The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-16
AGAINST EXPANSION.
Federation of Labor Takes a Decided
Stand.

Kansas City, Mo, Dec. 16-At its an
nual convention, the American Fedora
ton of Labor, declared, by almost an
unanimous vote against a standing
army in the United States, which is in
reality recognized as a protest against
expansion, or the spirit of Imperialism
Q s it was termed by the delegates. This
action was taken after five hours or de-
bate on every phase of the question.
AT times many of the speakers became
eloquent in their utteranceS and receiV-
ed unstinted applause from the dele
gates.
The issue came to the hands of the
convention through a resolution which
grew out of suggestions in President
Samuel GOmpers' annual report The
debate opened when the committee of
which Mr.. Henry Lloyd of Boston, is
chairman offered this resolutions:
Whereas, As a result of the recent
war with Spain, a new and far reach
ing policy known as Imperialism or ex-
pansiOn is about to thrust upon US n
large and standing army, an autocratic
navy, this convention offers its protest
and calls upon its officers to use all
power to defeat it
Samuel B. Donnelly of New York
president of the American Topographic
cal union, was the first speaker and
practically the only delegate who in any
way defended the cause of expansion
''ExpansiOnists have always Won" said
he, in the course of his remarks. be
cause it is in the interest of a higher
civilization, Don't believe that the IS
million people who do not belong to
trades unions in this country are go
ing to bow down to system of imperial
ism or pay homage to a. crown. I know
am in the minority here, but if we
adopt this policy against expansion. I
want to 90 farther and declare against
this peace alliance with Great Britain -
Isaac COhn, of Cleveland, a socialist
leader, said it was the business of
trades unions to protest against and
fight a colonial policy that would in1ura
the cause of labor to such an extent as
the importation of contract labor would
Andrew EuruSeth. representative of
the Seaman's union. chara cterized the
result that he thought would follow ex-
panSIOn as similar to the impOrta ton
of the negro to this country He de-
clared that the encrOa chment of the
Chinese in California was an object les
son for working people to. consider in
connection with expansion. He said the
policy Of government possessing ex-
tended colonies was to civilize by force
of arms He thought the islanders of
the Pacific would enter into direct COM
petition with American working people
very quickly if the expansion policy
were adopted
President GOmpers made remarks
that embodied the same ideas against
expansion that he set forth in his an
nual address.
George E. Mcneil. of Massachusetts,,
said:
IF the trades unfonists had sent uu
a concerted protest against expansion
AT ITS very inception it would have
BEEN defeated"
Stewart Reed. of the machinists OF
Chicago. declared that his union was
opposed to an increase of the army OF
the navy He said the machinists
wanted the United States to have its
Warships built by union labor, but they
did not want an increased navy.
When a vote was finally taken, the
resolution was adopted with but three
or four dissenting votes.
Other work accomplished by the con-
ventiOn was the adoption of resolu-
ton to send an organizer into the
southern states during the coming year