The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-14
THE SHORTER WORKDAY
CONVENTION TO DECIDE TIME
FOR OPERATION.
Strikes, Boycott Arbitration, Right of
Trial BY Jury, and Latimer Mas
sacre Find Place In the Address
Printers Demand Nine Hour
Workday.

18th annual session in this city today,
with an attendance of more than 100
delegates from different states, and an
equal number Of visitors.
President Gompers presided. The hall
was decorated with the flags of many
nations. Havelock. Wilson and Edward
Hartford, delegates from England, were
introduced by the president. After the
meeting had been called to order, VII
liam Aimison, of the local typographl-
cal union, delivered an address of wei
come
President Gompers responded to the
address, The report of the committee
on credentials was presented, alter
which President Gompers read his an
nuaI address. President Gompers said:
LARGE INCREASE.
with two exceptions, all our affil-
lated national unions report a large
increase of local unions and in mem
bership. There is an increase OF about
$4,000 members in the organizations al
hliated.
1T has been the constant aim to or
ganize our fellow workers, engaged in
unskilled labor With the invention of
new machinery and the applications OF
new forces to the division and Sub-dl-
vision Of labor, many workers who
AAsANC bSS4A Gi4sAlAOg GNl SfAA.ACN
find themselves with their occupation
gone, to which they have devoted long
terms OF years to acquire. Thus We
see the citizen Of yesterday the I'M
Skilled laborer Of today.
Tt is a source of qualification to re-
pot that within the past year a very
large number OF federal labor unions
for unskilled workers have been organ
zzed, and from them a much larger
number OF trade Unions.
There have been quite a number of
strikes within the past year, but the
change in the causes which have pro-
ouced them are worthy of note.
The strikes of this year, with few
exceptions, have been for higher wages,
shorter hours and recognition of I'M
ions. Our organizations report with
gratifying unanimity the very large
number Of successes secured, the adj
vantages gained and the growth and
extension of the power of organiza-
ton enjoyed.
HOURS OF LABOR.
1.-The movement to reduce the hours
Of labor is always one which commands
the first attention of organized labor.
We hold that no condition is satisfac-
tory nor solution complete which fails
to inmate the curse and the degrad-
ing influence of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. and
81 AO447 - inns tN44 cllclil Dt Will US. OQI
best efforts viii be concentrated to the
reduction Of the hours OF labor of all,
until the desired end is attained.
ARBITRATION.
''It is submitted whether it would not
be better 20 modify our position in so
far as to impose no objection to the
passage Of a law providing for COM
pulsory arbitration in disputes of or
CARRIED employees Of railroads and
railroad companies, and of giving
award by such lawful arbitrators, but
we should hesitate TO give our endorse
nlent To any legislation, state or ma
tionaI. empowering the compulsory en-
forcement Of award and the enforce
ment of a contract to labor
There should be no euuivocation as
20 our position on any question. much
less CT such Importance as immigra-
tien.
BOYCOTT.
Recently one of the branches of the
federal courts decided by a majority
vote that the boycott is illegal The
suggestion is made that upon any let
ter or circular issued upon such mat
ter of this character, after stating the
name of the unfair firm and the griev-
ances complained of, the words, we
have been enjoined by the courts from
boyeoting this firm should be added
TRIAL BY JURY.
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
full and natural rights. Courts do not
and cannot issue injunctiOns restrain
ing persons from committing crimes or
rnisdemeanors, and should not while
there is another complete remedy at
law It is but just that the workers
insist upon being regarded as equals
before the law and that in their actiV-
ity to prevent infringement upon their
rights. and their hopes and struggles
to maintain their manhood. extra ju-
dicial 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.
LATIMER MASSACRE.
OF the Latimer massacre, Mr.. Com
pers SAYS:
"rhis crime against our laws, this
brutality against inoffensive men, the
vail of widows and orphans, the
wounded pride of American citizenship
and common humanity cry out not only
that justice shall be melted out to these
nlodesr hyenas, but that never again
shall a. great wrong be inflicted upon
any of our people"
ETGHT-HOUR WORKDAY.
The steps that have been taken to-
ward securing an eight-hour workday
are. reviewed and the address continues:
Nothing remains now but for the
final decision of this convention as to
the ways and means by which the
project shall be carried into effect or
whether the Judgment Of the conven-
ton is that the time stated is, in view
of Industrial conditions. a practical one.
or whether it would be advisable to
await the fun flood tide Of an indus
trial revival for its general and sinful
taneous enforcement. This question
must OF necessity receive your careful
consideration. Nothing, perhaps. would
he more hurtful than an unwise de-
cision II the judgment Of this con-
vention is that May !, 1898, is the one
Upon which the bugle call for labor
shall be sounded, none viii enter it
z-ith greater enthusiasm and undaunt-
ed spirit than we. Yet, if the deliber-
are conclusion of this convention is
that the simultaneous effort should be
deferred until q more opportune time,
say the postponement of it for one
year, then that should prevail.
WON AND LOST.
The report of the secretary shows that
during the year, ZIG strikes had been Off
ciallv noticed, involving 1e5, 407 workers
OF these 1S9 were won; 81 We're comDro-
missed, and SO lost.