The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-12-14
LAp9R RADICALS LOSE
Conservative Resolutions Passed
By American Federation.
TREAT TRUSTS MILDLY
SOCIALISM RECEIVES A SET
BACK IN THE CONVENTION.

Louisville, Ky. Dec. 13.-The con-
sentative element of the American
Federation of Labor was dominant
throughout today's proceedings of the
convention, Two resolutions champion
ed by the radical element were voted
down by overwhelming majorities. One
was bitter pronouncement against
trusts and monopolies in general, and
the other declaration in favor of the
cooperative commonwealth and gov
eminent ownership and control o. all
means of production and distribution.
For both of them much more moderate
substitutes were adopted after long de-
bate.
Throughout the debate the propo~
nents of the resolution claimed social
ism as the only solution of the indus
trial problems; trades unionism, they
said, would last as long as the COM
peutlVe system prevails, but the COM
petitve system should be done away
with and the cooperative common
wealth should take it's place.
President GOmDerS and his colleagues
who opposed the resolution took the
ground that the Federation should not
be committed to any political party,
and that the government ownership
proposition is at this time an impracti-
cable theory, with no definite plan for
development into a working system.
Slate for Officers.
The following appeared to be the
most popular list of new officers to be
elected on the last day of the conven-
ton:
President. Samuel Gompers: secre-
tary, Frank Morrison, Washington, D.
C; treasurer, John 3. Lennon. Bloom
ingtOn, III; first vice president, James
Duncan, Boston; second vice presi-
dent, John Mitchell, Indianapolis; third
vice president, James O'Connell, Wash
ingtOn, d. c.; fourth vice president,
Thomas Kidd, of Chicago; fifth vice
president, Max Morris, Denver; sixth
vice president, Dennis Hayes, Phila-
delDhi,
These, if elected, viii constitute the
new executive council
The first resolution called up at the
morning session was one presented by
Delegate NelS9n, Of Philadelphia. dis
approving of the alleged action of Dr.
John Alexander DOwie of Chicago in
importing foreign lace makers for
working in an established industry in
the United States The resolution was
adopted and copies ordered sent to
President Mckinley, Secretary of the
Treasury Gage and Commissioner Of
immigration Powderly.
The convention adopted resolutions
favOring shorter hours for BARRIERS and
extending sympathy and moral support
to the iron moulders' union of North
America.
Trust Resolution Offered.
The resolution against trusts, offered
by Max Hayes of Cleveland, was
amended by the committee and report
ed to the convention as follows,
Dos
vention of the American Federation of
Labor reaffrm its position on the trust
lquestiOn by urging the unorganized
working people to organize in their re-
spective trades as the best means Of
resisting the encrOachmeats of trusts
and monopoIies. And we also renew
the recommendation that trade work.
ingmen generally study the develop
ment of trusts and monopolies."
Mr.. Hayes took the floor 10 protest
against the change in his resolution.
He was replied TO by Treasurer Dun
can, who said the committee had deem
ed a moderate resolution along prac-
teal lines much wiser than radical
illumination against trusts. Mr.. Hayes
position was condemned by number
of delegates as tending 70 transform
the Federation of Labor into political
organization.
John Mitchell, president of the United
Mine Workers. resented a statement
made by Mr.. Hayes to the effect that
if the mine workers would strike again
they could secure a still greater in
crease of their wages.
There has not been one important
step taken by the mine workers. said
Mr.. Mitchell, that has not been bitter
" opposed by the Standardization party
of Pennsylvania. Today our people
earn as good wages as any of the crafts;
during the past twenty years we have
increased our wages 40 per cent and
this has been done through the efforts
of trade unionism. If the believers in
Socialism can point to a practical So
luton of the industrial problem, I am
not so biased as not to be ready to join
them"
Re0oTt AGAINST Socialism