Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1901-12-17

Scranton, Pa, Dec. 1.-Two hundred
and eighty.five delegates, representing
more than million and half work.
men. responded to the roll call at the
orening session of the twenty.fist an
nual convention of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor. which was called to
order by President Samuel Gompers
in st. Thomas College nail at 1O:3
o'clock this morning. The convention
is said to be the largest congress oil
workmen ever held In this country.
Organization. settlement Of questions
involving contested seats and the read
ing of the annual report OF the presi.
dent, secretary and treasurer took up
the entire session of the convention.
During the course of the day there
was one surprise sprung on the dele.
gates and one important decision was
also made. The surprise came in the
form of an objection to the seating
OF the United Mine Workers delegates
because II was alleged they were III
arrears in their per capita tax. The
motion was overruled by an almost
unanimous vote of the delegates. The
| important question decided related TO
the contested seat of the delegate from
! lllt StlltTdl lsuUOI tHlVl VI ni'iiiiloiNi'
| Va. which body refused to admit ne
gro workmen to its organization. The
| dispute was adjusted by seating the
| Central Labor Union representati,
and instructing the executive boacd OF
the American Federation of Labor to
form strong central union for colored
men.
The reading Of the annual report Of
/ President Gompers consumed three
hours. Secretary Morrison's report
and that Of Treasurer John b. Lennon
were also read. They were referred
to committees, and at 6 p. m. the con
ventiOn adjourned until . O'Clock to
morrow morning.
Gompers' report shows an increase
OF 81 local unions for the year and {
gain of 36i,410 members. From ma
tional and international unions ant
the federation direct there were ISSUED
1856 charters for newly formed union!
and charters surrendered or unions
disbanded numbered 1850. On OctO
Der 3lst last there were affiliated will
the federation 81 national and inter
national unions, 3zi city central labo
unions, 20 state declarations OF labor
$50 local trades unions and 1893 FEEDER
al labor unions. There were fOu
strikes of general character durinl
the year. sbout these the report says
THAT of the river and dock worker
OF San Francisco was a distinct vic
tory. The purpose for which tn
strike of the Amalgamated Association
of Steel and Iron Workers was inaug
urated was not achieved, and 1t wa
terminated upon conditions less ad
yantageous than perhops could hav
been obtained. Owing to the wide
spread interest this strike aroused
large number of iron and steel work
ers employed by other companies tina
the corporation against which tn
strike was inaugurated have been OF
ganizsd under the jurisdiction of tn
Amalgamated Association. The hop
Is entertained. too. that the day is nea
at hand when every one employed q
the various branches OF industry an
coming under the jurisdiction of tn
: Amalgamated Association may be Ell
rolled as member, prepared to d,
fend and promote the interests of tn
entire craft. and to further the grea
cause for which we unite and federal,
the cause OF human Justice. Officer
of the International Association {
q Machinists report that their strike ha
!: very largely succeeded in establlshin
\ the nine.hour rule In that trade. The
. claim the settlements reached hay
IS given 10000 machinists shOrts
work day, $1,000 others are affecte
y by compromises reached. and 1906
', machinists will receive an average
= % cents day Increase In wages"