The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-11-20
FEDERATION GETTING
DOWN TO BUSINESS
Continued from Page l..

position that II liberty were not grant
ed they would go to jail
James NJ. Lynch Of the Typograpf-
icaI union and T. L. Lewis of the
Miners. supported the amendment IN
somewhat extended arguments
p J. McCardel of the Iron and Steel
Workers. chairman of the committee,
defended its report. He said that men
cannot he cited for contempt and
thereafter defend themselves, unless
the order of the court is disregarded.
John NJ. Walker of the miners sup
ported the amendment. Mr. Walker
ran for congress two years ago on the
Socialist ticket in an Illinois district.
and the stand taken by him showed
that the Socialist vote in the conven-
ton on the question is divided.
Position of Mr.. Gompers.
President Gompers than took a hand
in the debate
IF the men and women who have
been cited in injunction suits had
shown a craven spirit, should encour-
age all TO resist this invasion of his
rights. but 1 know of no such case"
said Mr.. Gompers.
II take it that the intention of the
committee was to make the situation
acute. 1t is not necessary for US to
make the situation acute. Our enemies
have done this and will continue to do
this for us. They will want their pound
Of flesh, and their greed and avaricc
will be their own undoing.
When an injunction is issued against
me which invades my rights as a man
and a citizen | am going to resist that
injunction
Mr.. Gompers suggested that the en-
tire matter be referred back TO the
committee, and a motion to that eff
feet was made from the floor.
The proposition TO refer back to the
committee was defeated by an over
whelming vote, and the convention took
monday recess.
MitcheII's Amendment.
John Mitchell at the session in the after
noon offered an amendment to the COM
mittee's report saying:
Within few days the courts will de-
eide whether our president, secretary and
myself shall go to JAIN 1 do not want
to go to jail. But 1 shall accept that
judgment and 1 shall pay no fine"
This declaration brought cheers from the
delegates
Mr.. Mitchelrs amendment was to insert
certain words so that the report should
read, with the amendments OF Delegate
Duncan and himself, as follows:
whenever the courts issue an Injunction
to regulate our personal relations we de-
clare We will exercise all the rights and
privileges guaranteed by the constitution
ana laws OF our country ana insist that
it is our duty to defend ourselves at ali
hazards and recommend such be our ac-
ton, taking whatever results may fol-
low"
Several other delegates discussed the
amendments and Representative Furuseth
closed the discussion with q defense of
the committees report
His resolution and the Mitchell amend
ments were voted on together.
A roll call was demanded 10 settle the
entire question The amendments We're
adopted by vote of .272 to 357S.
Report on Political Action.
The next section of the presidents re-
port referred to the political action of Mr..
Gompers and the executive council during
the late presidential campaign. under the
caption, Legislation and Political Ac-
ton"
The report describes the actions of the
president and executive council along this
line. The committee in their report in
dorsed their actions
The committee quoted three sections
from the report which IL especially COM
mends-
The first says: THE American labor
movement is not partisan 10 a political
party; II is partisan to principle OF equal
rights and human freedom
The second quotation says: Our con-
ventions have frequently declared that our
movement has neither the. right nor the
desire to dictate how q member shall cast
his vote. II has been my privilege and