Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-01-20

charge as a New Years present
One of the most remarkable and
hopeful industrial movements noted
in the south of late years." says the
American Miller, SIS the present ten
dency to curtail the cotton acreage
and to enlarge that devoted to wheat"
Changes in the rates of wages Of
about 1000 work people were report
ed to the British board of trade dur
ing October, Of which number 100000
received advances, and 700 sustained
| decreases. The net result was an in
| crease estimated at about Sad per
head in the weekly wages of those af-
| fected.
A meeting Of much Importance to
the printing crafts will be held in
Pittsburg on Jan. 8 between represen-
tatives Of the International Typo
graphical union, the International
Printing Freshmen and the Interna-
tonal Brotherhood of Bookbinders. A
representative of the photographers
| may also be present.
The eighteenth annual convention
| of the American Federation of Labor
advanced the cause Of labor in two
ways-by some things it did, and by
refusal to do some things it was ask
ed to do. By vote of nearly five to
one 1t refused to adopt resolutions
which declared that the only way to
insure to labor it's just reward and
proper recognition was to cast aside
existing institutions and substitute for
them straightout, uncompromising So
cialism, and that this step should be
at once taken. What it did adopt, in
stead, by an equally decisive vote, was
this:
I'VE heartily recommend the cordial
acceptance of all assistance that may
be given by the trade union movement
by all reform forces, the socialstic
political parties included. The hope
and aspiration of the trade union is
closely akin to that expressed by the
socialists. That burdens of toll may
be made lighter, that men shall possess
larger liberty, that the future shall be
better than the past, may properly be
the ideals Of those of all movements
which really desire labor emancipa-
ton. We appreciate however, that
men, because of different environment
through life, must of necessity reach
different conclusions, if not as to the
end to be attained, certainly as to the
roads to be travelled to the goal de-
sired. We affirm the trade union
movement to be the legitimate channel
through which the wage Garner of Am
erica should secure present and future
emancipation. We hold that the
trades unions of America, as compris-
ed in the American Federation of La
Dor, do not now and never have de-
clared against the discussion of econ
omic and political questions in the
meetings of their respective unions.
We are committed against the indorse-
ment or the introduction of partisan
political or religious differences or
race prejudices. We hold it to be the |
duty of trades unions to study and
discuss all questions that have any
bearing upon industrial or political
liberty, but we declare that it is not
within the province of the American
Federation of Labor to designate to
which political party a member shall
belong or for which political party he
shall vote"
Never was a fiercer fight waged in
the Federation for the substitution OF
socialstic for trades union principles;
never did the champions of the former
come more sure of victory, more intol-
Grant of contradiction; never was
their defeat more signal; never, and
this is the result of their attempts, was
the federation so firmly planted on
those conservative, progressive
principles that enable it to come
to state and federal legislatures and
executives and ask for enactment and
enforcement of laws looking to the
greater reward, the fuller considera-
tiGn of labor.
In an address to the convention, in
reply to the argument in support OF
the socialistic resolution, Mr.. Gompers
said in part:
"The very men who advocate and
ask us to commit ourselves to this
have, in the past, done all
that man can do to disrupt trades un.
ions. One of the parties referred to
called a convention to form a rival to
this federation. At that convention
they, on a broad streamer, emblazon-
ed in letters of red, Wreck the Old
Trades Unions and Pull for Social.
sm." They have attacked conserva.
ism and everything that is ground for
our cause. If their proposition were
likely to advance the interests Of la
Dor, would give it my adherence at
once, but knowing as / do that every
attempt at diverting our efforts has
been followed by an era of inertia and
1 cannot subscribe to it.
Rather than turn our unions into ward
,lubs, we are working on the line that
will better our interests before the
whole country. l know that progress
S necessarily slow, and there is no
uch thing as a short cut to the mil
enium. am sure that we are on