Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-14
Union Musicians Of I've Cities Head
Parade to Hall,
ANNUAL ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT eoRPEWs
Eight Hour Day and Legal Rights Of
LAbsr Are Discussed.
ROUTINE MATTERS ON THE FIRST DAY
Forecast of Business Meeting IL that
Il VIII he Important with
No Close Election
Contests.

crowded today when President Samuel
Gompers called the American Federation
OF Labor to order for the opening Of the
silver anniversary of the organization. All
the delegates. representing every state In
the union. Canada England and other for
egn countries. were in their seats and All
available space outside was utilized by Wis
itors.
The hall was tastefully and elaborately
decorated and there was no confusion in
the seating arrangements. which we're per-
feet.
shortly before 10 o'clock the delegates as
sembled at the headquarters in the Colonial
hotel and, headed by monster band OF
125 pieces. made up of federated musicians
in Pittsburg marched through the principal
streets to the place Of meeting. As Presi-
dent Gompers and Second Vice President
John Mitchell entered tine hall there was
prolonged applause few minutes later
President Gompers raped for order and
introduced C. c. Douglass, chairman OF tho
| local entertainment committee, who well
coined the delegates on behalf Of the labor
| organizations of the city
Attorney John Drew, speaking for Mayor
william Hayes welcomed the delegates "a
Pittsburg and Mayor James G. Wyman ex-
! tended the hospitaities OF the sister city,
| Allegheny.
Routine Matters Considered.
Mostly routine matters will be considered
| at the session today. The presentation OF
credentials was the first matter on the pro.
gram and consumed considerable time
one Of the interesting fights TO be inau'
Eurated at this convention Is the trouhle
between the Plumbers and the Steam FIT
ters' union. It is Bald the officials OF the
Teamsters union will make an effort TO
unseat William Spencer. the plumbers rep
resentative in tho executive council.
, Mr. Gompers said that the convention
promised to be important as we'll as lively.
He would not talk on any important ques-
tlons that are likely to come UP. saying
that they should not be discussed by him
until the meeting is held
President Gompers is out for reelection
and II is generally believed that he will be
successful The majority OF the other ON
GERS are also candidates for reelection and
II is likely that no changes viii result with
the exception Of NTH vice president.
Thomas ]. Kidd is not a candidate for an
other term. w. D. Mahon, president Of the
Amalga1nated Association OF Street and
Electrical Railway Employees of Detroit.
Mich, will probably succeed him.
Unions in Arrears.
During the report of the committee on
credentials il developed that a number OF
labor unions in different parts Of the coun-
try had failed TO pay the assessment levied
by the American Federation of Labor for
the benefit of the striking New England
textile workers. A warm discussion arose
as to whether the delegates OF unions owing
the assessment should be seated Several
motions were made and It was finally or
dered that the unions owing the assembly
be given representation in the convention
: today, but they would be compelled to
make the payment and arrange matters
with the committee on credentials at the
! adjournment, which was taken at noon
until o'clock this afternoon.
In his annual addres Mr.. Gompers said
in part:
The movement OF labor as expressed and
typifed by our trade unions and by the
American Federation of Labor, is con-
structiNe not destructive, In character and
I up character and manhood, and instillS a
I higher conception of the duty OF man Ia
man. 1t proclaims al cardinal principle,
a man can not live for himself alone, bu,
i that in fact and in truth It is the duty OF
n meet meet To make man woman and and child
4 more noble, beautiful and eNpectant OF
+ on 'G and and give i've their effort 70 the sttainmen'
Of these Ideals so that today may be better
d than the day, that has gone before, that
/, ! tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow's to-
. ! morrow may each witness the lnaugura'
, ! tion OF a better day-in a word, TO con
| tinually make life better worth living, II
the work and the mission of our ennobi1l
!. trade union movement, the American Fe8
: | Grafton OF Labor.
!; Industrial StaEnatiOn Averted.
n When we met in Boston two years age
the old-school political economists anf
n thinkers foresaw a cloud threatening tht
industrial horizon. Basing their premises
/; upon existing conditions and pursuit o.
(. policies of the past, they foretold that al
n Industrial reaction, stagnation, or crisil
was then impenlSding pP,lS They They asis9mea isS tina
g duce wages, and advised labor to acep
the situation and thus, as they urged hell
,r TO tide over the unhappy period"
They who reasoned thus reckoned withon
m their hosts. They did not consider the ad
vanced position which labor would take
n. but ignored Il as an equation in the deter
mination Of the wage-cutting policy The!
" could not see that ~ would act as checl
to prevent the diminution OF labor's con
W suming power
Recently one of the great magnates o
,r high finance in our country predicted tina
in a few years from now we shall witnes
m a financial and industrial panic unparRl
leled in the history of the United States
W This forecast was unquestionably predicte
upon the power which finance formerl