The labor world., 1899-12-30
WHAT THEY DID.

AS the Labor World was not repre-
senteG at the A. F. Of L. convention
recently held in Detroit, we will give
the report of the deliberations of the
flelegat tes present, given by Max Hayes
to his paper. the Cleveland Citizen.
[Mr. Hayes was a delegate to the con-
vention, as we'll as a representative of
a newspaper, and is one of the most
reliable and up-tO-date "agitators'' in
the field.
He says:
The convention of the A. F. of L.
This year will not go down in history
as remarkable for it's prOgressiVeness.
Many of the same old resolutions that
have grown musty with age were once
more sent through the hopper in per-
functory sort Of manner without arOus-
ing the slightest discussion. Much of
the valuable time of the convention
VALUABLE in that it costs all of thou
sand dollars day. was taken up with
trade fights. Machinery and newer
methods of production and distribution
have so diversified the trades that it
is almost impossible to discover the
line of demarkation. and the vehement
IHu IHcIcdSluS ldlh Ol Ilduc duGOH~
omy'' is becoming quite amusing. Thus
the printers hardly know whether they
are compositors or machinists; the
brewers are kept in continual hot wa
ter to guard against inroads from en-
gineers and firemen, teamsters, paint
ers and laborers; and the woodwork
ing crafts are in a never lending jangle,
and it is much the same in the iron
industries, painting trade and other
occupations.
The painters created a row on an
average about once a day, and finally
their troubles and grievances were got
rid of by saddling them on the incom-
ing executive council, which was in
structed to call a convention and Or
ganiZe new union.
Aside from the trade disputes, the
questions that aroused the most inter-
est were the ship subsidy resolution,
independent political action, the Idaho
affaid, trusts and the Philippine pol
icy.
The Federation took a slightly ad-
vanced position on the independent po-
litical line, as the following resolution
as adopted will show: ;,
Whereas, The various reports sub
mitted by our trade union officials are
in effect that, so far as our efforts by
petitions and interviews with the leg
islatures of the various states and the
federal government are concerned, lit
tie has been accomplished by the
above mentioned methods, for where a
so-cal1ed labor law is passed, it Is Ell
ther declared unconstitutional by the
courts or allowed to remain unenforc-
ed, a dead letter on the statute books;
Resolved, That this Federation rec
Ommends that the various central bod
les of labor in the United States take
steps to use their ballots, their pOliti-:
cal power, on the Independent lines
from the capitalistic parties, in har-
1nony with the action Of our brother
trade unionists Of Europe, Australia,
Canada and other civilized communi-
ties, based on their class interests as
Wage-wOrkefs, and that hereafter
members of labor organizations found
on the platform and advocating the in
terests of the old political parties, be
regarded with suspicion as decoys of
the wage-earners, and should be re-,
garded as opponents of the advanced
mitted to a referendum vote Of all the
organizations in affiliation with the
Federation. and should such a vote be
in the affirmative, then Immediately
proceed on the lines suggested above.
The following substitute for the last
paragraph was recommended by the
committees: 49,
Resolved, That this Federation rec
ommends that the various central and
local bodies of labor in the United
States take steps to- use their ballots,
their political power, on Independent
lines, as enunciated in the declaration
of principles of the American Fedora
ition of Labor.
The debate on this proposition was
largely one sided, the powers that be
having probably decided to make a
slight concession. The socialists were
not fought with the virility and bitter
ness that was displayed in former
years, and it is even limited that the
conservatives were loath to create a
discussion for fear of cutting into their
own flesh. The are satisfied, know
ing that they had the power to vote
down a. radical declaration in favor of
straight-out independent political ac-
tion on class-conscious principles. In
conversation many Of the old liners
admit the logic of the socialist posi-
ton, but diplomatically declare that
the time is not yet ripe for bold
charge upon the capitalist system.
They will probably wait, since the
frank and file is not yet ready as
they say, until the socialists nave
cleared the way and popularized the
proposition to establish a cooperative
commonwealth.
Nothing is now said about rainbow
chasing and dreaming" The con-
serya tives perhaps are now compelled
to admit to themselves that the shoe
is on the other foot-that they have
been chasing rainbows and dreaming
about securing palliative legislation.
when we consider what little has been
accomplished during 10! these many
years. after spending fabulous
sums of money in lobbying and for
other purposes. The little, weak Ia
Dor laws that have been secured are
hardly worth the paper they are print
ed on, With hostile courts. legislatures
and administrative officials to reckon
with This is admitted in part of the
independent political resolution adopt
ed, viz. in the preamble, which IS a
gain for the socialist side.
For the second time the Idaho mat