The herald., 1898-12-13
Begins Its Eighteenth Annual
Convention
BRITISH REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
President Gompers in His Opening Address Pleads for closer
Brotherhood Of Labor and Bitterly Opposes the
Policy Of Imperialism

ment that matters are taking better form
there, with the promise of satisfactory
settlement.
Mr.. Gompers stated the objections of the
federation to the policy of imperialism and
expansion as follows:
I'VE cannot annex the Philippines with
cut large increase in our standing army.
large standing army is repugnant to Re-
publican institutions and menace to the
liberty OF our people.
If we annex the Philippines we shall
have to conquer the Philippines by force OF
arms and thereby deny to them what we
claim for ourselves-the right of self-gov-
ernment.
I'VE shall surrender the present safe and
independent position by which we are guar
anteed the fruits OF peace and force our
selves into European and Asiatic entangle-
ments, implying war and the preparations
for war.
I'VE shall seek to conquer by force of
arms instead of by our own industry, COM
merce and superior mentality and civil.
| zaton.
| eve shall be compelled to open the gates
and admit the Chinese, Maays and slave
| labhrers who may come from our new pos
| sessions, since the constitution of tho
| United States forbids the interdiction Of
| the free entry of the men and their products
between all our states and our territories.
'The policy of imperialism is declaration
that self-government has failed and that the
people cannot be trusted; that the dollar is
of more consequence than man and plutoc-
racy and militarism nobler than humanity.
"The attempt to divert the attention of
our people from the ills from which we suf-
fer at home TO foreign questions will fail.
f, '1t has always been the hewers of wood
and the drawers of water, the wealth pro-
ducers whose mission it has been, not only
to struggle for freedom, but to be ever
vigilant to maintain the liberty or freedom
achieved; and it behooves the representa-
tives of the grand army of labor in conven-
ton assembled to give vent to the alarm
we feel from the dangers threatening lis
and our free people, to enter our solemn
and emphatic protest against what we al
ready feel, that with the success of the pol
icy of imperialism, the decadence of our
republic will have already set in"
Mr.. Gompers reported that $50 local
unions were chartered during the year and
there are now affiliated with the American
Federation of Labor g. national and inter-
national unions with 10000 local unions at
tached; ten state federations, 50 city CEN
| tral labor unions and trades assemblies, 3l5
local trades unions having no nationals, and
100 federal unions.
On the subject of the eight-hour work day
Mr.. Gompers says:
'Should industrial conditions warrant, it
is suggested that every effort be made by the
incoming officers, in cooperation with the
trade union movement of the country, to
inaugurate a general agitation and move
ment for universal introduction of eight
hour or shorter hour work day
GOAIPERS' REELECTION
Although there seems to be no doubt that
Mr.. Gompers will be reelected, fight will
be made against him by small faction
headed by Isaac Cowen and Max Hays of
Cleveland.
II would fight against Gompers," said
Cowen in an interview today, fit were the
last. thing | had to do on earth. Gompers is
entirely too conservative and slow. We
have not selected, candidate yet, but shall
do so. He will be representative of up
todnte socialism"
At the afternoon session number Of
committees We're appointed and the consid-
Grafton Of routine business was begun.
Tonight many of the delegates attended
ball given in their honor by local trades
unionists.