Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-11-22
SEND MESSAGE
TO ROOSEVELT
LABOR DELEGATES ASK HIM TO
INVESTIGATE LABOR coNpl-
TIoNs IN PORTO RICO

Conveyed Immediately by President
Gompers-Federation Endorses Ac.
tlon Of Iowa Organization in Con.
demnation Of Judge MCPHERSON.
Minneapolis, Nov. 21.-President
Gompers was today instructed to send
telegram in the name of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor to President
Roosevelt at Porto Rico. asking him
to investigate the conditions in the
island with view to giving the island
self government and to better the Ia
Dor conditions on the island. Com
pers sent the telegram forthwith.
The action of the Iowa Federation
in condemning Judge Smith McPher-
son of the United States court, for his
action against the striking machinists
of the Sante Fe railroad, was sustain
ed by the committee and adopted by
the convention
ALI the opposition to President
Samuel Gompers Of the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor, which was so gener-
ously spoken of at the beginning Of
the present convention, has vanished.
His recent stand politically and the
ideas advanced by him in his annual
report to the convention concurred in
by the committee on the presidents
Frank K. Foster, reported at yester
days session. The report said that
the entire report should be commend
L ton, ot,,1, fnl tn,
having such a president.
Gompers' request that all lines be-
tween unions In this country and Can
ada be obliterated. and that the fed
Grafton use its influence toward Sc
curing better conditions for wage earn
ers in Porto Rico were approved.
The report also favored with Com
pers bill before congress by which
states may protect themselves from
other states carrying on convict la
/ Dor.
criticlse Judges; Bar orientals.
The committee indorsed the report
on It's stand on injunctions, saying
that nothing is so dangerous to labor
as the present Judiciary. 1t urged
action in remedying 1t.
1t recommended that Japanese, Hin
docs and all other orientals be kept
out of America and said that the Pan
ANA canal would better not be con-
structed If it had to be built by intro
ductng involuntary slaves into the
| United States, which would be the
practical result if coolie labor was to
do the work.
For the first time in the eight days.
session John Mitchell took part in the
proceedings of the convention Presi-
dent Gompers desired to act in his
capacity as delegate from the Cigar
makers union and called on Mitchell
to preside.
Gompers had tilt with Victor Ber-
ger of Milwaukee. representing the
Typographical union, who is one Of
the principal supporters Of socialism
in the convention. He presented a
lengthy resolution in which it was de-
clared that as trade autonomy in
unionism is but the application to the
labor movement of the outgrown prin-
ciples of individualism, the federation
should urge on the various interna-
tional craft organizations immediate
settlement of jurisdiction questions by
mutual conferences
Gompers moved that the word
''craft" be changed to trade" which
was done. Then the resolution was
adopted.
Socialists Are Routed.
Gompers said it would cast stigma
on trade unions to call them "craft
unions" Berger insisted that indus
trialism in trades unions was yet in
4 the future and that when one attempt
ed to force unions together one drove
them further apart.
In speaking along this line j. Mahlon
Barnes of the cigarmakers accused the
delegates of fighting other workingmen
instead of the bosses.
1t was said that the socialist ele-
ment intended to stir up trouble at
yesterdays mornings session, but that
/ a damper was put on the idea by
the speeches of Gompers, James Dun
can, first vice president, and Others
Resolutions were passed asking dele
gates from Great Britain to use their
influence in organizing, with the assist
ance of the American Association of
Photo Engravers, the men in tbs craft
A in that country; that the central labor
bodies throughout the country make
efforts to organize the newsboys; that
the federation appoint committee of
three to meet with packers and ask
them to define their policy toward or
ganized labor; that the federation
pledge its support to the Switchmen's
union in its efforts to improve condi-
4 tions and that their union be recog-
nized as the only organization through
out the country having jurisdiction
over railroad yards.
FARMERS CALL FOR MAIL.