Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-12
LABOR FEDERATION.
xrNErEENrH ANNUAL CONVENTION
IN SESSION AT DETROIT.
GCNpERS UNABLE TO BIB PRESENT.
His Annual Report-The "Industrial
RevivaI'-Our Wer on the Fill
pfnos-Protests of brewers and Sta
tionary Engineers Withdrawn.

~ LuU QcltBdltS, an NAoHehNo
OF trade unionism. with an estimated
total membership of nearly $4,000, were
seated at writing tables scattered over
the floor of Harmonic Hall to-day, when
the nineteenth annual convention of the
American Federation of Labor was cali
ed to order. In the absence of both Presi-
dent Gompers and Nice-President Nc
CURE. the gathering was called TO order
by James Duncan, OF Baltimore, second
yice-president. Mr.. Duncan announced
that Mr. Gompers was still suffering Sc
yerely from a dislocated knee and other
injuries, resulting from recent wagon
and street car collision in Washington,
and possibly might not be able TO attend
the convention.
After the adoption Of a resolution or
sympathy for President Gompers, the
annual report of President Gompers was
read by Vice-Presdent Duncan. 1t is, in
part, as follows:
INDUSTRIAL REVIVAL.
"The revival of industry which we have
witnessed within this past year Is one Tor
general congratulation, and ii should De
our purpose 10 endeavor TO prolong this
era of more general employment ana m
dustrial activity. In this effort no power
is so potent as organized labor, II we put
follow right and practical course.
when the present Industrial activity
first manifested itself employers generally
sought to increase the hours of labor OF
all: and. had IL not been for the deter
mined stand made By our fellow-unionists,
as large a number would be unemployed
during this period as were unemployed
during the period Of industrial depression.
cit is beyond question that the wages
of the organized workers nave been IN
creased. and in many instances the hours
of labor either reduced or, at least, main
tanned.
practically the only advantage which
has come to unorganized labor from the
industrial revival has been longer hours
of daily labor with additional burdens 10
bear.
"With the workers toiling longer hours
of labor than are necessary, without the
opportunity of cultivating and increasing
their consuming capacity-that Is, with
out increasing their power OF consuihp-
ton nearly commensurate with the Won
derful productivity Of modern labor-the
present Industrial activity Will be snort
lived. Even to-day, when nearly all JOIN
I'm the Joyous acclaim OF industrlal pro-
gross and commercial success, we may
witness in any of our cities poverty
misery and despair. The slums OF our
great cities stand as an accusing spectre
TO the maladministration OF our economic
political and social affairs. In the MIDST
of this wonderful era OF prosperity
saualor and degrading environments are
the natural results of unnatural ana III
human conditions.
.The trade union movement from time
immemorial has devoted it's largest Efforts
towards obtaining humanizing conditions
for all. Ii has not sought 10 destroy, put
IN build I'D manhood character, ana the
highest attainable conditions or society
That IL has not made faster progress Is
due not to us who have done our duty
TO our fellow workers. but 10 those VINO
have failed to ally themselves in the no
BILE cause.
OUR WAR ON THE FILIPINOS.
"The principle of elf-government Is DC,
ing denied the Filipinos. Some nave sala
the Fiipinos are incapable OF sen-sos-
eminent This is the same charge nlaue
against every people VINO nave eser e
deavored to achieve independence ana
estobIish enforcement. The people
there are entitled to the right 10 llsu-
into \ government Of their own choosing,
the highest or best form OF government
that they can institute and MAINTAIN, ana
IN institute IT, too, without let or hlioei-
auce on the part OF any nation, muCh le9s
our nation, the republic or the Chiteu
states on whose foundation stone Is
carved I'm immutabe letters the declara-
zion that governments derive their just
nowers from the consent of the govern
ed. ,. ,o,,yee,
when the treaty of peace between
Snain and the United States was uiuei
in the United states
,te every effort was made by our inlpe-
atoi,sts and expansionists TO secure us
ratiGcation. Coercion and threats OF the
r,oet far-reaching character were en-
nIoved To change the votes OF some seha
80 from the opposition 10, TO appioNai
-, Tho treaty. The fallacious argument
,bsn advanced was that unless the treaty
was signed we would still be at wal w
SDain-as IL Spain were longer aVio
contend against US. 1t was urs'u 'n Ia,
the form of the government ana the u'
nosition of the former spanish poss
s,ons could be disposed OF ialer. 80
that the treaty has Deeh l"'"l-, -
ratified BY questionable means anu u
thods. it IL declared that 49, and
80 come TO us "by solemn treaty, anu
49, ne are bound 20 take possession u
tban and govern them as we may ueein
best. .s,o,ds and the
neonles therein, the principles mFo'seS'
~ interests at stake. are or Vltai M
,aart To ms and to them; but beneath ~
aii there is the purpose Of those VINO nave
an, faith i'm the principles Of our repuo-
iso those who have no confidence III, vi
reliance upon, the honor, honesty, am
r.a1,lttv of our people and our form Oh
s,"vernment. and who aim TO erect a
chrome of despotism upon the toino VI
snaedon whose initiatory step is a large
stording army, and who, with militarism
% rnpant hope to crush out the memory
~ aud the aspiration for true liberty anu
Sroedon for all our people
PROTESTS WITHDRAWN
Tho reuOrt OF the Credentials commit
roo announced that the Brewery workers
and the Stationery Engineers had each
,,itbdrawr their protests against the
otbers being seated, and had expressed
,r''lirgness that their troubles 80 to the
Committee on Grievances.
The reports Of Frank Morrison. sec
rotarv and John b. Lennon, treasurer
- read They show. for the year end
,ro October 3lst last, receipts amounting
,o e14S55 and expenditures 10 the
LA