Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-20
OPEN SHOP ISSUE.
American Federation Of Labor
Acts on Miller Case.
Petitions President to Reopen Case
and Examine the Evidence.
Favors Panama Canal, Woman's suf.
frass and Chinese Exclusion.

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frass and Chinese Exclusion.
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Boston, Nov. 1.-THE American Fed
Grafton Of Labor disposed summarily of
the "open shop issue as raised in the
case OF William A. Miller, now employ
ed In, the government printing office at
Washington. and the Miller case itself.
today. by unanimously declaring In
favor OF the union shop in government
as well as private enterprises, and by
petitioning President Roosevelt to re-
examine the evidence offered against
Miller and II verified remove Miller
from the service.
Although the resolution adopted petd-
toned the Federation's view on both
"open shop and the Miller case, the
issues are kept entirely distinct. The
discrimination Of the Miller case is not
requested because Miller is non
unionist, circumstance formerly
urged Az a reason for his removal, but
because the Federation believes Miller
Is totally unfit to be in charge Of
working people,"
Resolutions were adopted favoring
the construction Of the Panama canal
by persons citizens of the United
States, urging that the Chinese exclu-
sion act be made to apply in the
Philippine and Hawaiian islands and
favoring women's suffrage and the cleo
ton of the President and United States
senators by direct vote.
4 notable incident of the day was the
defense OF the United Mine Workers by
John Mitchell in answer to an attack
made by Delegate LAWN Of Wilkes
barre
The delegates were late in arriving
and 1t was some time after when
President Gompers called the conven-
ton to order. 1t was apparent that
not more than two-thirds of the ac-
credited delegates were in the hall and
it was informally announced that many
had left for home. The first matter of
business was the acceptance of an un-
favorable report of a resolution declar-
ing that unionists be obliged to use
only union label goods. A resolution
was adopted on motion of Delegate
Berry of the Tri-City Labor Congress-
calling attention to an agreement with
the ScETCtdIy VI Wal stllCl olI Inc ~
the Rock Island arsenal, and which has
not been recognized by the command
ant of the arsenal and requiring Presi-
dent Roosevelt to order that the agree
ment be carried out and the men who
struck, be reinstated in their positions.
The convention adopted 4 resolution
favoring the election by direct vote of
the people of the President, Vice Pres
ident, members of the cabinet and the
United States senators, supreme court
Judges and attorneys general of the
several states of the Union.
The committee offered a substitute
for resolution presented by Delegate
F1lruseth of San Francisco, that the
convention protest against the building
Of the Panama canal as leading in
evitably to Interference with the SOW
ereignty of sister republics, and to the
annexation of all the territory between
Mexico and the proposed caralA The
substitute favored the constructor O,
the canal but suggested that as there
are hundreds of thousands of southern
European and Italian laborers who are
citizens of the United States, none but
citizens should be employed in the con-
struction of the canal. This matter
was laid upon the table while the con-
vention proceeded unanimously to
adopt the following:
Resolved. by the American Fedora
ton of Labor. that, it deems it abso-
lutely necessary for the preservation
and advancement of the natives of the
Philippine and Hawaiian islands. to
whom the American government has
made solemn pledges of protection, that
the Chinese exclusion act be made to
apply to the Japanese and Coreans and
other Asiatic Monaghan laborers. also
that the. present Chinese exclusion act
continue In full force in the Philippine
and Hawaiian island, and further.
Resolved. that the incoming execu-
tive council Is hereby required to in
struct the legislative committee to have
introduced In Congress 4 bill embody-
Ing the spirit of these resolutions"
A motion to hold the next convention
at st. Louis was referred to the proper
committee.
The resolution on the Miller case
was as follows:
Whereas. the attention of President
Roosevelt. Secretary of Commerce and
Labor Cortelyou and Public Printer
Palmer has been called to the employ
ment in the bindery of the government
printing Office of one William A. Miller
as assistant foreman. and
Whereas, said William A. Miller has
been proved in affidavits and court
records in our possession to be big
amist, perjurer. defaulter. and one to-
tally unfit to be in charge of working
people: and
whereas. the attention of the pub
lie officials above referred to has been
called to seven violations of civil SER
vice rules and two violations of the
Revised Statutes (all of which viola
lions demand instant dismissal from
the service) by said William A. Miller:
and - ~
? whereas. President Roosevelt has
declared the charge of personal unfit
ness Of William A. Miller to be one of
routine matter of administrative de-
tail: and
whereas, we regard the continued !
of William A. Miller in the
government employ to be n menace to