The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-19
: DECLARED SOCIALISTS WERE
ENEMIES OF LABOR.
Had Done All They Could to Disrupt
Trades Unions - Federation De-
clares Against Endorsement of
Any Political Party-Interesting
Address On Courts and Laborers.

sailor delegate expressed it, the time /
OF the convention has been largely |
wasted in wind jamming." Much of the |
argument and debate has conferred /
around the question of socialism and !
the efforts Of the Social Democrats to |
secure an endorsement of their propa- !
ganda This issue was disposed of this |
afternoon, however, when the socialists !
We're buried under an overwhelming |
vote. and it is now thought that the /
convention will come to an END by next !
"Wednesday.
Forlorn hope was never bolstered up !
by more matchless eloCuence than the 1
socialists among the DELEGATES to the
American Federation of Labor put forth
in behalf OF the principles Which they
believe offer the true relief from grind
ing Industrial conditions and oppres-
sion of capital at this morning s session.
The Federation is opposed to commit
ting itself TO the endorsement of any
political party, and has voted in each
annual convention to this effect. Dem
ocrats and Republicans have given up
their efforts for their theories of gov
eminent, but the socialists have not.
Each year when the convention meets
they are on hand. They realize that
their work viii be in vain, as far as
practical definite results are concern
ed, but they glory in the agitation they
cause and in the fact that they make
converts in secret.
GOMPERS ATTACKS SOCIALISTS.
While the speech-making was at its
height today, President Gompers took
a hand and denounced the efforts of the
socialists to infuse their doctrines into
that of trades unionism. He said:
This question involves the integrity
of the labor movement of our country
Either trade movement is right or it is
ait declare for fhh
union movement, without frills or fol-
lies, or make an admission that 1t is
wrong.
BY their deeds shall We know them,
rather than with their honeyed words,
by which they seek to lure US If they
were to express themselves in this con-
vention as they express themselves out
side, they know they would not be toll
Grated for two minutes. l propose to
call attention to the mask and the real
face. The very men who advocate and
ask you to commit yourselves to TINS
movement have in the past done all
man can do to disrupt trades unions.
One of the parties referred to called a
convention to form a rival to this fed
Grafton. AT that convention they, on
a broad streamer, emblazoned IN let
tiers of red, wreck the old trades unions
and pull for socialism.
They have besmirched the name OF
labor. They have attacked the integ-
rity Of the men who have tried to bet
ter the conditions of labor They have
attacked conservatism and everything
that is good for our cause.
If their propositions were likely TO
advance the interests of labor, would
give them it my adherence at once, but
knowing, as l do that every attempt at
diverting our efforts has been followed
by an era of inertia and indifference, l
cannot subscribe to it.
Rather than turn our unions into
ward clubs. we are working on the me
that will better our interests before the
whole country
Il know that progress is necessarily
slow and there is no such thing as a
short cut to the millennium 1 am sure
that we are on the path of progress.
We should be broad and comprehensive
in all that we do and the day Of labor's
emancipation wiz soon come.
Great applause followed Mr.. Com
pers' remarks, aid Henry Lloyd of Bos-
ton. the conservative economist, took
the floor He went after socialists
without gloves. 1t was the sense OF ms
remarks that if the federation tied it
self to any ism, it would be useless Tor
ii to ask for legislation at the hands
OF congress or the state legislatures
SOCIALISTS ROUTED.
The debate was resumed at the after
noon session, and was continued almost
TO the close of the days proceedings
The result was an utter rout of the
socialists, their resolutions being buried
by a vote of Az to l.
The report of the resolutions commit
tee. embodying the resolution offered as
a substitute for the socialist resoiu-
lions. was then1aid before the -conven-
ton and adopted by a vote OF l,SVl 70
100 the vote against the SUBSTITUTE
representing the socialist strength IN
the convention. Previous to, the. bal
1otine TO-DAY the socialists claimed $50
votes in the convention.
The resolutions finally adopted are as
follows:
~ I'VE are committed against the en-
l5orsement or introduction of partisan
lnolitics. religious differences or race
prejudices. We hold it to be the duty
of trades unionists TO study and dis
cuss all questions that have any bear
ing upon their industrial or political
liberty. but we declare that ii is not
within the province of the American
Federation of Labor to designate tC
which political party n member shall
belong. or for which political party he
shall vote"
COURTS AND WORKINGMEN.
The convention then listened to al
address by Clarence Darrow, the Chi
caro lawyer. who defended Debs in the
federal court, on THE Courts and the
Workingmen." The burden of his
speech was a plea for the abolition o.
the present procedure in contempt pro-
ceedings before the courts, and for The
submission of charges of contempt II
iuries Of twelve citizens. He asserted
thar the corporations and money in
terests had secured control of the
courts. The young lawyer who show:
ability, he argued, is soon picked up by
the corporations; he becomes the pait
champion of their interests, and in time
he is elevated to the bench, where h'
is almost certain to hold his bias il
favor of the moneyed powers. The
very nature of the case, he argued
made the court unfair in contempt pro
ceedings involving issues between cap
ital and labor.
Mr.. barrow also paid his respects t.
the making powers, declaring tina
everyone knows that most of the legis
latures have been corrupt for the las
twenty-five years; that they have beer
in the employ of the corporations, ant
4 that their legislation has been in favOi
\Of the corporations and against th'
common people.
The speech of Attorney Darrow wa.
ordered printed in the minutes Of th'
convention. The convention adoptet
the following resolutions:
BY owen Miller, endorsing the bill
before congress which prohibits tn
employment of enlisted soldiers Of tn
army In competition with civilians il
any capacity.
By John Mitchell, denouncfng tn
shooting down of the striking miner
at Virden, Ills, by the armed guard
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