The San Francisco call., 1904-11-20
UniOnists and Friends
Banquet at the Lick
House.
GOOD WORDS FOR
THE CONVENTION
Casey Congratulations
Followed by Remarks
by Mayor.
ADDRESS BY THE MAYOR

AS a fitting climax to the weeks
work in the convention, it's mass meet
ings, dances and receptions, the two
hundred delegates of the American
Federation assembled last night at the
Lick House and there, with wives,
friends and local hosts, sat down to
a sumptuous banquet given in their
honor.
In the handsomely decorated and
brilliantly lighted banquet hall the
company was seated at ten long
tables At the head of one Of the tables
was Toastmaster Michael Casey, at his
right was President Gompers and at
his left Mayor and Mrs. Schmitz.
There were many entertaining
speeches during the evening, which
were listened to with rapt attention
and heartily applauded. A splendid or
chestra played while the banqueters
made merry over dainty dishes and
drank to one another's health in glasses
Of California vintaSes.
Toastmaster Casey prefaced his re-
marks to the company with reference
to his pleasant duty in welcoming so
many friends Of unionism.
MAYOR SCHDIITZ TALKS.
Mayor Eugene E. Schmitz spoke OF
"The Troubles Of a Labor Mayor" He
said:
THE troubles Of labor Mayor are
but small in comaprison to the oppoSl-
ton which the entire labor movement
has encountered from its inception
until now.
1T would require an entire admins
tration TO set forth the troubles of
Labor Mayor. He meets with trouble
with his friends as we'll as with his
adversaries. When I entered on nv
duties in the city of my childhood
( deeply felt my responsibility. and.
knowing that organized labor as well
as my personality was on trial, was
determined that no act of mine could
be pointed 70 as wanting either in JUS
tice, honesty or fairness to every ele-
ment of our population.
NO administration Of the complex
affairs of a city like this has been
term 1 have tried to maintain nv
ideaI-a conservative policy in which
the employer and the wageworker
should receive equal consideration and
fair treatment. 1 have tried 10 con-
duct the public business of the city. as
and labor. so that. as far as lay in nv
power. friendly sentiment might be
created between them.
Il thought l had done much toward
accomplishing those ends, but now
am beginning to fear that the
conflict between labor and capital. be-
tween aggregated labor and aggregated
wealth may prove eternal and irrecon-
cilable.
The other night in an adjoining ho-
tel, a body OF our citizens listened to
the talks OF their fellow citizens on the
duties of a citizen. The orators were
selected as men entirely without SYM
pathy with the wage-earners and who
could be depended on to assail any Of
fetal in sympathy with the plain peo-
pie and to regard neither honor nor
justice in their references to him.
Il mention this because 1t was pre-
meditated for political purposes, not
so much to make trouble for your rep
resentative as for the cause OF labor
generally"
Governor Pardee telegraphed from FL
Paso, Texas, regrets at his inability
to attend the convention.
SAMUEL GOMPERS' SPEECH.
Samuel Gompers, the famous leader
who has stood at the head of the labor
movement for more than a score of
years. was given a most cordial re-
ception.
He spoke in part as follows OF the
American Federation of Labor:
IT have often responded to the toast
of the American Federation Of Labor
1 feel an additional responsibility to do
It justice with each succeeding year.
Realizing the development Of our
movement know my own inability and
littleness.
"The American Federation Of Labor
"a name. a thought, a hope, typifying
and expressing the hopes of the masses
against the wrongs in modern society.
1t stands for their correction.
THE federation was formed at a time
when the hopes of toilers in unity were
nearly shattered. Indifference and op-
position were gradually overcome and
the little band of workers has since
been augmented into millions, who
have implicit confidence in themselves.
There are many who remember the
dark days in Pittsburg in 1881, when
earnest and true men met TO form the
federation. But don't imagine that In
our advent in 1881 one saw the first
light of the labor movement. There
were others who had gone before, who
championed the cause; great, good and
true men, such as John Stiney, Richard
Trevellick. William II. Sylvis, Ira Stew
art, George E. Mcneil and George A.
Grant could not fail to mention the
names Of the pioneers of our move
ment-"
Mr.. Gompers paid tributes to William
H. Foster, George Chance, p. J. Me-
CURE, the great men In the labor
movements of the past. He further
praised the work and ambitions OF the
men at present working for unionism.
He especially mentioned the members
of the local federated bodies and the
work Of California for uni1cation.
Addresses were also made by James
Duncan, John A. Flett. James O'Con-
nell. Frank Morrison. James WignaH,
Tohr, r TanpOn Max Morris Thomas
1. Kidd, James A. Hayes, Dan J.. Keefe
VVif1fa m Gnencer