Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-20
PLATE PRINTERS MEET
ASSOCIATION REPRESENTING
UNITED STATES AND CANADA
Addresses at Opening Session by MI.
Samuel Gompers and Mr.. Ter
ence v. Powderly.

Steel and copper plate printers from all
of the larger cities in this country and from
Canada. about forty in number, assembled
in the red parlor of the Ebbitt House at 10
O'Clock this morning as delegates to the
fourteenth annual convention of the Inter-
national Steel and Copper Plate Printers
Union of North America. Samuel Gompers.
president of the American Federation of
Labor with which the union is AFFILIATED
called the convention to order and delivered
an address upon labor subjects. Terence ".
Powderly ex-president of the Knights Of
Labor and several others spoke. The con-
vention will not get down to actual bust
ness until tomorrow, owing to large
amount of routine work that must be got
OUT or the way. Sessions will be held twice
daily until and including next Saturday
mere are about 1,5OO members OF this in
ternational organization. 700 of whom are
IN TINS city. almost all of the latter being
al the bureau of printing and engraving
New York city has 800; several other cities
nave 100 each. and the locals dwindle down
10 those having membership of only
seven 1t was stated by the officers of the
internationa body this morning that the
business Is growing, and efforts are being
made TO enlist the outsiders in the trade to
enter the union where they are found in
the districts outlying the cities; so that 1t
Is expected the membership of the union
Will increase rapidly in the next few years.
Inc International president is T. q. Kee-
san OF New YORK city. h. is presiding over
the present convention. Terence L. Mahan
OF this city is the international secretary
treasurer.
MI. Gompers' Address.
In opening the convention this morning
Mr. Gompers touched upon a NUMBER of the
points at issue between labor and capital
today. He declared that the organization
laborer is told he is wrong in trying to
have great deal to say In controlling
trade conditions in this country, as his
numbers are only from two to three mil
lions in population of eighty millions. But
MI. Gompers held this statement Is very
misleading, since by taking into considera-
tlon the women and children dependent
upon these laboring men it Is made plain
that at least fifteen millions of people are
The iaborer must contend strongly for his
rights, he held, for he said the old maxim
that God gives bread where He gives chill
dren, in his opinion. should rather be stat
ed; Where God gives children to one set
He gives bread to another"
The laboring man and the labor organ
fzations In politics was also a part of his
theme. He was tired, he said of seeing the
laboring man being made plaything by
the politicians.
What we have a right to do" he con-
tinued. rs to take the hand OF the op-
pressor from our threats and his foot from
our breasts by the exercise of our sover
eign political rights
Also Touches Upon Politics.
Mr.. Powderly also spoke of the political
phase of the labor question and agreed
heartily with the stand taken recently by
the American Federation of Labor through
IT'S executive council. which was to enter
politics in the future He urged that tab
be kept on all officeholders. and declared
he hoped to see the time when organized
labor will keep complete record OF the
political and legislative activities of every
member of Congress. that every labor
ing man may know whether that member is
for against organized labor.
In behalf of the local union several
speeches were made. The convention will
Saturday next elect the officers of the in
ternational union for the ensuing year. No
states have yet been announced.