The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-12

than 1t could Be by any words which
! might use.
It is true that in this country we
have great opportunities for producing
everything weaneed, and yet there is
much poverty and suffering, When this
body met in The Chicago courthouse
step over the bodies Of men Sleeping in 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 q fact that great quantities Of food
for which a pare Of the people were suf.
ferlng were exported from the country
- All this shows that there is some
snf agt, wrapg4 Ihis misery . net th he
man nan 8 Encouragement, and 1t is for us
to see that it does not happen again
At the Austin convention Of this body
the policy which is to forever eradicate
poverty. and misery was inangurated
We have but to follow that policy. E.
Gentlemen, the twenty sixth con.
Yention, of the American Federation OF
Labor is now in session. - r.,
:.s ss Seated at Tables.
Normanna hall, where the sessions OF
the: convention will be held, presents a
holiday appearance, Differing. from the
usual custom, the delegates are, seated
on both sides Of seven long tables run,
ming the entire length Of the hall, each
delegation sitting in a body. Each del
egate is supplied with stationery, and
most Of them follow proceedings close
", taking copious notes. The great
body OF delegates is composed Of men
but there are about twenty women dele:
gates, representing the several trades
confined exclusively to- women or in
which men and women work together
%.~..a r The First Tilt. ~
! The first tilt Of the convention fol
lowed the reading of the report Of the
committee on credentials, :. read by
Thomas Farrell Of Cleveland, secretary
OF the committee. The presentation of
this report brought up the old fight
between the plumbers and steamtitte
natlonal organizations and resulting in
a motion from the plumbers DELEGATES
asking that the steam fitters' delegates
be. not seated. > This fight lis of long
standing. The plumbers claim author-
lty over. the steam and hotswater filters
and contend that charter granted the
latter organization some years ago was
In violation to the constitution. The
credentials committee recommended the
seating of delegates from the protested
organization: and the recommendation
was the signal for. heated debate. The
contest will be carried before the ex-
ecutlve, committee for final ruling. "A
similar fight between the carpenters
and woodworkers, which has been on
some time, did not put in an appear
ance today. a., .@-,
81 The credentials committee recon-
mPnfp1 >f ~ r+o~
representing fourteen international and
national trades unions, twenty-one state
branches,2 sixty central bodies, sixteen
local trades and federated labor unions
and six fraternal delegates: The local
bodies represented in the convention by
delegates are the State Federation OF
Labor; the Trades and Labor assembly
and the Building Trades council OF
Minneapolis, together with trades union
organizations Of st. Paul and Duluth
&. ~ Basis Of Representation. 49,.
The delegates to the national and in
ternational unions are apportioned on a
basis Of one delegate to each .4,O0C
members, tho this basis. is slightly al
tered in a few cases. -, About $4,000
votes are apportioned among the, entire
delegate body. each delegation being
s .Suu1ClGnLlV
large to REPRESENT fairly the tofal mem.
befshipsof its parent body. Fedora
tons and local bodies have one vote
each, but the larger national and inter.
national bodies come under the appor.
tlonment rule in the matter of votes al.
lowed, the largest number going to the
has 1900 votes. - p :
At the close of the morning session
President Gompers announced the com.
m1ttee on rules and order of business
and announced, that: others Will be
named in. order. The first week of the
convention will be Of less public inter
est than the second week.: Much Of the
early work will be done in committees
and practically the entire week, if the
usual precedent is followed, will be
given to this work. Next week the
committees reports will be presented tc
the convention and the real interest and
activity of the convention will center
about the discussions Of reports. H.
The following committees will be
appointed and will submit reports;
Auditing, boycotts, building trades, edu
cation, grievances, labels, laws. Local
and federated bodies, organization
presidents report, secretary's report
state organization, -treasurer's report
pOliIlcSs ana Such OCher special commit.
tee, as may be appointed to take up spe.
cial subjects. 49, ~ -.
-; Resolutions Committee. "
The resolutions committees has its
work ahead and may be, one Of the last
to reort: A large amont of matter IS
to- be submitted and theintroduction of
this report is always the signal for q
large amount Of discussion from the
floor. ..z.s,~ :..5s.. ......@
j.. Some local trades union questions are
ikel yto be brought before the national
convention for discussion. Three old
outstanding: straikes are still pending
in Minneapolis as far as the trades
unions are concerned, tho. in no case
is there q tieup of the industries con.
cerned. The three unsettled. contests
that. are likely to be brought before
the convention are the journeYman
printers strike now over q year old
the plumbers strike which is still older
and the iron holders strike which &
less. than a year old. TIT. ;. =
La CRESCENT.
SWEPT RY FRI