New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-31
CANAL STTRS UP c. T. u.
Report Factoring Project Voted
DOzCn-HOt Discussion.

The report Of a committee which conferred last
week in this city with the Canal Improvement
State Committee the proposition to enlarge
the canal, at expense Of many millions, caused
a stir at yesterdays meeting of the Central Fed
Grated Union The committee of the Central Fed
Grated Union attended this conference. which was
in the Ashland House, at the request of the canal
committee. President Gompers, of the American
Federation of Labor. whose official residence is in
New-York, and who has gone on record as in favor
OF the bill, also attended the conference
1t was supposed when the report which contained
a recommendation that the Central Federated
Union support the proposed measure the ground
that the money expended would be nearly all paid
in wages. was presented that there would be no
opposition. When James p Archibald. of the
Brotherhood Of Painters, representing the Central
Federated Union committee, made his report. in
which he said that Mr.. Gompers asked the Central
Federated Union to ndorse the plan and that the
committee also recommended the Endorsement Of
the plan, Morris Brown, OF Cigarmakers Union No.
IA, Socialist strenuously objected.
My organization belongs to the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor" he said, but all the same,
don't believe that when Mr.. Gompers takes snuff
everybody must sneeze. I would advise you to
think twice before indorsng this plan. Before you
do anything you should make sure that organized
labor can get a guarantee that 1t will have fair
deal If the plan goes through"
Delegate Brown then moved that the Central
Federated Union repudiate the plan until it was
shown that the people would he really benefited.
that it would be built by the people. and that
ganized labor would be employed. Several dele
gates spoke in opposition to Brown, among them
Philip Kelly. of the Theatrical Protective Union.
who said
whether you repudate this plan not the
canal will be built anyway. 1t is to be voted on
next November 10y the people, and If you repudiate
the plan everybody will think that you acting
for the railroad companies. What we want is
public ownership. and IL this canal will not be a
long step in that way 1 don't know what public
ownership will be"
II surprised that Delicate Brown would OBJ
jeCt to this plan" said Delegate Campbell of Typo
graphical Union No 6. THE people are standing in
their own light who vote against it, What the
people want is a competing line with the railroads.
and this the canal would afford"
Brown made another violent attack the plan
The contractors will get all the money, he said
"A government like what we have now. he con-
tinued. ought to be blown off the face of the
earth. When the people run the government of
this country then build any number Of
canals that want. We will stand for the plan
when know that citizens employed on the
work and that every citizen is union man"
There more talk and good deal of hot dis
cussiOn. in which several delegates accused several
others of knowing what they were talking
about. Finally Browns motion was carried al
most unanimously, TO the surprise of a number Of
delegates who evidently expected something diff
ferent.