Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-22
THE TEXTILE WORKERS
Their First Annual Conven-
tion in Session Here.
REPORTS OF OFFICERS
CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED
CHANGES IN CONSTITUTION.
Address Of Welcome by Mr.. Samuel
Gompers, President Of Fedora
ton of Labor.
REPORTS OF OFFICERS

At the session this forenoon of the United
Textile Workers of America which is hold
ing its first annual convention at Typo
graphical Temple, the committee on the
presidents report submitted it's delibera-
tons, several of the matters contained
therein dealing with proposed changes in the
constitution, such as increasing the per capt.
ia tax and the election of a president who
shall devote his entire time to the welfare
of the organization. The report was re-
ferred to the committee on rules and by
laws. Other parts of the report, dealing
in the most part with strikes during the
year, was adopted
One of the most important points brought
out in the report of the committee on the
secretary's report, and one which provoked
considerable discussion, was the application
of the silk workers for permission to get a
separate charter from the American Fedora
ton of La Dor. The delegates concluded that
il was unWise at this time to permit such
procedure, holding that the United Textile
Workers Of America have complete jurisdic-
ton over all textile workers.
Reports of Officers.
At the session yesterday afternoon the
annual reports of the officers of the organi-
cation showing the progress made during
the past year occupied the attention of the
delegates. That of President Tansey rec
commended an increase of to 10 cents per
quarter in the per capita tax, and also that
the officers of the association be given
thority to commission organizers to work
in sections where the necessity therefor
may be apparent.
The report of the treasurer showed an in
come from all sources for the year of more
than $4,000 and expenses of s10,SOO, OF
which 5000 was spent in aid of the strk
at Augusta. Ga. several months
Other reports showed a total strength in
the association of 1S5 unions and about 49,
600 members.
Mr.. Gompers' Address.
Samuel ]. Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, delivered
the address of welcome to the delegates.
Mr.. Gompers said he greeted the delegates
not only in behalf of the labor movement
in the District of Columbia, but of the
whole country. Referring to the movement
to increase the per capita tax, he said that
the labor interests, like all other elements,
were looking for results.
IF you can succeed in organizing" he
said, 'if you can succeed in getting higher
wages, If you can succeed in preventing
reductions of wages and securing a re-
duction in the hours of labor and a better
condition of employment, the textile work.
ers, Like all other wage earners, will not
object to paying little to this end. 1t
means that you will secure the confidence
of the members of your craft of your or
ganiZation, and 1t means your ability to
stand by them in the days Of trouble"
Mr. Campers referred to the child labor
movement in the south, and said that
through the efforts of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor the general assemblies of
Tennessee and Kentucky had enacted legis-
lation prohibiting the labor of children, and
the campaign is being waged in other
states.
The Coal Strike.
He spoke of the closing of the strike of
147 900 anthracite miners in Pennsylvania,
and denounced in vigorous language the at
titude of the coal mining companies and
their presidents. 1t is no wonder, he said,
that these presidents of the mining COM
panies regarded themselves as something
more than mere human beings. Now that
the strike of nearly six months is over the
cause of human liberty and human justice
have received splendid impetus Labor
has made a stride of wonderful proportions,
and the outcome of the strike will have the
greatest possible effect in determining the
condition of labor in the future After this
great strike and its outcome the employer
of labor will think twice before he permits
a repetition of what has taken place.
The delegates cheered the words Of Presi-
dent Gompers.
Official Roster.
The officers of the United Textile Work.
ers of America, which was organized year
ago in. this city, are: President, James Tan
sey, Fall River, Mass; first vice president.
s. ]. Thompson, Columbia, S. c.; second
vice president, NJ. J. Connor, Thompson
ville Conn; secretary, Albert HILBERT Fall
River: treasurer, James Whitehead, Fall
River. Executive committee Samuel Ross,
New Bedford, Mass. Matthew Hart New
Bedford John Waldron, New Bedford;
Thomas ODonnell, Fail River: Thomas
Taylor, New Bedford; Anna Nash, James
town, N. Y; E. H. Garter, Langley s. c.;
H. S. Whiteman. jamestown, n. Y. and