New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-09-01
LABOR |.,,AlI.l| ]! 3 DE[!RS
The Conference at st. Louis
Opened With q Fair At
l ~ -
tendance.
Considerable Controversy Over
Naming . Committee on Isl.
Resolutions.
General Sentiment That There
Will Be No Strike Of
Sympathy.

labor congress who arrived early and
registered at the La Clede. Mr.. Debs,
who is not representative Of any or
ganization, comes on the general invi-
tation, and will, Of course, give his adj
vice if 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 a guest OF the confer.
ence", S-
Mr.. Debs would not venture an opin-
On the probable outcome of the confer.
ence. e.. ~
els there any possibility Of sympa-
thetic striker" was asked. e. -
Il hardly think so. In fact these
delegates are not empowered to order
strike. 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 exemplifed in
the great struggle of the miners, has
been carried to the extreme, and the
people are revolving. I expect the con-
vention will take some very decisive
action in this NATTER
Ratchford Has a Plan.
Mr.. Ratchford has a 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 ST., 900
and So, 900 per day. Part of this fund
will be used to keep men at work among
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 at 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.
dentials from the Social Democracy of
Milwaukee, and Frederick F. 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,
Belleville, Ills, all members of miners
organizations. <. ~<.s" jed
Much disappointment is expressed at
headquarters over the non arrival of
Samuel 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. 1t is believed Mr.. Com
.pers will be in st. Louis in the after
noon.
Social Democracy Has 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 a large following, and it
would not be a surprise to see that new
venture gain control of the meeting. It
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 conference committee will
be presented some time during the con-
vention by Mr.. Steinbis of St. Louis
"My idea isl said Mr.. Steinbis, s'to
have one or. two delegates from each
branch of organized labor form gen.
eral conference committee While
hardly think such committee, if ap-
pointed by the conference, will do any
thing at this meeting, they will get to-
gether later. By that time ours will
have crystallized and some platform
upon which general amalgamation of
labor could stand would be formulated
We must be united. =
It's not expected that the convention
will do anything during the day beyond
perfecting organization and appointing
committee on credentials
Temporary Organization Effected.
Shortly after II the convention was
again called to order w. b. Prescott,
president Of the National Typographical
union Of Indianapolis, was chosen tenn
| Pc. airy chairman. Mr.. Prescott then
appointed the following committee on
credentials: Mr.. Rat hford, James
| O'Connor Of the Mac inists, Chicago;
Grant Luca Of the Central Labor Or
ganization, ]. r. Sovereign and w. D.
Mahon. 5ss IS
Considerable controversy arose over
the naming Of committee on resolu-
tons, which, although the convention
was not permanently organized, was
moved BY one Of the delegates. There
were amendments to the effect that the
3convention adjourn till clock, and
that the hour be made 2 o'clock, and II
the midst Of this parliamentary tangle
delegate Sovereign shouted: 1,sssss
I'M sick and tired Of resolutions.
This IS the time FOR action move.
Mr.. Chairman. that the motion 10 81.
point = committees on resolutions be