The Saint Paul globe., 1899-12-13

contentious of the Opposing Inter-
ests Were Heated, and There
Was Much Ill Feeling Engen-
dered-AdJOurnment Was Taken
| Be1Ore Decision of the Disputed
| Question Was Reached.
| DETROIT, Mich, Dec. 12-The question
OF seating a single delegate occupied tha
american Federation. Of Labor the great
er part of today's session The import
ahce or the action to be taken in this
| matter is In the fact that by it the fed
| eratlon expects to establish a precedent
elther OF strict upholding of it's constitu-
| tlonaI provisions in relation to admission
| OF delegates or Of Ieniency In seating in
lts conventions members of labor organ
! lzauons not affiliated with the fedora ton
Inc case In point is that of member
OF non-affiliated labor union who seeks
| admission as delegate from the Central
Labor Union Of Omaha.
The committee on credentials reported
against seating Fred A Kennedy, mem
Der Of the New York Farmers union.
VINO was present as the alternate delegate
! from the Central Labor Union of Bing-
hamton, N. Y. Application for a fedora
| ton charter for the Farmers union had
not been made month previously, as re-
quired by the constitution The report
was concurred in.
The afternoon proved entirely too short
for the arduous discussion engendered by
the next recommended ton of the creden-
ttals committee. 1t was to the effect that
w. H. Bell, delegate of the Omaha Cen
trail Labor union be not seated. Mr.. Bell
is %
Omaha, which is allied to the so called
Lafayette faction the branch Of the
craft which has no af1liation with the
FEDERATED division, the Brotherhood of
PAINTERS and Decorators of America,
known as the Baltimore faction"
! The committee reported that the Omaha
Central Labor union had violated the
constitution of the federation, which pro-
h1b1ts seating of any delegate from any
union Which contains organizations which
| are seceders from the American fedora.
ton.
A motion to non-concur in the commit
tees recommendation was ruled out OF
order by Vice President Duncan
An appeal was taken from the chairs
decision, and the first roll Gull vote OF
the convention was taken. The ruling
was sustained by vote of 1909 to 1899.
WARM DEBATE.
long acrimonious debate ensued on q
motion to concur in the report, and Mr.
Bell and also James H. Kneeland, of the
Federated Division of the Painters were
given leave TO state their positions
Mr.. Bell made an exhaustive plea In
his own behalf. The hour Of adjourn
ment arrived before he had finished, and
the session was extended a half hour to
hear him. He asserted that he represent
Led $4,000 affiliated labor men in his vi
cinity, who would resent taxation by the
federation If denied representation. Mr..
l>Bell urged that other central labor unions
We're represented on the floor under sim
liar circumstances.
Several eloquent speeches were made
! by leading members of the federation,
| most of them urging that the time was
| ripe for a strict upholding of the con-
stitution in admission of delegates. Some
! charged that the legislative council of
| the federation had been too lenient in
| permitting membership to the Omaha
| Central union while knowing that It in
| cluded body Of seceders.
! Adjournment was taken before a vote
! was reached.
! During the afternoon the delegates had
| half an hours diversion, listening to Miss
| Susan B. Anthony, who made an appeal
to the federation to join in a petition to
| congress to refer to the state Iegisla-
| lures for Endorsement a proposed six
| teenth constitutional amendment, pro-
viding for enfranchisement of women.