The age-herald., 1900-12-09
PORTO RICANS ASK
 FOR FREE SPEECH An Appeal to the Federation of
 Labor BUSY SESSION YESTERDAY The Failure of the Georgia Legislature to Pass the Child Labor Bill Was Criticised - Renewed Efforts
 Recommended.
BUSY SESSION YESTERDAY

Louisville, Ky, December S.-The Ameri- can Federation of Labor began its third days session with vigor and got down to business this morning.
 After the preminaries an appeal from the Federation of Labor of Porto Rico was read for freedom of speech in assembly and press and that committee visit the island for the purpose of investigation and organization. A telegram from the Wom ans Christian Temperance Union asking for assistance in putting down the liquor traffic was also read
 The reading of the report of the eXecu- tive council consumed hour or more, after which reports of committees were called for. Only one-the resolutions conl- mittee-was prepared to respond.
 The first business of the morning session was the presentation of the report of the executive council through Second Vice President Duncan reviewing the action of national and international unions for the past year. The report criticised the failure of the Georgia Legislature to pass the child labor bill and recommended renewed ef- forts at the next session: criticised the treatment of street railway employees at St. Louis during the street railway strike in that city; the action of La Resistancia at Tampa Fla, and reaffirmed the right of American citizens to work without hin- drance; cites the reduction of the working hours Of granite cutters to eight hours and increased average wages 16 2-3 per cent in the United States and Canada.
 The report was referred.
 The Chicago Secesisonists. 4
 A resolution was adopted fixing the limit of time to June 1, 1901, for the expulsion of the dual and seeding local organiza- tions by the Chicago Federation of Labor and other central bodies.
 Action on the report of the committee on resolutions resulted in the adoption of resolution instructing the Federation to assist the International Association of Machinists in bringing about a change in the department rules whereby there shall be but one class under which machisitS are employed, who shall receive the stand ard rate of wages.
 A resolution was also adopted instruct ing the state branches of the Federation in each state to petition the Legislature for a change in the constitution providing for the submission to the people of consti- tutional amendments on petition of voters and instructing the executive council to ask for like amendment to the Federal constitution.
 Adjournment was then taken until Z o'clock this afternoon.
 The greaer portion of the afternoon session was taken up by the formal pre- sentation of fraternal delegates John Wier general secretary of the Fifeshire Miners Association of Scotand Peter Curran chairman of the general Federation of Unions, and A. c. Carey of the Canadian Trades Union Council, and a short re- sponse by President Gompers.
 Walter Vroman, founder of Ruskin Hall in Oxford England and Trenton, Mo-, made an address in behalf of the movement in which he is engaged.
 resolution was adopted in response to the greeting of the w. c. T. U. at Wash ington, that the Federation accept the good will of that body and "extend hearty cooperation in the good work in which they are engaged" asking that the w. c T. U. in turn manifest sympathy with or ganized labor by giving patronage to Union laNels in every trade. John A. Hunter who was one of the fraternal delegates tC the last British Trades Union Congress then read his report\as such delegate. Un. der suspension of the rules adjournment was then taken until Monday.