The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-03
PREPARING FOR
BIG CONVENTION
Minneapolis Trades Assembly Will Begin Work
This Week on Plans for Entertainment of the
American Federation of Labor in l9O6--Other
News in the Local Field.

Plans for entertaining the 1905 con-
vention of the American Federation of
Labor in Minneapolis, are already being
considered, and it goes without saying;
that Minneapolis will care for the gath.
ering in way which will be satisfac-
tory. Minneapolis was favorite from
the start of the balloting, having good
lead on the first ballot. Toronto, Ont;
Montreal, Que, and Denver, Col, were
other aspirants for the honor. The first
ballot resulted: Minneapolis, 6,23S; To-
ronto, 1920; Montreal, 2,443 and Den
yer. 1892 Realizing that neither Cana
dian city could win if both remained In
Che contest, Montreal withdrew on the
second ballot and asked that it's support
be given to Toronto This left Mime
apolis and Toronto to fight It out, with
the result that the former won handi-
ly, the final vote being: Minneapolis,
1866; Toronto, 6,437.
Immediately upon their arrival In
Pittsburg, the Minneapolis delegates, A.
G.. cambridge and A. E. Kellington.
i went to work with view Of enlisting
The support of everyone they could in
s. an effort to get the convention. John
I. Mitchell, president of the United Mine
Workers, was approached and consent
ed to throw his support to the Flour
City, as also did the officials of the car
penters' and teamsters' organizations,
all of which gave their undivided sup
port. The painters, granite cutters, en-
g gineers and fremen were also enlisted,
and then the fight was won. ~.
Convention Lively One.
About 400 delegates were in attend
nnce and the convention was a lively
one. Jurisdictional disputes between
The plumbers and steamftters, the long
shoremen and the seamen, and the team
sters, engineers, fremen and coopers
employed by the breweries and the
brewery workers organization were the
chief contests. It develops that the
Moderation has not as yet granted a
charter to the steamftters. The &C
ton of the convention merely recon
,nended that the executive council grant
such a charter if in it's judgment such
was deemed proper. It is the hope OF
those interested that some compromise
will result which will bring into one
organization all workmen in the pipe
trades. Edward J. McCullem, presi
dent of the St. Louis Trades Council
presented the case of the steamftters
and showed conclusively that the latter
had control in all Of the large cities
and it was mainly thru his able efforts
that action favorable to the granting OF
the charter was taken. John Manga1
of Chicago was present in the interest:
Of the filters. a..
Socialists Unnopular.
Socialism did not cut much figure In
the convention. Victor Berger Of Mil
waukee and J. Mahlon Barnes of Chi
cago were the leading socialist spirits
and these men refused to cast theil
votes for Gompers for president, altht
there was no opposition to him. Presi
dent Gompers took occasion to "roast ,
Berger and his party before the con
vention, referring to him as the mai
who made Milwaukee famous,'' afte
which John Mitchell arose and objected
to further discussion of socialist reso
buttons. The delegates sustained hi
position, and nothing more was heard O.
the radicals.
All the old officers were reelected
with the exception Of William J.. 'Spen
Ger, eighth vice president, who was de
feated by William Huber, president o
the Carpenters and Joiners of America
MIR. Spencer's defeat is attributed t
his activity in the controversy betwee
the plumbers and steamftters. The re
tirement of Thomas L. Kidd, fifth vic
president, advanced all the candidate
beneath that office. Joseph F. Valen
tine Of Cincinnati was the only othe
officer elected, defeating William Z
mr. tn
of Boston and James Wilson of Nev
York were chosen as fraternal dele
gates to represent the federation at tn
British Trades and Labor congress, an
Thomas A. Rickert of New York wa
elected as delegate to the Canada
labor congress. When announcement
of the election of President Gomper
was made, j. Mahlon Barnes of Oh!
cage, made an attempt to present
resolution declaring President Gompe1
unfair He was loudly Kissed. Th
chair refused to accept the resolution
The following resolutions were unan
mously adopted: Recommending the 81
clusion of Chinese, japanese and Korea
labor from the United States and il
possessions; prohibiting the emplo,
ment Of child labor; instructing tn
executive council to select one ,labc
organization against which an iniun
tion has been brought, employ legal ia
ent and carry the case to the Unite
States supreme court in order to tes
the constitutionality of the injunctio
laws now in force; pledging support t
the striking printers, and recommend
ing the calling of a special meeting {
the International Woman g Label leagr
S to adjust differences said to exist
that beneficial auxiliary of the FEEDER;
tion. Special attention was shown tt
injunction question, and the committe
on president report condemned II
injunction laws now in force in tt
United States, and declared them I'll
constitutional.
The application of the Stonemason!
international union for charter in tt
federation was refused, and the ca
Painters union, which has been aft
lated with the American Car Worker,
union, was ordered to become a men
Der Of the Brotherhood of Painters an
Decorators.
Next Wednesday evening the loc
Trades Assembly will take up the que
tion of arranging for the conventio
Preliminary committees will be a
pointed, and it is the intention to p