Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-12-13
WHY IT FAILED,
President Gompers Of Amer;-
can Federation Of Labor
Tells Why Recent Textile Strike in
New England Failed.
Fall River Operatives and Socialist labo,
Party Leaders the Main Cause.

~A'iici iNaH reuefdllOn OF Labor was
called to order in Stropes hall, today
About $50 delegates from all parts of
this country were present and two
from across the water, William Thorne
and William Inskip of London repre-
senting the British trade union con-
gress. Delegate Inskip's mission is TO
plead for a closer alliance between the
United States and Great Britain along
lndustrial as we'll as political lines.
The work mapped out for the open
ing day included the committee re-
ports. the seating and rejection of con-
tested delegates, of whom there are
several, and the annual address of
President Samuel Gompers President
Evans of the Kansas City Commercial
Club welcomed the delegates Presi-
dent Gompers responded.
President Gompers in the course of
his address, which was very long, re-
ferred to the recent textile strike IN
New England as follows:
while the convention at Nashville
was still in session, it was announced
that the textile manufacturers of New
England We're about to make reduc-
tion of wages, and, in compliance
with the general wish prevailing,
the officers We're instructed to render
every service within their power to the
textile operatives, should the reduction
be insisted upon, and an effort made
to resist its enforcement. Upon the
| time declared the reduction was made
and the SITUATE made more acute by
the textile workers of Fall River ac-
xr-;tl
This encouraged the other textile
manufacturers of New England to in
sist upon like reduction, and made
resistance on the part of their en-
pioyees more difficult. The New Bed
ford operatives struck work. The Off
| GERS of the Cotton Mule Spinners Ma
tional Association and the National
Union of Textile Workers of America
appealed to the executive council for
such assistance as could be rendered.
Two organizations We're appointed for
the purpose of organizing the textile
workers and otherwise aiding them to
the best of their ability. BY direction
of the executive council, your presi-
dent went into the district and coun-
seled with the representatives of the
operatives, delivering public addresses
with view of encouraging and or
ganizing them.
Il called and had a conference with
more than so representatives of the
labor movement of New England and
issued another call for the purpose of
laying the basis for more general or
ganiZa ton of the textile workers, and
the means by which the funds could
| ,..,I1- 4
test.
The report is made to you with re-
gret that the strike failed in its pur
pose; ,but to no one familiar with the
circumstances and conditions could
any other result have been secured.
AS already stated, the Fall River oper-
| atives had accepted the reduction.
This had a dampenning effect upon the
operatives at New Bedford ard gave
a corresponding element of strength to
their employers. Then, again, the op-
eratives of New Bedford, other than
1.-the cotton mule spinners. were compar-
atively Unorganized; and those that
were organized were in a so caAled local
independent union. having neither con-
nection with the textile Workers Ma
tional Union, nor with the A. f. of l..
Apart from this, persons preSumlng
to speak as friends of labor. carrying
with them a halo which they don at
convenient periods in order to give
themselves the appearance of sanctIty,
wisdom and honesty, the representa-
tives of the Socialist Labor party Went
to New Bedford on repeated occasions
and. in fact, kept one of it's represen-
tatives at New Bedford during long
perioi of the strike, held daily meet
ings with but one particular, avowed
purpose in mind. the spread of diss'at-
isfacton and encouragement among
!! the strikers, exuftingly predicted de-
feat hoping and working to accomplish
that end. throwing every obstacle in
the way of those who were efldeaNor-
ing to make the best struggle possible.
using the same arguments as the EN-
ployers, indulging in the most mall
cTous misrepresentation OF t4le mo
tiyes of men who were aiding the con-
testants. and cunningly SOUGHT 10 ere
ata suspicion of the motives ana work
of trade unionists.
No wonder, then, that what was at
best difficult battle TO flght was rlaue
additionally burdensome and hopeless
through such rank treachery 10 the
cause of labor
The strike at New Bedford made the
victory of the employers and expensive
one. 1t taught them the lesson that
there is limit beyond which the
workers will not yield without strug-
gls. 1t has effectually stopped reduc-
lions: and if the textile workers WILL
common-sense basis for their protec-
tion and advance, there can be no ques-
tion but a turn in tine tide IS at
hand"
Illinois continues to be the largest con-
,rih,1tor to the internal revenue OF the
xiarla oct CT a tnS