The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-12-17
NATIONAL FEDERATION
OF LABOR MEETS MEETS
The Eighteenth Annual Convention
Of the Organization Opens
in Kansas CITY.
ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT GoMPERs

Declares That Labor Unions Are
the Hope of Civilizations
strikes Of the Year
Reviewed.
Kansas City, Dec. 1.-THE eight
zenith ;unnunl convention of the Amer
ican Federation Of Labor was called to
order this morning, $50 delegates be-
ing present.
The work of the opening day in
cluded committee reports, the seating
and rejection OF contested Delegates, Of
whom there We're several, and the an
null address of President Gompers.
Gompers Address.
The following are excerpts from the
address of President Gompers:
Trade unions are a legitimate out
growth OF modern society and indus
trial conditions. They are organlza-
tons of necessity. They are born OF
tect aud defend themselves from the
encroachment of injustice and wrong.
much of II misery as enforced
wage workers springs not so much
from any power eNerted by the .up-
per- or ruling class as it results from
the Ignorance OF so many of our class
who accept their conditions by their
own volition."
The speaker advised his hearers not
to look for the millennium MT once, but
to labor steadily for u gradual change
of conditions for the better. He adj
vised them to take part in elections,
with the view of securing the election
of trade nnionists to all grades of Of
fees. but strongly urged them not to
allow themselves to be led away by
interested politicians into converting
their organizations into partisan ward
clubs. He declared trades unions
were tile only hope of civil
ization. He congratulated them on
the fact that notwithstanding public
interest centered in the war with
Spain organization work had not
Jagged. During the year 203 charters
were issued by the federation, of which
nine were national and international
unions. The federation now con-
tanned of national and international
unions. 81; state declarations, 10; city
central unions and trades assemblies,
So; local trade unions having no ma
tionals. ais; federal labor unions, 100.
Eight hundred and eighty local
unions were organized during the
year, and the federation now holds ~
greater number of national and inter-
national unions than ever before. He
recommended work looking to the af-
filiation of MI national and %interna-
tionnl organizations with the fedora
ton.
He called attention to the fact that
in some cases business men and politi-
clans secured membership in trades
unions for Interior purposes, and the
organizations coming under their in
fuence, they refused to listen to fed
Grafton officers, resulting in the v
cation of their charter.
The president then took up the
question of international corporation
among trades unions and advised that
it be fostered and developed.
strikes of the Year.
Then followed an extended individ-
ual review of the strikes of the past
year, including that among the textile
workers at Fall River, Mass, which,
he said, failed because of u lack of CO.
operation among the strikers in differ
ent towns; the wood workers strike
at Oshkosh, Wis; the wire-drawers'
strike at Cleveland; the shoe workers.
at Marlboro, Mass. and the coal
miners strikes at Pittsburg and Vir-
den and pana, Ill. OF these latter he
said:
"The operators sought to break their
agreement by importing a horde of ex.
convict negro cheap laborers from
Alabama, placing them under an
armed guard of Pinkerton thugs and
hirelings. That bloodshed would en-
sue when an ignorant mass of men
armed to do the bidding of character
less men, the merest tyro in the af-
fairs of life could foresee. Governor
Tanner recognized that the band was
armed contrary to the laws OF the
state and forbade the entrance of otl-
ers, and finally approaching
the strained condition of affairs,
declared martial law, and insisted on
the disarmament of all"
lie concluded this paragraph with u
statement that matters were taking a
better form there, with a promise OF a
satisfactory settlement.
The president next renewed his rec
concentration for the formation of u
defense fund and reviewed the Sue
cess attained i'll securing settlements
during the year without strikes.
Work In Washington.
He then reviewed at length the work
at Washington in behalf of labor leg
islation at the last session of congress
and the failure.to secure the passage
by both houses of various bills which
had been introduced, the war with
Spain interfering somewhat to retard
progress. He declared that had postal
savings banks been in operation at the
time the government secured the loan
of $500, 100000 it would not have been
necessary for the government to bor-
row any money.
He adverted to the increase of state
and local labor legislation, and the
growth of interest in the public own
ership of public utilities and closed
with an eloquent tribute to the SOL
diers and sailors dnrings the war with
Spain. which was strongly Endorsed by
the federation so far as freeing Cuba
is concerned. He concluded with n
repetition of his arguments against
territorial expansion, which are al
ready known.
Adyices From Hawaii.
San Francisco, Dec. 12The stcaI1e:
City OF Picking, from the Hawaiian
islands. brings the following ndvices:
The transport st. Paul left for Ma.
Z. r. - H. .nkl ,,l%l tIL. llH.E-EaH maHHE rs