The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-01
BIRMINGHAM WILL BE LARGE FACTOR Chances Good for Federation of Labor Convention. THOUGH NOT NEXT YEAR Delegate McelIIivray States That In 1907 the Convention Will Prob ably Meet Here-The Eiaht.
 Hour Law.
THOUGH NOT NEXT YEAR

Arch McGillivray, president of the local
 machinists' union and head of the organ-
 zation composed of similar mechanics em-
 ployed by the Southern railway and
 Queen and Crescent route has returned
 from Pittsburg, where he attended the
 annual convention of the American Fed
 eration of Labor.
 ''The meeting was the most profitable
 held by the federation in many years"
 he said. By this I mean that the condi-
 tions in favor of organized labor were
 never known to be better, and President
 Gompers of the federation is confident
 that conditions will continue to improve,
 burg meeting.
 About 400 delegates were present and
 some of the strongest labor leaders in
 the country were among the number. The
 magnitude of a national labor convention
 is not realized by persons who never at
 tended such a gathering. At Pittsburg
 there were POT national and state branches
 represented, and twenty-five local unions
 had delegates, beside six fraternal dele-
 gates. The representatives of those or
 ganizations had voting power of ,429. Birmingham and Meeting.
 'I firmly believe that Birmingham stands an excellent chance of securing the fort was made to get next years S conven- ton, but lot of individual work was done with the delegates in behalf of Birmingham for 1907.
 ITO be candid 1 believe that to secure the convention year after next will be an advantages to this city. Several of the big hotels now spoken of will undoubted- ly be erected and in operation. As re- suit the delegates will be better taken care of. which in itself will rebound to the benefit of the city.
 Such men as Samuel Gompers, John Mitchell, Frank Sergeant and others who hold leading positions in the labor world will attend, provided of course they are alive
 The Eight-Hour Law. 'The Pittsburg convention proved that the federation Is strongly in favor or the eight-hour law by the action of the dele gates in levying assessments for the bene- fit of the great fight that Is being made by the Typographical union in behalf or
 such A. law. The printers are doing all In
 their mower to have the eight-hour law
 become effective January 1, 1906. Reports showed that nearly 300 contracts have been made by the printers with different
 master printers and newspapers through out the country. In fact, the eight-hour law will have nothing to do with news papers. because the law has been recog-
 nlzed by such establishments for some time. My individual opinion is that the typos will win their fight, which in my estimation is a Just one
 "Delegates were present at the Pitts burg convention from England, scotland and Canada, representing the British Trades Union Labor Congress and the Canadian Trades Labor Congress. The foreign delegates reported that great
 strides in behalf of organized labor had
 been made In their respective countries.
 The American delegates, in order to show
 their appreciation of the worth Of the foreign men to organized labor. presented the visitors with gold watches The jewels were paid for by subscription among the Americans.
 | "An American Federation of Labor con- vention will be a big thing for Brming- | ham. and I believe that all the assistance possible will be given the Birmingham representatives at the next session by the business men, commercial bodies and others to secure the 1907 convention for this city. Work should commence at once | to place Birmingham's claims before all labor bodies"