Waterbury Democrat., 1901-10-09
Speech of IA. Sullivan President
 of State Branch.

President Sullivan's report was as follows:
 To the Officers and Delegates of the
 Sixteenth Annual Convention of the
 Connecticut State Branch, A. F. of
 L.-Greeting:
 Ii is my duty as well as pleasure to submit to you a report of the work accomplished during the past year and also Of the progress of the labor move ment in Connecticut, since our last convention.
 The past year has seen the greatest progress and development of the trades union movement in Connecticut, if we may base our conclusions upon the gain in membership of the various unions, of any since the organization of the State branch.
 The increase in membership of the State branch has been marvellous aud the beginning of this new era should give our members new hope and cour- age. fo1 our movement to-day is nearer being understood by the mass Of toll CTS They perceive that with leaders who conscientiously strive for the pro- motion of their rights and privileges, lSbor's voice will receive due recognl- tion 3n the hall of capital, and the eIn- ployer and empleye sit together and arbitrate their differences. Our broad and correct principles being now bet ter understood, it is but a natural con- sequence that employers concede that labor organizations have come to stay and that labor has rights which must be respected.
 The development and growth of our local unions has brought us face to face with new and grave problems. the C 41,ox v<Nf.1v- CTS individually and collectively, aid it must be clearly understood that 10 hold the ground already gained and to prepare to meet the further onslaugb of organized capital each and every one of us must arouse ourselves to the duty and dangers that confront us and work willingly and tirelessly that our organization may go ever onward and upward.
 The exalted position of organized la hor to-day is but the fruits of our own endeayor and no further demon stration is needed to impress upon our minds the fact that all future advances and all benefits and samelioratioas must be accomplished from within our organizations All credit top any out side influence which may assistIus, and to tlie individuals who may, through
 
 must never forget that a strong aud united action in a worthy cause is ai- ways cOmmendable and the success 0 our efforts rests entirely with ourselves through our trades unions. From the conditions and situations which sur round and confront the daily lives of OUT people many questions arise with which we must deal at this convention. and it is my hope that we shall deal as conservatively and act as intelli- gently as former conventions have done.
 The work of securing new utilization is a labor with which few men can be entrusted, for it requires ability, intelli- gence and tact and willingness to work, far beyond the hope of pecuniary reward.
 The work of your organizer during the past year was most commendab1e, and yet we cannot hope to maintain our present membership and to build it greater and greater each year by the efforts of one man. To hold our, mem bersHip- we must depend upon the young men who are entering our ranks, and our energies should be bent 1o- wards training those young men to the work of organizing. On every hand the :, ,'sold guard' who blaZed the way, who oveTcame unlimited obstacles which seemed unsurmountable and who al- ways 1abored under most tremendous difficulties. are retired or are retiring.
 They had no fixed lines along which to proceed. They had to fight every inch of ground gained. They had to lUy their experience, and in many in- stances it was very costly. They had to build up a reputation for us. They had to overcome the most intense pre- judice. They had to overcome the methods of generations and their 7ic- tories are the result of unselfish deyos ton to the cause of labor.
 No organizations which ever existed have given to the world so many great minds and brilliant leaders as our Ia bor organizations, and yet to-day Hhe demand is greater than the supply. We. arc only starting on the work that lies before us. and great as our prog ress has been it is as nothing com rared to what it will be in the future. and our future lies in the training of our young men to take up the burden Of the pioneers in the movement and to organize and educate the toilers and increase the prosperity of the State branch and all local and International unions in this great work Each city should strive to affiliate all organiza- lions with the State branch, and he should receive just remuneration for his services
 Fifty-eight organizations were re- ported in good standing at the last convention, and during the year the following were added by your organ iZer. J. J. O'Neill:
 Painters and Decorators, New Lon- don; Lumber Mill Workers, Bridge port: Screw Makers. New Britain: Ma chinists, New London; Textile Work CTS. Waterbury; Corset Cutters. Bridge port; Machinists, No 1S9 Bridgeport; c. L. Waterbury; Clerks. Bridgeport; Baibers. Derby; Electric Workers, Bridgeport: Longshoremen, New Lon don: Mechanics, Derby: Polishers and Buffers, Waterbury: Building Labor CTS, Bridgeport; Hat Finishers, South Norwalk; Barbers, South Norwalk
 Our constitution in describing the duties of the state president, says: "He shall submit a written report of all his official acts during his term of office and pursuant to this clause it is my duty to report having secured the afJjl- iation of the following organizations during the year
 Bartenders, Hartford Stove Mount CTS. Norwich; Clerks, Thompsonville; Allied Metal Mechanics, Hartford; Clerks, Danbury; Clerks, Waterbury; Clerks New Britain; Screwmakers, Hartford; Machinists, Hartford; Cigar makers, New Haven; Assorters and lo---