The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-13

DEFEATED.
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR
WILL HAVE NONE OF THEIR
MOONSHINE
GoMPERS KNOCKS THEM OUT
By Indirection Socialist Delegates
Attempted to Prove That Trade
Unionism Has Failed
of It's Purpose
GoMPERs KNOCKS THEM OUT
COLOR QUESTION AGAIN FIXED

SCRANTON, Pa, Dec. 12.-Much life
was infused into today proceedings OF
the convention of the A'aerlcan led
Grafton of Labor. The neg-o problem i'll
the South as far as it relates to union
ism, was unexpectedly injected into the
proceedings, and the long standing con-
f1ict between the Socialists and trace
unionists promised to n n1nopollZe the at
tention of the delegates had the Socialists
replied to the trade unionists.
The question of organ 1aig common
laborers into a national UNION and that or
throwing out Of unions all organizations
allied with city, state, national or inter
national unions if they refuse to affiliate
with the American Federation OF lAapor
WIRE also vigorously debated.
The Socialist inciden. came up a. the
n,o,nlng session during the discuss'oE ci
a committee report ind3rslng most OF
tn. recommendations contained N Presi-
dent Gompers annual report. u. a.
Hayes of Philadelphia, national president
of the Glass Bottle Blowers. and Max
Hayes, of the Cleveland Central Labor
union, the well known Socialist, made
speeches strongly urging the enforcement
of laws prohibiting child labor. The az
ter, during his remarks, read long list
of decisions rendered by federal and state
courts against organized labor.
Gompers Talks ForcefuIIy.
A motion to have the list printed i'll
the minutes brought President Gompers,
who was not in the chair at the time, to
his feet and the delegates were treated to
a three-minute passionate speech. lie
said it was unfair to incorporate the list
in the minutes in that way and suggested
that list of the trade union victories
should be printed along with it. He con-
cluded by denouncing the "attempt to
show that trade unionism is failure
ana characterized it as an outrage. A
wave of applause swept over the con-
vention as Mr. Gompers took his seat.
The motion was defeated after w. B.
Wilson, of the miners, had spoken along
the same lines as Mr.. GomperS and the
recommendations of the president were
adopted, except the one referring to
general defense fund. The committee S
suggestion that the fund be raised by ma
tional and labor unions instead of by
the American Federation of Labor was
adopted.
The negro question came up When the
committee on laws reported resolution
compelling all local unions affiliated with
the Federation - join the central labor
bodies in their respective localities. Will
lam Henry Clay, one Of the two colored
delegates from Virginia, made the point
that the Federation, last week, in decid-
ing a contested seat where the color line
was brought into question, had author
lied the creation of separate central
union in Richmond for colored work
men.
Southern UniOnists object.
Charles G. Eckard, of the Admission,
Ala, Trades Council, made the principal
speech in opposition to the resolution.
He said the proposition would compel
white unions to take in negroes, and, If
adopted by the convention, 80 per cent
of the unions south of the Mason and
Dixon line, would secede from the Fed
GRAFTON. He declared the people of the
North did not understand the negro prob
lem His remarks had some influence on
the delegates, and the resolution on rec
omnaendation of the committee on laws
was defeated.
Two resolutions were reported on the
question of organizing the common labor
ers into large unions, and both were rec
cmmended to be sent to the executive
council with instructions for that body
to take up the matter and report at the
next convention. a
The Pacific coast delegates fought out
among themselves the proposition to
drop all unions from the state, national
or International unions unless they join
the American Federation of Labor. The
measure was particularly aimed at the
San Francisco building trades, which is