The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-11

sumo Importance: THE necessities Of
! the nation had vastly increased demand.
! 2-The Capitalization forced upon the
| government for self-preservation ineW-
| tably extended to commercial and indus
trial relations. The toilers early left the
| increased pressure. and as naturally
! sought relief Hence, on the goth OF
| August, 1866, the year following the close
| Of the war delegates from sixty labor
| organizations met in Baltimore, and as
a result Of their deliberations founded
permanent national organization, which
will be remembered as the National
| Labor union Subsequent conventions Of
! this body were held in Chicago, 1867;
! Pittsburg, 1865; New York City, 1868; Chi
cago, 1863; Boston, 1870; Philadelphia,
1871. and in Columbus, o., 1872. 1t was
! at this last convention that the suicidal
mistake was made of nominating presl-
| Dental ticket, for rapid disintegration at
once ensued.
1.-The great financial crisis Of 1878 fol-
| lowing. the resources of the unions were
! drained. and the suspension of work de-
! creased their numbers. During this period
of darkness and depression secret societies
! arose. but in abandoning the lines OF his
torlc evolution, dissensions were nitro
duced; happily. they have now ceased to
be factor Of importance in our great in
dustrial centers.
"At length the old spirit revived, and
1O7 delegates, representing over quarter
Of a million of workers, met in Pittsburg,
! Pa. on November 10, 1881, and did not
! separate until they had established the
Federation of Organized Trades and
Labor Unions of the United States and
Canada Many, if not all, Of the ideas
adopted in their political demands have
since been taken up ana presented by
other organizations of labor. A legisla-
tive committee was appointed, which pre-
scented several measures to congress, an
important one-a national bureau of labor
statlstics-being finally secured in 1888
The eighteenth annual convention was
held in Kansas City, No, December 1929,
1898. One hundred and thirty-five dele
gates were seated, representing forty
seven national or international organiza-
tons. three state branches, eighteen GEN.
tral bodies and forty-one local unions. 1t
was voted 10 place organizers in the in
ter-mountain district and the southern
states During the session the seamen's
bill was passed by congress. The conven-
ton emphasized the trade union move
ment to be the legitimate channel through
which wage labor seeks present ameliora-
ton and future emancipation, favoring
the independent use of the ballot regard
less Of party; advocating the discussion
Of economic and political questions and
asserting that it IS not within the prov
ince of the federation TO designate 20
which political party a member shall be-
long, or for which he shall vote. I'M
peria!ism and expansion were protested
against Two delegates, Messrs. William
Inkship and William Thorne, from the
British Trade Union Congress, were
present and addressed the convention.
Thomas +. Tracy and James O'Connen
were elected fraternal delegates to Great
Britain, and James H. Sullivan 10
Canada The number Of members on the
executive council was increased TO nine
Convict labor coming INFO competition
with free labor was protested against
Briefly stated, the object Of the Amerl-
can Federation Of Labor is 10 render en-
ploymcnt and the means of subsistence
less precarious by securing 10 the WORK
ers an equitable share of the fruits of
their labor.
"As means TO this end, it proposes: !
First-A free federation OF all trade and !
labor unions in America. Second-The !
establishment Of self-governing unions Of !
wage-earnens in every trade and legiti- |
mate occupation, without exception. !
where none now exist. Thrd-The forma- |
ton Of public opinion by the agencies Of /
platform, press and legislation. Fourth /
The furtheranoe OF civilization and indus /
trial progress by securing 10 the workers /
d reduction in the hours Of labor.
The splendid showing given at the be- /
ginning OF tins article Is evidence OF the I
immense progress made by labor during /
The past year and since the Kansas City
convention. hope TO see Wichita cits- |
zens, especially the ladies and business !
men. as Wen as working people generally.
present this afternoon to hear a fuu and F!
free discussion Of lab5r's side Of the ques- /
lion"