Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-06
COMPRESS ADDRESS.
Delivered at Federation of Labor Meet ing Today


 the Fedora ton of Labor was held here l to-day.
 President Gompers in his annual re- port said:
 Our economic and social life present to us new and complex problems. The century now opening before us re- Quires the keenest appreciation on tne part of all. that upon ourselves anu upon our unity in sentiment, conVic- ton and action lies the safety of the future of the manhood of our country. No rights have been accorded to labor unless they have been conquered through unity. the wisdom and the willingness of those who have acquired them to bear to bear burdens and make sacrifices.
 What is true of the past is true of the present. and which is equally true in the future. To organize the yet unorglniZed workers: to build up Ha- tional and international union; to make our organizations daily more CT fective to defend the tillers. to protect and promote their interests ill every way: to assure beyond all peradventure the vantage ground already gained: to progress continually in abolishing that which the workers. their wives and their children have too long borne, and the achievement of that justice 10 which they are entitled: the success or these. as typitied by our great cause, now and for all time to come. rest en- tirely upon the working class itself.
 The past year has witnessed most remarkable growth in organization among the workers. While this growth is very gratifying, another feature con- nected with it is even greater source of congratulation. The workers have organized in the union of their trades and callings; new unions have been formed. and several national unions created from scattered locals. and thus the stability of the labor movement has been more nearly insured. We have issued direct from the American Federation of Labor during the past year Sf9 charters-to national and international unions 14. state fed rationS of labor ,. city central labor unions 96. local trades unions thaving no nationaD, 46, federal labor unions 25O.
 We had at the end of the fiscal year. October 31. 1900, affiliated with le American Federation of Labor. nat n- al and international unions. S2: | te | federations. Is: city central labor unions. 206; local trade unions and fed l eral labor unions. 1,Oo1.
 | There were issued during the year from national and international unions and the American Federation of Labor 1 (direct charters to the followlng | Newly formed unions. 3.375; charters | surrendered or unions disbanded, 34S, leaving a net increase of local unions 1 for the year of 3.02T. and gain i'll membership of 294.329.
 Our movement seeks. and has to | cOnsidera ble extent secured a diminu-
 ton in the number of strikes, particu- | larly among the best organized. Tn | fact the number and extent of strikes 1 can be accurately gauged by the eX- 1 tent power and financial resources of | an organization ill any trade. Through | more compact and better equipment i trade unions have come to joint agree | ments and attempts at cancellation | more frequent between the workmen
 and associated employers, and only
 where conciliation has failed has it | been necessary to resort to arbitra ton. | The only successful arbitration has l been arbitration voluntarily entered | into. Our ain. is to achieve freedom
 through organization. Arbitration is
 only possible when voluntary It never can be successfully carried out
 unless the parties to q dispute or con;
 troversy are equal. or nearly equal in Il power to protect and defend them
 selves. or to infiict injury upon the
 other. The more thoroughly the work
 CTS are organized in their local and na-
 tional unions the better shall we be
 able to avert strikes and lock-outS. SC
 cure cancellations. and arbitration II neceSSary: but it must be voluntary ar
 bitration or none al all. Realizing the necessity for the unity of the wage
 earners of our country. the American
 Federation of Labor has upon all oc , casions declared that trades unions should open their portals to all wage
 workers. irrespective of creed. color
 nationality. sex or politics. Nothing has transpired in recent years whicl has called for a change of our declared policy upon this question. We do no necessarily proclaim that the social bar
 riers existing between the whites anf l blacks could or should be felled witl t one stroke of the pen: but when white
 and black workers are compelled tt : work side by side. untier equal condi ? l tions we should not refuse to accord I the right of organization to worker f because of q difference in their color s The negro workers should have the op l, portunity to organize and thus place
 themselves where they can protect ant
 defend themselves against the rapacit.
 and cupidity of their employers.
 The alien contract labor law fall
 far short of accomplishing what it wa
 originally intended to do. for the req
 son that violatnrs of the law ire esai l lv and systematically coached Eow t | pass the inspection.
 The enactment of wise and bPnef
 cent legislation in the interests of tn
 toiling masses of our country must stil . be demanded until all the wrongs iron 9 which the toilers suffer are abated. l