The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-07
THE TWELFTH CONVENTION OF
THE AMERICAN FEDERATION.
He Says Strikes Are Becoming Fewer
ms Wage Farmers Organize-NO Sex
OF Color Line Permissible.

gates took their seats, and the hum of
conversation which for the last half hour
had filled the hall subsidized and the con-
vention was on.
Among the delegates present were repre-
sentatives of the British Trades Union
Congress and the Canadian Trades and
Labor Congress, three women delegates and
two colored. President Gompers in a few
words introduced William M. Higgins, edi-
tor Of the Irish-American Of Louisville,
who delivered the address of welcome. to
which President Gompers replied.
Following President Gompers's address
Thomas Tracey, of Boston, chairman OF
the committee On credentials, presented the
report of that committee. The reading
consumed some thirty minutes time and
was substantially as follows:
The committee had examined the ere
dentials of 200 delegates, representing oil
national and international unions, ~ state
branches, AZ central labor unions, SO local
trades unions and 3 foreign declarations.
The report was unanimously adopted and
the delegates seated.
President Gompers then began his an
nual address. Our economic and social life
presents TO us new and complex problems"
he said. ''The century now opening be-
fore us requires the keenest appreciation
on the part OF all that upon ourselves and
upon our unity in sentiment, conviction
and action lies the safety, Of the future
manhood, womanhood and childhood or
our country. There have been no rights
accorded unless they have been conquered
through unity, the wisdom and the Wiling
ness of those who nave acquired them to
bear burdens and make sacrifices. What
Is true of the past is true of the present
and will be equally true in the future. To
organize the yet u-norganized workers to
build up national and international unions.
TO make our organizations more effective
TO defend the toilers, to protect and pro-
mote their interests in every way, to as
sure beyond all peradventure the vantage
ground already gained, to progress con-
tinually in abolishing that which the work
ers. their wives and their children have
that justice to which they are entitled. The
success of these as typified by our great
cause now and for all time to come rests
entirely upon the working class itself.
GROWTH IN ORGANIZATION.
he past year has witnessed a most re-
markable growth in organization among
the workers who have realized that there
is no protection of their interests and hope
for their freedom and Justice in the future
unless ii results from the unity Of the
wage-working masses. While the growth
is very gratifying, there is another feature
connected with it which is even a greater
source of congratulation. The workers
have organized in the Unions of their
trades and callings, new unions have been
formed and several national unions created
from heretofore scattered and isolated To-
Gals, and thus the stability or the labor
movement has been more nearly insured.
1--WE have issued direct from the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor during the past
year "a charters-to national and interna-
tional unions, IA: state declarations of la
Dor. 5; city central labor unions, SO; local
trades unions having no national. 4S4; fed
of the fiscal year-Oct. 81, 1900-affiliated
with the American Federation of Labor:
National and international unions. 81; state
federations, 10; city central labor unions.
2O6: local trade unions and federal labor
unions, 1,051. There were issued during the
year from national and international unions
and the American Federation or Labor di-
rect charters to the following: Newly
formed unions, 3.315; charters surrendered
or unions disbanded, GAS, leaving a net in
and a gain in membership of 2S4. S29.
"Our movement seeks and has TO a con-
siderable extent secured a diminution in
the best organized. In fact, the number
and extent of strikes can be accurately
gagged by the extent. power and financial
resources of an organization In any trade
or calling. The barometer of strikes rises
with lack of or In organizations
and diminishes with the extent and power
of the trade union movement. Through
| more compact and better equipped trade
unions nave come just agreements and con-
citations between the workmen and asso-
| ciated employers, and only when concilia-
| ton has failed has it been necessary TO re-
"ft is strange how much men desire to
compel other men TO do by law. What we
desire to achieve is freedom through or
| ganization. Arbitration is only possible
when voluntary. 1t never can be success
fully carried out unless the parties to a dis
| pute or controversy are equal or nearly
equal in power to protect and defend them
| selves or TO inflict injury upon the other.
The more thoroughly the workers are or
| Canized in their local and national unions
and federated by common bond. policy and
! polity, the better shall we be able to avert
such strikes and lockouts by such concflia-
tion. and, If necessary, arbitration; but IL
| must be voluntary arbitration or there
| should be no arbitration at all
NO SEX OR COLOR LINES.
sRealizing the necessity for the unity Of
the wage earners of our country, the
| American Federation of Labor has upon
an occasions declared that trades unions
| should open their portals to all wage
workers, Irrespective of creed, color. ma
tionality, sex or politics. Nothing has
transpired I'm recent years which has called
for a change in our declared policy upon
this question. Upon the contrary, every
evidence tends to confirm us in, this con-
of principle, self-preservation would
prompt the workers 10 organize intelli-
gently and to make common cause. In
making the declaration we have. we do
not necessarily proclaim that the social
barriers existing between the whites and
blacks of the country should or could be
felled with one stroke of the pen, but
when white and black worker are COM
PEELED to work side by side under the same
adverse circumstances, and under equally
| unfair conditions, il seems an anomaly
that we should refuse TO accord the right
of organization TO workers on account of
a difference in their color. Unless we should
give the negro worker the opportunity TO
organize. and thus place them where they
can defend themselves against the rapacity
and Stupidity OF their employers, unless we
continue the policy of endeavoring to make
friends OF them, there can be no question
that they will not only be forced down In
the economic scale and be used against
any effort made by US for our economic
and social advancement, but race prejudice
will be made more bitter and TO the injury
of all.
THE alien contract labor law falls far
short of accomplishing what IL was orig
inally intended to do. for the reason that
violators OF the law are easily and sys-
tematically coached how TO pass the in
spection. The enactment of wise and be-
n~eficent legislation In the interest OF the toll
ing masses of our country must still be
demanded until all the wrongs from which
the toilers suffer are abated. We insist
upon the enforcement Of the rights TO
which we are entitled. Unless we. as the
protest against the wrong. and demand the
establishment OF the right. we shall lose
the confidence and respect of the organized,
J as well as the unorganized toilers Of Amer