Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1904-11-12
DUNCAN VERSUS GOMPERS.
ANNUAL CONVENTION OF
THE A. F. OF L.
More Than One Million Organi-
cations Will Send Their
Delegates.

San Francisco. Cal, Nov. l2. The
largest congress of labor leaders ever
held ON the Pacific coast, as far as
the numbers represented and the in
terests involved are concerned, Will
begin in this city next Monday with
the opening of the twenty-fourth an
nual convention of the American
Federation of Labor. More than ole
millions organized workingmen in the
United States are sending their dele
gates 800 in ALTO represent them.
President Gompers and the execu-
tive council reached this city today
and at once began work on the ar
raugements aud other business pre-
liminary to the opening of the con-
vention. The guests of honor at the
convention will be William Abraham,
NJ. z. and J. WignaIl, fraternal dele
gates from the British Trades Union
Congress. Evidence is abundant that
the coming convention will be the ost
important in the history of the FEEDER
alton. The organization has split
into several elements, among which
serious differences exist and there Is
no attempt to conceal the fact that a
bitter fight to settle the question OF
supremacy has arisen. In the hrst
place there is fight for the presi
dencv, which is really a continuation
IF last years contest in Boston. A
central figure in the contest is James
Duncan, of Massachusetts, who is the
present first vice president of the
Federation. He is again candidate
for first place on the ticket, and the
battle will be fought to finish be
tween his friends and those of Samue
Gonpers, who is trying for re-elec
ii m.
Duncan is backed by the powerfu
granite cutters association, of which
he is national secretary. and by JohD
Mitchell. OF the United Mine Work
ers The delegates in the convention
will represent about 16, 600 votes. At
the convention in Boston last year
Duncan and his supporters were only
.bout 2 900 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
Improbable, will mean the passing Of
Sam" Gompers as a national labor
leader. The powerful labor organi-
lations that stand for what is known
As industrialism' in the labor move
nent are with Duncan and Mitchell.
Industrialism means the grouping of
several trades under one head. 1t l.
opposed to "trade autonomy, whose
hampton Gompers mas consistently
been.
The principle for which President
Gompers contends is that each trade,
no matter howIsmall, shall manage its
own affairs ana receive the protection
If the Federation. The Gompers ele-
nent charge that the opposition is en-
leavoring, virtually, to establish a
trust within the ranks of the labor
organization. His friends declare,
moreover, that Gompers has shown
himself to be not open to political
influences, and that Mitchell's friend
ship for President Roosevelt is TO
some extent motive power in the
present contest. This latter statement
is vigorously denied by President
Mitchell and those who have aligned
themselves with him in the fight.
Aside from this contest for the presi-
deney important questions Will be
considered and acted upon that will
make the convention one of vital in
terest to organized labor the country
over. The open shop and the anti
labor movement, as personltied by So
called citizens alliances and party or
aanizations, will comeiin 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 discussed for bringing their
passage by the national Legislature.