been accompanies
II was une miners tbems elves who defeat etl
tle miners. The supply of coal was kept