The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-25
AN ADDRESS BY GOMPERS
FEDERATION OF LABOR PRESIDENT
AT CENTRAL LABOR UNION.
street-Car Fight Reviewed I'm n COM
mfttee Report-The NoIuntary
Contributions.

At the meeting of the Central Labor
Union last night the greater part of the
evening was given up to an address by
President S. E. Gompers, of the American
Federation OF Labor. President Gompers
stopped over in the city on his way to
Alexandria. where he will attempt to ad-
just the differences between the striking
glass workers and their employers. The
popular labor leader entered the hall 70 the
spirited accompaniment Of "A Hot Time in
the Old Town Tonight as played by the
Salvation Army in the street below. and
the assembly. appreciating the appropriate
entrance music OF the star Of the even
ing, burst into hearty applause.
Preceding Mr.. Gomper's address very lit
tie business was accomplished, most Of the
time being consumed in a discussion of the
recent street-railway deal. The report OF
the special street-railway committee proved
to be rather a sharp, satirical review of
the negotiations between the city and the
new company, in which all Of the city
authorities came in for their share OF criti-
cismL The report referred to the commit
tees fruitless efforts towards pushing a
campaign against a long-term franchise. and
it's attempt to rouse the people to demand
a 3-cent fare. The public meeting at Tom
iHSOl f1dll on A1dTCn 10 was CndTdCltTlZtu
as a disorderly affair, to which parties Of
irresponsible political hangers-on and buns
from the Boo gang were invited by those
opposing the purpose of the meeting. THE
real leaders of the mob" the report went
on, were Of the broad-cloth gentry, some
of whom sat on the platform on that event
full night or circulated on the floor, en-
cOuraging the rioters to further excesses."
The paper concluded with a favorable word
for Councilman John Allen, who" it said,
was the only public official who stood up
In opposition to the arrogant power that
stood behind this franchise grab" The re-
port was signed by John r. White. Il. w.
Madden, John Blue, +. s. Gurley and Albert
p. Kempe.
WHERE THE SINEwS CAME FROM.
After a controversy regarding the ex-
penditures and voluntary contributions of
the street-car campaign, the report was ac-
copied and the committee discharged. The
chairman didn't seem able to tell just where
the $40 contributions came from. 1t was
limited some time ago that the Smith-Parry
crowd was furnishing the sinews.
The painters boycott was next taken up
and a mi of forty, representing all
or the labor organizations Of the city, was
commissioned to act in conjunction with the
painters union in an attempt to engineer
its war against the employers to q salts
factory conclusion.
President Gompers was then introduced
and gave one Of his characteristic talks on
the labor question. During the industrial
and commercial crisis of 1893" he said, 1.-THE
men who remained true to organized labor
were not the men who suffered. Those cow
ardly ones who forSook our banner were
the men who had to undergo eventually the
greatest trials and trihulations. If ii had
not been for organized labor, for the per-
sistent and strenuous battle against OPP
preston which 1t maintained, there Is no
telling to what DEPTHS of misery the labor
ing man might have gone down.
THE VOLUNTEER ORGANIZERS.
'There are now five hundred volunteer
labor organizers in the United States who
ara working, heart and soul, in the spread
ing of the gospel OF organized labor
throughout the land. We want to bring all
wage-earners into the fold. and We will
not rest until our efforts are crowned with
success. 1 don't think the millennium will
come with tho Inauguration Of a perfect
labor system throughout the world. Perfec-
ton can be attained and through our zeal,
our determination and our tirelesS work Ii
will one day be attained. But we canno
hope TO achieve success unless We do our
duty And we are not all doing our duty.
Let me say this Of Indianapols-your
city Is not occupying the position in the
world of organized labor that IL should oc-
cupy. L am not we'll enough acquainted with
your street-railway deal to talk authorita-
lively on the subject, but there's one thing
that I can tell you once and for all which is
that any franchise given TO a corporation
without consulting TIE people whose interests
are at stake, is q robbery and an outrage,
and If the workmen of Indianapolis were
organized as they should be your Common
Council would not dare to vote as il did.
It's the lethargy into which wage earners
permit themselves 10 fall which destroys
progress and keeps success in the dim flu
turc."
President Donnelly, Of the International
Typographical Union, and f'esident
Mitchell, of the United Mine WORKER. fol-
lowed with short addresses, In which they
complimented President Gompers upon his
work in the interests of organized labor, and
spoke OF the present satisfactory conditions
in their own respective unions.
President ompers said, after the meet
ing, that he would leave this morning for
Alexandria, and expected to have a confer
ence with the owners of the plate glass
works to-day. Il cannot say anything at
present In regard TO the situation al AleXan-
dria," he added, but / feel confident that
the men have a just cause for 4 strike, and
L think they will win their fight. There
Will probably be a public meeting held dur
ing the day, and L shall address the men,"
Speaking OF trusts, the labor leader said
that ne could only repeat, In reference to all
giant corporations, what he had said of the
street-car case. '~rhese great franchises
should not, under any circumstances. be
controlled by private parties he declared.
The result is always harmful 20 the pub
lie, and the public does itself an Injustice
when IL fails to resent the seizure of a fran
chiS6 by n private concern"