Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-25
IN LABOR CIRCLES
60
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ing, after one of the longest sessions in the
history of the organization. For the past
few years the work of the convention has
occupied but two weeks, or less, but it was
impossible to confine the convention just
closed to that limit. By many the twenty
third annual convention is looked upon as
marking an epoch in the history of organ
lied labor in the United States.
President Samuel Gompers. Secretary
Frank Morrison, First Vice President
James Duncan and Third Vice President
James O'Connell of the federation, to-
gether with the local leaders who repre-
sented their international organizations at
the convention, are expected to arrive in
the city from Boston today number of
the party left Boston Immediately after the
adjournment Monday evening but stopped
on for short time the way to attend
to matters requiring their personal atten-
ton.
AS has been reported in the press dis
patches. the convention took action in the
open shop controversy, in which the
local people are more than ordinarily inter-
ested, by adopting resolution calling the
attention of President Roosevelt to the aft
davits and testimony submitted in the
Miller case by Local Union No. 4 of the
International Brotherhood of Bookbnders,
ana asking that, upon verification, Miller
Immediately upon their return to this city
President Gompers and Secretary Morri-
son, assisted by the other officials of the
federation located in Washington will be-
gin the task of preparing several labor bills
for submission to Congress. AS heretofore
stated, the federation will labor for the
passage of the eight-hour bill, the immi-
grafton bill. the convict labor bill and sew
eral measures which have occupied atten-
ton during past sessions.
The monaghan irnmigra tiOn'' e likely a
be made the topic of one of the new meas.
ures to be presented by the federation to
Congress. President Gompers regards i'm
migration as a menace to American labor
and in his annual report says:
Separate and apart from all other
questions of immigration is the one that
confronts us in the form of the Mon
golian. We have a law, secured through
our efforts, excluding Chinese from the
mainland of the United States and by
proclamation they are prohibited from
ENGRAVING to the United States posses
sions. Efforts. however, have been made
to make it appear that Chinese are neces-
sary to the industry of the American pos
sessions. That this claim is unfounded is
demonstrated not only by the investiga-
ton made by the representative of the
American Federation OF Labor sent to
Hawaii, China, Japan, the Philippine Is
lands. but is borne out by the statements
or native and American workmen to the
effect that there are sufficient numbers of
men to perform all the work and all the
kinds of work which now, or which may
in the near future. be required that as a
matter of fact. in the Philippines there
are more Cinnamon, half-breed China
men. than is good for either the indus
trial development of the islands or the
economic, social and political interests of
the Philippine people In Hawaii the jap
anese have invaded every industry and
calling, and there. as well as in several
sections of the mainland of the United
States, have become and are a growing
menace to the well-beng of our people
From every section comes the complaint
and the warning that unrestricted jap
anese immigration is as grave danger
To-Day as was at any time in our history
the unrestricted immigratio of Chinese
This convention should emphatically de-
clare Its position upon the immigration
question, not only from continental Eu-
rope, but from China and Japan. into the
mainland and the insular possessions of
the United States. 1 would recommend
that the appointment of a specjaI com
m1ttee be authorized early in our session
to hold meetings during our convention
and report thereto fully before its close
our attention is also called to that
part of Gov. Taft's report of October 1
1902 to the Philippine commission on the
Philippine labor conditions, which clearly
shows the danger of Monaghan immigra-
ton into the islands.
From the reports which reach lis of
the labor conditions in the Philippines
and our own knowledge of the Chinese in
our own and other countries. we have the
right to and will dissent from Gov. Taft's
suggestion that any Chinese be admitted
to the islands under any conditions. We
cannot. however but commend the very
enlightened view he takes in his opposi-
tion to the general admission of Chinese,
ana also to the views he expresses on the
labor movement"
The annual report contains a reference
TO the attitude of certain college professors
and teachers in public schools toward chill
dren OF the working people, and the eco
nomics of the day relating to labor Prest-
dent GomperS communicated with a num-
Der OF authorities, in and out of labor cir
cles, for purposes of investigation. He says
that although large number of replies
have not been received, yet those which
have reached him concur in one way or an
other in the judgment expressed by Prof
EDWARD w. Bemls. who answers his ques-
ton as follows
"a That many different points of view
are honestly represented by our college and
university teachers, and some are progress
sive and seek to keep in touch with labor
monopoly and taxation problems and kim
dred topics; while others more inter-
ested in purely theoretic or historical sub
jects.
chance to appreciate fully the Industrial
problems of the day. He is living on
fixed salary, which does not vary from
year to year, while his position is COM
paratively fixed and Independent of crises
strikes, trusts, etc, which so vitality enter
into the life of the day.
CD He is usually connected with some in
Stitution which either obtains its funds
from men of large wealth, who are making
money rapidly in connection with special
privileges, or he is in some state institution
which depends for its financial DEVELOPMENT
upon state legislatures, which in turn are
largely controlled by corporate interests
that have some ak to grind All this Gre
ates an atmosphere of conservatism The
social relations of a college or university
teacher are likewise usually among those
not largely in sympathy with the problems
that you have in mind.
"a There has been, during the last ten
years. a growing tendency among trustees
of both public and private universities in
selecting new men to take those who have
not said or written anything likely to an
tagoniZe possible donors. Conseuuently
the men selected, while in most cases sin
cere men, likely to he men of a con-
sentative point of view along the line of
applied economics.
90 Despite all these influences the college
teacher inevitably imbbes some of the
spirit of the age and cannot teach his SUBJ
ject without calling attention to some of
the best of the liberal books and articles
bearing upon it.
Columbia Typographical Union. No. 101,