Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-11-21

Action by Committee Investigating
the Alleged Charges
HOT DEBATE ON SOCIALISM
Delegates 20 Labor Convention Die
eass Resolutions COMMITTING
The Federation - Social
istic Doctrines.

New Orleans, Nov II. - President
Gompers has been completely exonerat-
ed of the charges Of infidelity 10 the
principles of trades uniOnism. said to
have been made by Theodore ]. Shat
fer, president Of the Amalgamated As
ISOLATION Of Iron, Steel and Tin Work
ers.
The special committee which has con-
Quoted the investigation reported 10
that effect during the day before the
convention Of the American Fedora
ton of Labor. The committee report
ed that when Mr.. Shaffer appeared be-
fore il he declared that he had not at
any time, either in writing or other
wise, Eiade any charges against Mr..
Gompers Of infidelity TO trades union
ism. nor did he desire to do 80 before
the committee.
P. ]. Sheridan. who brought up in
the convention the resolution which
resulted in the investigation, was also
present at the hearing and was asked
il it was true that Mr.. Shaffer had
made any charges before the last con.
vention of the Iron, Steel and Till
Workers against Mr.. Gornpers. and he
replied that he had. Mr. Shaffer de-
MED it. Mr.. Sheridan offered to read
the minutes Of the meeting at which
the charges were said by him to have
been made. Mr.. Shaffer objected to
this because the minutes were those of
a secret meeting, and if read by Mr..
Sheridan it would involve him in trou-
BILE with his own organizatio for di-
vulging the inner workings Of the con-
vention.
No Jarisdictien.
The convention decided that the
question Of veracity between Mr.. Shat
fer and Mr. Sheridan was something
with which it had nothing to do, and
there being no charges against Mr..
Gompers, there was nothing to do but
return a finding to the effect that Mr..
Gompers was completely exonerated.
This was done, and the report was
adopted by the convention.
For the time being at least all oppo-
sition to the reelection Of President
Gompers has died out. Since the re-
fusal Of James Lynch Of the Typo
graphical union to run for the ONCE no
further effort has been made to secure
. candidate, nor 10 It likely at the pres
ent time that there will be q rival can
didate.
The convention then entered upon An
extended debate in which at times
considerable feeling was shown on the
resolutions introduced by Victor L.
Berger Of Milwaukee committing the
to the doctrines of social
ism. The committee on resolutions re.
ported, ~ similar committee had re-
ported at the Scranton convention Of
last year, that the principles Of trades
union movement contain all that is
necessary at the present time for the
Of the workingmen OF
the country.
Delegate Max Hayes offered a sub
gtitute fos the report of the convention
to the effect that the federation advise
the working people to organize their
and political power to secure
for labor the full equivalent Of its
toll and the overthrow Of the wage
system and establishing an industrial,
cooperative democracy. The substi
tute was ruled out of order by the
chair as being a substitute Delegate
Hayes then offered it as an amend
ment, and it wac so admitted by the
chair.
Delegate Hayes took the door in de.
tense Of his amendment. as did Berger.
Ward, Brewer and Sherman. In op-
position to the amendment and in IA
vor Of the report of the committee
we're Delegates D. A. Hayes. Vice Pres
dent Duncan, Lewis, Duffy and 9TH
.rs.