The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-23
IOWA LEADS IN THE SENTIMENT
SEVERAL RESOLUTIONS FROM LO-
GALS OF THAT STATE.
Attitude of Newspapers Defined by
Mr.. Lynch, of typographical
UniOn-Routine Affairs.


come strong enough to be able to railroad
through conventions resolutions favoring
their political beliefs, and in that manner
leaning toward socialism. At New Orleans
the American Federation OF Labor had most
of its trouble with the socialist delegates.
Resolutions declaring for socialism or at
least some of the principles of that political
faith, were introduced several times, and
to crowd them out and successfully bury
them was difficult and created internal dis
sensions. All the diplomacy and tact of
Samuel Gompers and other leaders of the
labor movement was necessary to restore
an absolutely nonpartisan motive.
In the United Mine Workers there are
about 5000 members who are Socialists.
These 5000 men are the readers and think
ing laborers who have studied economic
conditions until they have arrived at what
they think is the only solution of labor con-
ditions-socalism. Their efforts are entire
ly in this direction and although they were
successfully kept out of the convention,
there are many delegates who believe sim
ilarly. These delegates, coming from To-
Gals with socialistic principles, are DESTROYS
of introducing matters that may be
Speeches similar to that of Mother Jones
in the convention and Frank Duffy, general
secretary of the Carpenters Union at the
Mitchell reception, have caused the socalis-
tic question to come up and the leaders
are anxiously awaiting the arrival of any
resolutions that may be dangerous to har-
mony.
OPPOSED TO RADICAL ACTION.
The leaders of the organization, the con-
sentative miners and general officers, are
heartily opposed to any radical action.
They have persistently refused to allow
politics to enter their organization and will
fight anything bearing the earmarks of a
political motive that appears. 1t is known
that President Mitchell and Secretary Will
son. Fahy. Nichols and the other men con-
spicuous in the organization will antagonize
any movement toward political action, and
they are thought to exert such influence
that action is improbable and nearly impos-
sible.
At yesterday mornings session several
resolutions were introduced and either
promptly tabled or referred to committees
which will either kill them or remove their
undesirable qualities before reporting them
TO the convention for consideration The
State of Iowa has the most Socialists il is
thought. The resolutions which were in
troduced from locals there indicated this.
AS an example, and the one which pro-
voked the greatest discussion and was only
defeated in its purpose after determined eff
fort on the part of the most representative
OF the miners, resolution from a soft
coal district local which declared iii favor
of government ownership of railroads. Sew
eral of the delegates who favored the reso-
luton talked. They described the condition
of laborers in the recent anthracite
coal strike. The railroads, they said,
had conspired to defeat their pur-
pose in striking, and had mo, not trans
said, was in contradiction of the God-given
rights of men and should be remedied by
federal legislation. To secure such federal
legislation concerted action on the part of
the voters, the majority OF whom are Ia
boring men, was necessary, and an indorse-
ment Of the government ownership OF rail-
roads by the mine workers would greatly
stimulate public sentiment they declared.
Walker, a delegate from Illinois, made
speech which Incorporated all of the sug-
gestions advanced by the others. He de-
clared that the management of the great
railroads is injurious to the welfare of
unionism and something should be done to
regulate II. Lusk, of West Virginia, talked
in the same strain. but none of the argu-
ments was conclusive enough TO defeat the
motion of Chris Evans, of Ohio, to refer the
proposition back to the committee for re-
consideration.
A resolution favoring the initiative and
referendum was killed. William Ryan, one
of the committeeman. stated the attitude of
the committee on this resolution when he
declared that to favor the resolution would
involve the mine workers with political
COOPERATIVE STORES.
Iowa locals caused another discussion by
their perseverance in trying to get the mine
workers to approve scheme for the estab-
lishment of cooperative stores by having
the unions to compete with company busi-
ness houses, and stores owned by individ-
uals Ryan, of the committee on resolu-
tions, again succeeded in maintaining the
committees opinion that such action would
be unwise He pointed out the difficulties
| in the way of the success of such an under
| taking and demonstrated the impractical
bility of the idea. The convention agreed
| with him and other speakers and voted the
| proposition down.
These were the only resolutions before the
| convention which threatened its peace. No
| others are expected until the report of the
| delegates to the Federation of Labor are
| heard. These reports are almost certain
| to provoke inquiries on the Socialist reso-
| buttons, some of the miners think. and these
| inquiries are likely to cause some discus
/ sion. The more conservative members of
the organization think they can success
| fully down any resolutions which may be
| introduced and may succeed in keeping
| them ont of the convention altogether.
| This is doubted by some, however, and
some anxiety as to the result is noticeable.
Mother Jones and William r. Farley, ex-
/ ecutive committee from the Alabama dis
| trict, were the principals in an interesting
discussion during the morning. Farley took
exception TO the statement made by Mother
Jones I'm her speech of Wednesday in which
/ she insinuated that the Alabama miners,
/ by their attitude, were responsible for the
/ absence of child labor statutes from the
/ laws of the State. Farley said the miners
/ of his State We're as much opposed to child
/ labor those of any other district in the
1 Union and he thought il unfair that they
| should be criticised by a speaker at the
| national convention. Mother Jones' In her
| reply. did not recede from her position, but
| thought that Farley had misunderstood
/ her. She launched forth into a talk wherein
! she said the miners were responsible in that
| they so voted their beliefs that they did not
| get desirable laws passed by the Legisla-
| ture. The two were reconcied after a
facetious delegate had introduced a resolu-
ton providing that the two parties TO the
argument kiss and make up"
FAIRNESS OF NEWSPAPERS.
1t is not probable that the committee ap-
pointed to see the proprietors of the In
dianapolis newspapers and ask them TO
print the union label in their publications
will go TO the proprietors. James NJ Lynch
of the international Typographical Union
| talked TO the convention yesterday and
! said all of the papers in the city were fair
10 union labor and from the tone OF the
news and editorials printed, better dis
1 nlaVed their friends in hat he int