The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-14
over 100 Representatives of Trades
Unions Present, and Two Dele
gates from Great Britain.
WORK REVIEWED BY GOMPERS
ABOUT $4,000 MEMBERS GAINED
DURING THE PAST YEAR.
The Miners Strike, Court InjunctfOns,
Savings Banks and Arbitration.

NASHVILLE, Tenn, Dec. 13.-The Amer
ican Federation of Labor began its seven
teenth annual session in this city to-day.
with an attendance of more than one hum
dred delegates from different States and
an equal number of visitors. The Fedora
tion met in the House of Representatives at
o'clock with President Gompers in the
chair. The hall presented most attractive
appearance, being decorated with the flags
OF many nations. Havelock Wilson and
Edward Hartford, delegates from England.
were introduced by the president. Mr. Will
sen is a member of Parliament, and MIR.
Hartford is ex-secretary of the railway en-
ployes organization. After the meeting had
been called to order William Aimison, of
the local Typographical Union delivered an
address of welcome in behalf of the labor
organizations of the city. President Com
pers responded. thanking Mr.. Aimson and
the labor organizations for the hearty well
come accorded. The report of the commits
tee on credentials was presented, after
which President Gompers read his annual
address, the features of which are given be-
low.
With two exceptions all our affiliated ma
uonal unions report a large increase of To-
cal unions and in membership. There is am
increase OF about thirty-four thousand
members in the organizations affiliated lit
mas been the constant aim to organize our
1elloW-workerS engaged in unskiiled labor.
With the invention of new machines and the
application OF new forces, the division and
SUBDIVISION OF labor many workers who
have been employed at skilled trades find
themselves with their occupation gone and
to which they have devoted long terms OF
years to acquire. Thus we see the artisan
of yesterday the unskilled laborer OF to-
day. 1t is source of qualification to report
that within this past year very large
number of federal labor unions for unskilled
workers had been organized, and from them
much larger number of trades unions.
strikes within the past year. but the Changes
in the causes which have produced them
are worthy of note. The strikes Of this
year, with few exceptions, have been for
higher wages. fewer hours and the extern
sion and recognition of union principles.
Our organizations report with gratifying
unan1mlty the very large number of sue
cesses achieved, advantages gained and the
growth and extension of the power the or
ganizations enjoyed.
THE MINERS STRIKE.
"Of course, among the most notable
strikes of the year was that of the coal
miners. involving nearly 100000 men, At the
time when the strike occurred there were
few miners organized and the national or
ganization had no means with which 10
either support the men involved nor to con-
duct the affairs of the general office, nor
had the organization the means to place in
the field the organizers which experience
demonstrated so necessary to attain sue
cess. Upon being advised as to the time
when the strike would take place, imme-
date action was taken to enlist the whole
body of organized labor in sympathetic ac-
cord and cooperation with the miners. It
is gratifgying to be able to state that no act
was done nor left undone but which could
tend to bring the very best possible results
to the men and the organization engaged
In the conflict During the strike there
was a number of persons who sought to dis
rupt our movement, bring discord upon
our organization and who saw no better
means at their command than to attack its
officers. Perhaps at no time were men
more scathingly, mendaciousy and unjust
ly slandered than were the officers of the
American trade-unon movement during the
miners strike. Some with particular hob
bies, which they change as often as does a
kaleidoscope. but who yet had sufficient
acumen to observe that with success for the
miners upon trade-union lines their hobbies
would be crippled and their theories proven
unsound, have, while assuming the garb of
friendship, preached and prophesied defeat
and declared that nothing but disaster
would overtake the miners Never having
attained success in any cause in which they
We're engaged, these apostles of failure re-
allied that If the miners won the ground OF
opposition to trades unions would be proven
untenable AS no man can be brave in de-
fense of principles in which he does not
fully believe, so did not and could not men
action when they did not believe In trade
union policy, trade-union tactics.
II ID a. SOuTct Oh SdllSIdCIlOn, however,
that out Of the masmatic atmosphere Of
abuse and unjust attack stands the grati-
hcation and the voluntary evidence of the
rank and file of the miners of the country
to the splendid services rendered by the
officers. the generous financial aid con-
triouted by the trades unions, and. above
all, stands out in bold relief the success
attending the miners contest, increase
of 22 per cent. in wages having been Sc
cured for more than 1900, and some in-
crease. though not so large. for all other
coal miners. 1t would be difficult to deter
mine as to which among our affiliated or
ganizations or who among the organizers.
which so many of them sent into the coal
fields performed the best service Sufficient
is it for to know that, for the first time
in the history of our movement, represent
atives of different trades organizations
practically conducted the contest in the
field, each vieing with the other to attain
the best possible results and each of them
deserving the highest encomium OF praise
for the work done and the result secured.
1t was the purpose of our organizations
while furnishing men and money. to con-
duct the contest; its direction was left in
the hands of representatives of the miners
the officers of their organization.
THE LATTIMER SHOOTING.
AN incident connected with the miners
strike requires special mention here. While
body of unarmed and defenseless miners
were marching upon the public highways
from Hazelton to Lattimer, Pa, they were
met by the sheriff of the county with a
posse of armed mercenaries, who without
cause or provocation. and in violation or
the constitutional and natural rights of
men, turned upon them and in cold blood
murdered twenty-five and manned and
crippled as many more of them All re-
ports agree that the men attacked were
violating no law. guilty of no wrong. MANY
of them shot TO death while fleeing from
their malignant purSuers. This crime
against our laws this brutality against in
offensive men, the wall of widows ana
orphans, the wounded pride of American
citizenship and common humanity crv ouf
not only that justice shall be fneted ont
TO these modern hyenas, but thar never
again shall great a wrong be fnfiicted
upon any of our people. An attemDt has
been made TO becloud the Judgment of o,,e
people under the cry that the men lxiIla5
and wounded are foreigners but even
though this be true. these foreigners vvara
lured fere by the cupidity of mercenarv
corporations. II Is submitted that tholrh
a man be IA foreigner there are some riehfs
some protection 10 which he is entffl~a
which even corporations and their hirelings
are bound TO respect. s~
The movement 10 reduce the hour4 -
labor is always one which commands ~
first attention of organized labor We holS
that no condition Is satisfactory nor ares.
solution complete which fails 10 els1nt,,a.tss
the curse and the degrading inf,uenras' -
unemployment, and so long as this evil