The herald., 1898-12-15
BETTER ORGANIZATION
THE LEVER FOR UPLIFTING THE
LABORER
A PLEA FOR POLITICAL ACTION
Made by the President of the Labor
ederation-American Tobacco
Company Boycott
Associated Press Special Wire

KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Dec. l4.-Speech
making consumed the morning session of
the third day of the annual convention of
the American Federation of Labor. The
delegates listened with interest to the talks
by William Thorne and William lnskip,
delegates from the British Labor Congress,
and to a response thereto by President
Samuel Gompers.
Mr.. Thorne said that labor should strive
continuously for better organization and
more power in politics. In England, said
he one great element of organized labor's
power was the fact that political positions
were held by SO great percentage of union
lists.
Delegate Inskip urged not only stronger
organization but a stronger friendship be-
tween American and British unionists.
What was needed, he said, was not only
a federation of trades organizations, but
a federation with cur English-speaking cou-
sins. The sentiment was warmly cheered
Mr.. Inskip went on to express his belief
in arbitration for the settlement of all labor
disputes and enumerated instances of the
settlement of English strikes by arbitration,
which had been alone possible from the
fact that arbitration in England was con-
structed on a solid basis.
President Gompers said, in the course of
his remarks, that there was sometimes ap-
prehension as to the condition Of workers
Of our country. A greater percentage OF
mechanical labor, outside the agricultural
element, he said, were organized IN America
than on any part of the globe.
While he declared that unionists were
active in defending their principles in pol
tics, citing the fact that seventeen union
men were members of the Colorado State
Legislature, Mr.. Gompers nevertheless
urged increased activity along this line.
A resolution providing for fund to push
the organization of the trades union in the
interior States was adopted.
, Upon the employment of women, MIR.
Gompers said:
''The American Federation OF Labor has
always stood for the organization and reeog-
milton of those women who are compelled
of necessity to work. But we do demand
now, and we must always demand, equal
pay for equal work.
These sentiments were greeted with ap-
plause.
Mr.. Gompers paid warm welcome to the
British delegates and declared that the
closer the two nglish-speaking nations
came together in fraternal alliance the
speedier would be the approach Of the era
OF universal peace.
At the afternoon session a resolution pre-
sented by Adrian M. Jones of Chicago, pro-
testing against the passage Of. the anti
scalping bill recently passed by the national
house of representatives, was adopted with
out discussion.
The income tax resolution offered by
j. S. Kent of Nebraska was net adopted,
but this substitute was unanimously en-
dorsed:
Resolved, that the American Federation
of Labor is of the opinion that the decisions
of the supreme court on the income tax
are not in accord with the constitution or
the spirit of the American people, and that
the federation demand of congress law
making a tax on incomes a feature of Fed
eral taxation"
Convict labor came in for a share Of the
conventions attention
The resolutions condemning convict la
Dor by G. w. Coy were referred to the ex-
ecutive council with instructions that it take
such steps as may check its encroachments
upon the interests of the honest working
people of the land. The convention EN-.
phatically reaffirmed the boycott on the
American Tobacco company, declaring it
to be a monopoly and trust and to be
under the ban of organized labor.
AT $3.50 o'clock the convention adjourned.