New-York tribune., 1902-11-20
GOHPERS TO BE EXONERATED.
CONVENTION DENOUNCES PRESI-
DENT ELIOT

New-OrIeans Nov. 19.-The special committee ap
pointed 10 consider the charges made by President
Shaffer Of the Amalgamated Association OF Steel
Iron and Tin Workers. against President GomperS
OF the American Federation OF Labor will report
tomorrow, probably in the afternoon. AS in
vestigation il will terminate in the eSoneration OF
President Gompers, and a sensation It viii
probably wind up in the wet hrecracker class Mr.
Shaffer has not only failed to substantiate his
charges but a member OF the committee is author
ity for the statement that he has never made any
10 that body least He appeared before the
committee and when he came away declared he
had presented his charges. The committee says
he did not formulate them In the absence of
direct accusation there can re only one end TO
the investigation.
The Federation Of Labor convention to-day
wrestled with the subject OF the autonomy OF
trades councils. and the matter was not exhausted
when adjournment taken at o'clock. Floods
of oratory poured out, but nothing was set
tied definitely. The chief fight of the day
in the old struggle between the United Brother
hood Of Carpenters and Joirers and the Anal
Gamated Association of Carpenters. The former
organization asked for the revocation OF the char
ter of the latter because of alleged practices con-
trary to the interests Of the trades union move
ment, its avowed object being force the other
organization into its ranks. After several
hours of debate the matter was referred a
mission of eleven. five from each organization and
an umpire to be mutually selected The commits
sion is to meet before March l. 1903. and
two organizations. No promise made, how
ever, by either organization that the amalgana-
ton will be made. AL hostilities to cease
pending the meeting of the commission The fac
ton in the convention which is opposed to the
reelection of President Gompers has been unable
fix upon rival candidate. Vice President James
Duncan has refused commit himself in either
direction, and James Lynch, of the Typographical
Union, is now spoken OF as a candidate.
A resolution condemn1ng the recent reported ut
teranCes Of President Eliot of Harvard, favor of
"scab' Workingmen, was reported faVorably by the
committee, and its action was indorsed by the con-
Vention.
The first paragraph of the resolution, as origi-
nally introduced, began Whereas, the head of the
foremost American university. President Charles
the resolutions committee called the attention of
the convention to the word foremost" saying that
tho committee had changed the word to 'promi-
nent," as the members did not believe that an in
stitution which would retain its head a man
capable Of such expressions those represented
of President Eliot could by any possibility be the
foremost university OF the country
Delegate Joseph b Allen, of Philadelphia, desired
that the word be changed to the head OF one of
the degenerate universities"
Delegate Lighthan. of Chicago declared that
President Harper of Chicago University and John
D. Rockefeller, the founder OF the institution were
both opposed to the union movement, and that they
We're trying to secure control OF the public schools
in that city. and that the laboring men were en-
deavortng TO counteract the movement by organ
izing the teachers into unions. The resolution as
amended by the committee, was passed unani-
mOuSly.