The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-11-17
ORGANIZED LAB0R'S HOSTS WELCOMED
TO MINNESOTA BY ITS LEADING MEN

assembly, offered prayer, asking di.
vine assistance and guidance in the
deliberations of the convention.
Chairman McNally then introduced
Acting Mayor Merrill who welcomed
the delegates in behalf of the city.
AS soon as the applause which fol-
lowed Alderman Merrills speech had
subsided, Chairman McNally rose to
explain that owing to delayed train
Governor Johnson would not be pres
ent. Cheers greeted the name of the
states chief executive. Then, on be-
half of the local arrangements com.
mfttee, Mr.. McNally presented Pres1-
dent Gompers.
Gompers and johnson.
Before the applause which greeted
him and subsidized it was drowned out
by a fresh wave of cheers started at
the rear of the room. When those in
front turned their heads and saw
that the occasion was the entrance
Of Governor Johnson with Labor Com
missioner w. H. Williams, they, too,
joined and the applause was wild and
prolonged.
President Gompers at once broke
the thread of his speech and greeted
Governor Johnson. In introducing
him he said that the name of John
son Of Minnesota was a household
word throughout the country and that
though surprised at his appearance
Immediately after it had been an
nounced that he would not come, he
was proud to meet him. II shall not
presume to introduce Governor John
son to you?" he said, 1T is suf-
ficient honor to present to you the
governor of the state of Minnesota" :"
The Governor Speaks.
when you realize. that for seven
or eight weeks 1t has been my
pleasure, or misfortune, to go about
continually making speeches, you will
realize that it has become as un-
of those who have had to listen to
them,' said the governor. But on
this occasion I am proud and pleased
to speak, even though the best can
do is to bid you welcome and god
speed In your effort to bring the high
est good to a class which is deserv-
ing above all others.
when we look about us at the
widespread organization of capital we
cannot doubt the right and duty of
labor to organize. 1t is the only class
which, at present, has to sell its
product In the open market against
competition. You are entitled to a
fair chance to secure for yourselves
at least fair share of the products
OF your labor. I wish you well in your
labors.
Here, owing to our great natural
resources, as yet hardly developed,
we have. few of ~tha Labor problems
found In the congested east. But we
are convinced that there is no real
prosperity unless all share equally in
the fruits of prosperity. That is
what you are here to work for.
Gentlemen, in the name of the
state Of Minnesota I welcome you
and wish that every success may
crown your labors here"
Gompers Resumes.
Resuming his speech after Governor
Johnson had finished, President
Gompers said: THAT we are ap-
perciative of and grateful for the
words Of welcome and ENCOURAGEMENT
to which we have just listened is
evidenced by the applause you have
just heard far better than it could
be by any words which l might use,
1T Is true that in this country we
have great opportunities for produc-
Ing everything we need, and yet there
Is much poverty and suffering. When
this body met in the Chicago court
house thirteen years ago it's delegates
had to step over the bodies of men
sleeping in the corridors, because
they had no other place to go. Yet
the engines of industry and prosperity
existed in the land. In the Indian
and Irish famines it is a fact that
great quantities of food for which a
pare of the people were suffering
were exported from the country.
"All this shows that there is some
thing wrong. This misery is not the
outcome of any unknOwnable law, but
OF mans mismanagement, and it is
for us to see that it does not happen
again. At the Austin convention of
this body the policy which is to for
ever eradicate poverty and misery
was inaugurated. We have but to
Gentlemen, the twenty-sixth con-
vention of the American Federation
of Labor is now in session"
His Annual Report.
After the report of the committe
on Credentials, President Gompers
delivered his annual report It calls
attention to the fact that the report
completes quarter of century of
the history of trades unionism in the
United States, and he comments on
the fact that each annual convention
finds the cause of labor farther ad-
vanced, union men better educated
and qualified in every way to give in
telligent and efficient service, and to
take their places as American citizens.
The most interesting subject In the
report is labor's political campaign
against those congressman who were
branded by the federation leaders as
legislators hostile to the interests of
the laboring man. President Com
pers' report was written before the
elections Nov. 6, and so is not con-
elusive as based upon the results of
those elections. The report, however,
. 1o1