The Washington times., 1902-01-19

the Federation, which first surprised the
agencies of employment by its cohesive
ness and strength and then amazed those
agencies by the moderation of its de-
mands when the revival of the country s
Industries justified revision of wage
scales throughout the United States.
The idea of a universal combination of
wage workers is as old as civilization, but
the age of machinery and specializing of
labor made the demand for such a combi-
nation imperative in the last generation.
Twenty years ago the organization of a
great central confederation of wage work
ers was undertaken despite the melan-
choly recollections of the National Labor
Union, which, organized at Baltimore in
1866. grew rapidly but illogically until
1872, when its leaders We're seized with
the political hysteria of that memorable
vcar and sought swift panacea for eco
nomic evils by uDited political action. The
result was the nomination of David Davis
for President and the withdrawal from
the National Labor Union of many of its
most influential. If numerically weak fac
tions. followed by its sudden demise.
ORGANIZED Labor Benefited.
The cost of the experiment seemed at
that time a dear one, and was most dis
couraging to those who saw the dark
| the advantages OF combination we're to
be lost at time when most needed.
Upon the death of the National Labor
Union several secret societies sprang
up, the purported objects OF which were
analogous to those of the present central
bodies Discussions arose and chaos ap
parently prevailed. Nearly every trade
had its national body. ana few allied
interests were affiliated with each other
fhrn ich tnsr Nr,ntt nr~Ir-
point at which non affiliated trades met
to discuss joint interests was the knights
of Labor Assembly.
But as the lesson, bitter but whole
some. of the National Labor Union grad
ualIy came to be understood in the ranks
OF labor, another effort was made to
create the needful central body. and a
meeting was called at Pittsburg on No
vember Is. 1884, to organize national
confederation.
Central Body Formed.
The Pittsburg meeting, after a long dis
cussion, organized the Federation of
Trades and Labor Unions of the United
States" and set forth certain political
demands and committed their constitu
ents to non-partisan action to secure
these demands, notable among them being
the eight-hour law and National Bureau
of Labor Statistics. 1t is but just to say
that in both projects they received the
valuable if jealous assistance OF the
Knights of Labor, and that body was at
that time of material assistance in for
warding the cause generally.
Shortly after the formation of the cen
trail body with the formidable title much
discussion arose in the constituent bodies
as to whether membership in the central
body would not involve a surrender OF
trade autonomy. To those in the trades
union movement twenty years ago this
was burning question, and threatened
to disrupt trades unions all over the
country. One section stood as exponents
of trade autonomy and a democratic CEN
tral body, to which were conceded certain
rights and powers, and none other, while
the other favored sort of hierarchy
possessing almost autocratic power, rep
resented by the Knights of Labor
The second session of the confedera-
tion was held in Cleveland, Ohio, and
really settled this and analogous ques-
tions by the issue of a manifesto guaran-
teeing the Industrial autonomy of each
affiliated body. and, while deprecating an
tagonisms to other labor organizations,
making the qualities of a man as a
worker the only test of fitness" and de-
claring that it "set up no political or re-
ligious test OF membership"
Declared for Arbitration.
The next year the confederation de-
clared for arbitration rs means of set
Ting labor disputes, and the creation of
a national department of labor was urged
upon Congress.
The next session was held in Chicago