The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-14
LAB0RING MEN MEET
GOMPERs ADDRESSES THE FEEDER
ALTON OF LABOR.
GIVES WARNING TO MEMBERS.
FUTURE OF TRADE AND LABOR AS
SEMBLIES is ENDANGERED.

By Conflicting Claims of JurisdIc-
ton and He Predicts That Unless
Checked the Matter Will Reach "a
Point Where Laboring Men VIII
Fight Laboring Men From Behind
Observation-Disclosures of Officers
Read and Adopted, Also the Re-
ports of Executive Committee and
Committee on Credentials.
New Orleans, Nov. 13.-President
Samuel Gompers, at the opening of
the American Federation of Labor to-
day, delivered an imprisoned warning
to the members of the organization
that the immediate future of trade and
labor assemblies was seriously endan-
gered by the conflicting claims of juris-
diction made by different bodies. IN
less such things were approached in
calmness and handled with modera-
ton, he declared, the labor organiza-
tons of the country would soon be in
volved in a conflict which would by
comparison, dwarf all the struggles in
which labor organizations have SO far
been engaged. The matter, unless
checked, he said, would come to a
point where laboring men would fight
with laboring men from behind barri-
cades, in the manner in which men
deal with their mortal foes. His
warning of danger and his counsels of
peace and moderation met with
A.1o ,fx - Il
delegates and wild applause greeted
the speaker as he closed that portion
of his annual address in which he had
pointed out the perils which he said
will surely come unless methods are al
tered, and altered soon.
The first day. aside from the address
of President Gompers, was not of
great interest to outsiders, and many
delegates found it fatiguing. The
morning session was occupied with adj
| dresses of welcome and responses and
the report of the Committee on Gre
dentials. The afternoon was con-
| sumed by the address of President
| Gompers, which occupied him for two
hours and twenty minutes of rapid
| ISduluE. Inc I6HfOIt VI JULIET OIlCSIS
required two additional hours. To-
morrow it is expected that the actual
work of the convention will be enter
\ ed upon.
At the opening of the afternoon ses.
sion President Gompers called Vice
President Kidd to the chair and read
his report
The words of praise accorded by the
speaker to President Mitchell of the
Mine Workers were greeted with great
! applause, as was also the warnings OF
the dangers that lie ahead of the
unions in unrestrained claims of juris-
diction over other bodies. The APP
plause deepened when the declaration
was made that no trade should at
tempt to extend it's rule where another
union already exists.
Secretary Morrison's report, which
embodied much detail of routine mat
tors, was then read.
The report of Treasurer Lennon was
the one brief document of the day.
! At the conclusion of the reading OF
the treasurer's report, President Com
pers broke into the routine proceedings
to introduce Mayor Samuel M. Jones OF
Toledo, O.. who made a short speech
that pleased the delegates greatly.
The report of the Executive Commit
tee was then read by Vice President
/ Duncan.
At the conclusion of the report of the
Executive Committee. an adjournment
was taken until tomorrow.
The evening was largely spent in the
organization of various committees.
400 Delegates Present.
The twenty-second annual con-
vention of the American FEEDER
alton of Labor met here to-
day with about 400 delegates present
The visiting delegates were escorted
from the st. Charles Mansion, the of
fetal quarters, by the members of the
local trades and labor assembly, head
ed by Robert E. Lee, president of the
local organization, and by James
Leonard, the federation organizer for
the state of Louisiana.
When the convention had been called
to order Mr.. Lee delivered an address
on behalf of the laboring men of New
! Orleans, to which Mr.. Gompers re-
! sponded. After touching upon the
scope and bearing of the labor union
movement President Gompers declar-
! ed that it was amazing to note the ig-
! norance among so-called educated peo-
pie regarding the aims and objects of
| the organization
1
| President Gompers, poses as a strike
! breaker is fit for the position he holds
| Compared to such men Benedict Ar
mold was martyr and Judas Iscariot
/ a saint"
Although no name was mentioned, it
was understood by the delegates that
reference. was made TO the head of one
| of the leading educa tional institutions
of the country and they applauded
with vehemence. Cheers were again
! the men who acted the role of a strike
! breaker was looking backward toward
barbarism and not toward the future.
The report of the Committee on Gre
| dentials declared that sixty nine nat
| ional organizations, nine state organi-
cations, fifty-five central bodies, fifty
| four local and federal bodies and four
fraternal delegates had reported and
were entitled to representation. The
| total voting strength of the bodies
represented by the delegates was
| about 10000.
A protest against the seating of the
| delegates of the Amalgamated Asso-
! citation Of Carpenters was made by the
United Brotherhood Of Carpenters and
Joiners Upon motion, the contest was
referred back to the committee for
| further action, and it's other recon-
mendations were adopted. James Dun
] can moved that a special committee
be appointed to which all disputes be-
tween the branches of the building
trades should be referred, this COM
mittee TO report direct to the conven-
4 ton. This motion, which removed
y,a,trh ~ the 4uork guofdentot "a the