The Advocate and news., 1898-10-19
LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.
Labor Commissioner JOhnSOn'S Re-
port Gives interesting Facts.

Labor Commissioner JOhnson's forth
coming report will say Of organized la
Dor:
"Organized labor through the Amer
lean movements, standing as 1t does for
the amelloratlon Of toillng humanity in
the industrial world, may be truly re-
garded as the pulse Of the conditions
and progress of the American working
men. Therefore 1t is meet and proper
that chapter of this report be devoted
to O brief review Of their moral, edu-
cational, financial and economic condi-
tion and advancement from national
standpoint.
"The American Federation Of Labor,
as the recognized head Of the American
labor movement, representing nearly a
million toilers Of the nation, at their
seventeenth annual convention, held at
Nashville. Tenn, In 1897 adopted the
following preamble, outlining in part,
the objects and aims Of the labor move
ments; Whereas, A struggle is going
on In all the civilized nations In the
world between the capitalist and the la
borer, which grows in intensity from
year to year and will work disastrous
results to the tOiling millions, IL they
are not combined for their mutual ben
eft and protection; It therefore be-
hooves representatives of trades and
labor unions Of America in convention
assembled, to adopt such measures and
disseminate such principles among such
mechanics and laborers of our country
as will permanently unite them to Sc
cure the recognition of the rights to
which they are Justly entitled: we there
fore declare ourselves In favor OF the
formation Of thorough federation en-
bracing every trade and labor organiza-
tion in America, organized under the
trades union system
Among other objects sought by the
American Federation Of Labor Is that
assistance may be rendered to its affll-
lated national and international union
In time of trouble To aid and encour-
age the sale Of union labeled goods, to
secure national legislation in the in
terest Of the working people, to influence
public opinion by peaceful and legal
methods In favor Of organized labor, to
encourage the labOring class Of America
to the end that the condition Of the wage
worker may be improved and his well
fare fully protected.
Speaking Of the hopes, aspirations,
uses and accomplishments Of organized
labor President Gompers, of the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor, in his annual
address to the Nashville convention of
that body, says:
in the call for this convention took
occasion to say that we have had many
important gatherings but perhaps none
which has been called upon to deal with
more momentOus questions than con-
front the workers OF to-day; that the
wrongs from which the workers suffer
have not been righted; the injustice I'm
posed upon our people remains unrem-
edied; the over-worked large mass and
the unemployed many are still testimony
to the folly Of our age; the employment
OF children in our factories, and work
shops, though modified, fingers with us
still, and the spectacle Is witnessed OF
idle men and laboriously busy children;
Legislatures more concerned with the
privileges to the few than the rights of
the many; with public assemblage and
free speech invaded, threatened, or for
hidden, and the modern judicial weapon
Of Injunction utilized In the effort to
crush labor These rights and wrongs
and others Of equal Importance, but too
numerous for reference here, must OF
necessity be considered by the fOrthcom-
ing convention, and such action devised
as shall tend to obtain the one and set
aside the other.
"'At no time have the legitimate and
natural organizations of the wage Garner
the trade unions-been more merci-
Z lessly assailed, subtilely attacked and
unjustly antagonlzed; in NO previous era
have they more zealously safe-guarded,
protected and prompted the true inter-
ests OF workers of our country, and
decades may pass before more absorbing
problems may confront them; these
now before us require the combined in
Ali n