The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-21


Federation will be Held in Detroit,
KANSAS CITY. MO. Dec. 2o.-sam-
uel Gompers was to-day re-elected
president OF the American Federation
OF Labor by practically unanimous
vote, at the closing session OF the eigh-
teenth annual convention OF that ore
ganizatEon. The convention which had
been in session for eight days adj
tourned sine die at o'clock. Detroit,
Mich, was decided upon as tho next
place of meeting.
During the election of president, VIII
liam ]. o'Bren. of New York, was in
the chair. George e. Mcneil, of Bos7
ton, placed Mr.. Gompers In nomination.
He said he might never again attend a
convention Of the Federation and he
wanted the honor of naming Mr.. Comp
ers for the place. He said:" Mr.. Comp
ers has been tried and found true. He
cannot be corrupted. When we get u
good man in place we should keep him
there"
The greatest applause followed Mr..
McNeils remarks. John Kirby Of
ouray, Col, said the miners of the west
were looking more to Gompers to aid
them In their struggles than to any one
else.
There were no other nominees and
Henry Lloyd, Of Massachusetts,. moved
that the vote OF the convention be cast
for NJ. Gompers.
This was done amid great cheering.
Isaac cowan, the socialist, of cleve'
land. objected, and his vote was re-
corded against Mr.. Gompers. Mr..
Gompers declined to make any remarks
upon his reelection.
with the exception Of the fourth, fifth
and sixth vice presidents and the three
fraternal delegates, the rst of the old
officers were reelected without any OPP
position. The remainder Of the ticket
follows: First vice-president. P. j. Nc
CURE, Philadelphia; second vice-prest-
dent, James Duncan, Baltimore; third
vlce-presldent, James o'connell. Chi
cago; fourth Vice president, John. F.
Mitchell, indianapolis; nth vice presi-
dent, Max Morris, Denver sixth vice
president, Thomas /, Kidd, Chicago
secretary, Frank Morrison. Chicago;
treasurer, John B. Lennon, Blooming
ton, Ill; fraternal delegates, to the
Union congress of Great Britain
Thomas F. Tracey New York. OF the
cIgarmakers' Union, and James o'con-
nell, Chicago, of the Machinists' Union.
To the Trade and Labor Congress OF
Canada, John F. o'suIllvan, Boston, OF
the Massachusetts state branch.
business AGairs.
The convention spent most of the day
in amending It's constitution and pro-
vIdlng means for widening the scope OF
its work. The Federation increased the
per capita tax upon members OF trades
union organizations from three-tourths
OF one cent to five cents per month, the
money to be used to support the feder-
alton.
president. Gompers himself objected
to this but the delegates were strongly
in favor Of 1t. on every hand they de-
clared that an increased revenue was
needed to carry on the work OF organ
izatIon SO as to strengthen the labor
cause. 60,
The resolution Of ]. F. o'Sulllvan, OF
Roston. looking to a bill in Congress to
impose an Internal revenue tax against
ali factories employing women and
children overtime was killed. The COM
mittee on laws reported against tho
measure on the ground that II Woulu
fegaiize the employment OF children us
lhhorers. In support Of his resolution
Mr.. O'Sullivan said that he had been
before the legislature of Massachusetts
when lawyers argued the constitution
ulIty Of IN act to tax factories when
employed children. He said that these
lawyers all agreed that such tax was
constitutional, and that 1t was general-
ly agreed that the only way to stop tac-
tory keepers from hiring children was
to tax them out Of existence. MI. OSul-
liyan proposed that such factories pe
made TO pay an internal revenue tax OK
80 per cent of their gross products,
NItOEBG GANANNAA otAAN AtN
doubts us to the efficacy Of such law.
"And further" said he, 1T Will sim
ply license the employment Of children.
we viii be put In the light OF recoBniz-
ing what we know to be an evil"
Mr.. O'Sulllvan said he believed that
the employment OF children could never
be choised until the women workers OF
the land united themselves with the
trades unions. He was certnin, too,
that women would never receive equal
nav with men until they showed a
strength united enough to force 1t upon
their employers.
Isanc Cowan's resolution asking that
the discussion Of affiliated unions OF the
King Biatchford and Eyer plans OF
financial federation be recommended
by the American Federation was killed
without discussion and number OF
measures not Of general interest we're
disposed Of.
Before adjourning the convention lis
tened to farewell addresses by Dele"
gates William InsGip and William
Thorn.