The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-08
LAbOR'S LEGISLATURE
ORGANIZATION OF THE FEDERATION
CONVENTION COMPLETED.
Nearly 300 Resolutions Presented Yes
terdny Covering n Large Va
riety of Subjects.
SPEECHES BY FOREIGNERS
SOCIALISM ADVOCATED BY TILLETT,
III BRITISH DELEGATE.
Attitude of the Carpenters Explained
ny Frank ChandIer-ChineSe
Labor i'm Canada.

SCRANTON. Pa. Dec. THE American
Federation of Labor. which has been in
session here for three days. completed its
organization to-day and the real work of
the convention will begin on Monday. The
last OF the contested seat cases were set
tied at the morning session. The official
roll OF the Federation shows the presence
OF 312 delegates. the largest number in
the history of the organization. During
the past two days 197 resolutions were pre-
scented for consideration by the convention,
and all of them were referred TO commit
tees. The committees will hold sessions
tomorrow because of the enormous
amount of business TO be disposed of. and
1t is not unlikely that some Of the resolu-
tons will be reported to the convention on
Monday.
The morning session was given up TO the
completion of organization and in the aft
ernoon the British fraternal delegates adj
dressed the convention on the trade union
condition in Great Britain.
W. ID. Mahon. of Detroit, president of the
A-maIgamated Association of Street-rail-
a. Employees. introduced a resolution,
which was adopted, indOrsing the strike
OF the local Street-car Union against the
Scranton Street-railway Company. The
resolution also that the ex-
ecutive council of the Federation give the
strikers every possible aid. IL is likely that
the council viii make "A substantial apprO-
priatiOn. The men have been ON strike for
ten weeks. The company is running cars
regularly with nOnuniOn men. but the pub.
lie Is not patronizing the company TO any
extent.
Among the large number OF resolutions
presented to-day were several relating to
the vital question of trade jurisdiction.
unUnaHNnns -annNH#HAaa anH.nIaHnlI
were these: Asking for an appropriation
OF &,0O TO aid the San Francisco Iron
Workers; increasing the salaries of the
nauOial organizers 10 pee cent, and also,
Increasing the salary Of the president from
$40 to 500 per month and that Of the sec
rotary from $50 10 500 per month: demand
Ing municipal, state and government own-
ership Of railroads, telegraph lines, etc;
asking WOrkmen to aid in the acquire
ment or the power of the government for
the purpose OF natiOnaliZing industrial
combinations; demanding the organization
OF al Independent political party: protest
ing against ship subsidy legislation: ex-
pressing sympathy with the Beers; for the
establishment OF Socialism; increasing the
number of vice presidents of the Fedora
ton from six to eight; providing for the
organization OF State Labor FederatiOns in
Tennessee and Pennsylvania; to financially
aid the wooden mill workers of Knoxville,
Tenn, and the carriage and wagon work.
crs Of Cincinnati, o.; providing for the
organization Of school teachers; requesting
workmen to hold aloof from the militia,
kUu l0OOESlnk lnG SWISS military system.
Frank Chandler, of the AmalSamated
Association OF Carpenters and JOiners, who
Is here as one OF the fraternal delegates
from Great Britain, was introduced at the
opening OF the afternoon session. He re-
viewed the labor conditions az they now
prevail in the British islands. He said his
association organized unions in this cOun-
try thirty-three years ago. and efforts
had been made in certain localities To
have it's members Join the Brotherhood of
Carpenters. He pleaded with the delegates
not to force the Amalgamated members
TO do this or they would sacrifice much if
they took such action. Mr. Chandler feel
1ngly referred 10 the assassination of Pres
ident Mckinley and said the bond between
the American and English people is 50
strong that politicians and %intrigueTs
Benjamin TfIlett, of the British Trades
Union Congress, made an address, advO-
eating socialism Mr.. Tillett held the at
tention or the delegates for an hour and a
half. He said that the force that is doing
more for labor than any other il the "in-
teilectual force of socialism" He empha-
sized the Importance of liberal cOntribu-
fions OF money to help labor in its struggle
Tor better conditions, and differed with
president Gompers on the question OF COM
pulsory arbitration. Mr.. GOmpers, in his
ehnuai report, made an argument against
compulsory arbitration. Mr.. TiIlett said he
Is opposed 10 leaving labor disputes 10 1.-THE
preJudfces of the courts" He believed IN
plscing those questions in the hands of q
board or arbitration made up of experts.
p NJ Draper, OF the Canadian Trades
lA@aANA - dlQ Alultl
the Federation. He said Canada presented
q wide field for missionary work i'm the in
terest of organized labor. He touched on
the chinese exclusion act and said that
canada should also restrict Monaghan
immigration instead of admitting Asiatics
on the payment OF q poll tax of 800. In
British Columbia, Mr.. Draper said, that
I'm "A number OF factories employing 5000
persons, four hundred We're skilled white
wOrkmen and the other 100 Chinese and
Japanese.
President GOmpers replied to the foreign
delegates on behalf OF the delegates. Ad-
dresses also We're made by Miss Harriet
keySer. of the Church League. for the ad-
Vancement OF the interest of organized
labor. and Mrs. Julia Llewellyn. organizer
or the WOmen's International Labor
League. xsae II