The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-29
BUCHANAN GAINING.
His Followers Are Now Conf
dent of His Reelection.

Kansas City, Mo-, Sept 29-Further
routine work was the order of business
for today's sessions Of the annual con-
Vention of the Structural Iron and
Bridge Workers. Within the past "a
hours the followers of President Frank
Buchanan are said to have gained sew
eral votes for his reelection as head of
the organization. They are pursuing an
active though quiet campaign and al
ready claim more than enough votes to
elect. The failure of the New York
local to follow the dictates of Samuel
Parks and suspend Frank Keller for
supporting Buchanan last week has
strengthened the Buchanan crowd.
Keller will retain his vote in the con-
vention. The Parks crowd, while still
claiming that they viii elect E. F. Don
nelly is keeping very quiet, evidently
desiring to be sure of the real trend OF
matters before they make a move.
They are taking but little apparent in
terest in the proceedings of the conven-
ton, seemingly only waiting for their
final fight in the election, which will be
reached on Friday OF Saturday.
President Frank Buchanan of the In
ternational Association of Structural
Iron & Bridge Workers intimated to
reporter that he was on the point of
stepping down and out of. the contest
with Samuel Parks. Mr.. Buchanan had
stepped out from the convention hall for
a few minutes during the session and
was asked whether or not he had yet
decided upon his candidacy for re-elec-
ton as the head of the international as
ISOLATION. He replied:
L have not vet decided whether
shall be a candidate l have not yet
decided whether L shall not step Gown
and out and let the majority rule. The
majority so far seems to want Samuei
Parks and his methods. Now 1t IS
question with me whether it is not my
duty as the president of the association
to let the majority rule. This would, of
course, mean that l, opposed as am to
the things that Samuel Parks repre-
sents, would have to step to one side 1
think any way that 1 have done my
share for trades unionism. You under
stand, of course. that my action wifi de-
pend upon how events shape them
selves"
Daniel Brophy. with proxy from the
Scranton lodge. who was turned down
by the convention. said today:
THE two factions in the convention
are likely to clash at any time. There
can never be any peace between them
and I will be very much surprised If this
convention finishes its labor without
complete split Things are running
quietly now but when it comes to the
election of officers 1 look for trouble.
Parks has already declared that he will
elect the next president and there is a
conservative element that will fight him
to the last ditch
At the morning session the convention
adopted the report of the resolutions
committee which among other things
censured President Roosevelt for his
stand in the Miller case at washington;
censured Governor Peabody for his al
legged position against the union men in
the recent strike in Colorado of the
Western Federation of Miners; Endorsed
the position of the central labor organi-
cations at Washington on the question
of closed shops and recommended that
the various labor organizations of the
country raise funds to make united
fight against the granting by the courts
of injunctions against strikers.