East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1904-11-12

San Francisco, Cal, Nov. 12.-The
largest congress of labor leaders ever
held on the Pacific coast, as far as
the numbers represented and the in
terest involved are concerned, will
begin in this city next Monday with
the opening of the Gath annual con-
vention of the American Federation
of Labor. More than one million or
ganized workingmen in the United
States are sending their delegates
800 in ALTO represent them. Pres
ident Gompers and the executive
council reached this city today and
at once began work on the arrange
ments and other business preliminary
to the opening of the convention
The guests of honor at the conven-
tion will be William Abraham, NJ. P.
and ]. Wignall, fraternal delegates
from the British Trades Union con-
gress.
Evidence is abundant that the COM
ing convention will be the most i'm
portant in the history of the fedora
ton. The organization has split into
several elements, among which seri-
Gus differences exist and there is no
attempt to conceal the fact that bit
ter fight to settle the question of su-
premacy has arisen.
In the first place, there is a fight
for the presidency which is really a
continuation of last years contest in
Boston. A central figure in the con-
test is James Duncan, of Massachu-
sets, who is the present vice-presi-
dent of the federation. He is again
candidate for first place on the
ticket, and the battle will be fought
to a finish between his friends and
those of Samuel Gompers, who is try
ing for reelection.
Duncan is backed by the powerful
Granite Cutters Union, of which he
is national secretary, and by John
Mitchell, of the United Mineworkers'
The delegates in the convention will
represent about 10000 votes. At the
convention in Boston last year Dun
can and his supporters were only
about 1000 votes short of control.
They are making colossal efforts to
make up this shortage before the poll
is taken next week, and their success,
which is regarded by many as not i'm
probable, will mean the passing of
Sam" Gompers as a national labor
leader.
The powerful labor organizations
that stand for what is known as "in-
dustrialism" in the labor movement
are with Duncan and Mitchell. In
dustrialism means the grouping of
several trades under one head. 1t is
opposed to trade autonomy" whose
champion Gompers has consistently
been.
The principle for which President
Gompers contends is that each trade,
no matter bow small, shall manage
its own affairs and receive the pro-
lection of the federation. The Com
pers element charge that the opposi-
tion is endeavoring, virtually, to es-
tablish trust within the ranks of
the labor organization. His friends
declare, moreover, that Gompers has
shown himself to be not open to po-
litical influences: and that Mitchell's
friendship for President Roosevelt is
to some extent motive power in the
J present contest. This latter state
ment is vigorously denied by Presi-
dent Mitchell and those who have
aligned themselves with him in the
fight.
Aside from this contest for the
presidency important questions will
be considered and acted upon that
will make the convention one of vital
interest to organized labor the coun-
try over. The open shop and the an
ti-labor movement, as personified by
/ so-called citizens alliances and party
organizations, will come in for a great
share of the discussions, The anti
injunction law and the eight-hour bill
which went down to defeat at the last
session of congress, will again be
taken up and ways and means dis
cussed for bringing about their pass
age by the national legislature.