The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1908-11-28
REELECTED BY AMERICAN FEO'
GRAFTON OF LABOR At DEN
YER CONVENTION.
SUCCESSFUL MEETING
sErrLEs LABOR CONTROVERSIES,
FAVORS POLITICAL ACTION
AND URGES PUBLIC I'M
PROvEMENTS

/ Denver-The election OF the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor Saturday 70
suited as follows:
| President-Samuel Gompers OF New
York
Vice President-James Duncan OF
Massachusetts,.
Second Vice President-John Mitch
ell OF Illinois.
Third Vice President-James O'Con-
nell OF Washington.
Fourth Vice President-Max Morris
Of Colorado.
Fifth Vice President-Dennis A.
Hayes OF Pennsylvania.
Sixth Vice President-W. A. Huber
of Indiana.
Seventh Vice President-James F.
! Valentine Of Ohio.
/ Eighth Vice President-John Alpine
OF Chicago
! Treasurer-John B. Lennon OF Illi-
nois
| Secretary-Frank Morrison Of Hi
nois.
! Next convention at Toronto, Canada.
| John Fry and B. A. Larger were
elected fraternal delegates to the Brit
| ish Trades congress and Jerome Jones
| delegates to the Canadian Trades con-
| gress
| For the first time in many years the
| American Federation of Labor is freed
/ from serious internal strife and organ
| ized labor is in a position to devote all
| OF its energies % taking care of its
/ interests.
| This situation was achieved as re-
suit of the Denver convention of the
/ organization that came to an end Sat
urday night at 7:3O. "Auld Lang
! Syne" was still echoing against the
vaulted ceiling of the auditorium when
the gavel OF President Gompers fell,
announcing that the convention was
| adjourned to meet in Toronto, Canada,
next year.
Nearly all the many trade disputes
brought before the convention were
| settled or placed in the way Of settle
ment in a manner that works for har
mony.
The federation, in addition to getting
rid Of the internal disputes. went on
record as being in politics to stay. 1t
pledged fealty to no party or no or
ganization. but declared that it would
as a body support the measures 1t
wanted through whichever party might
grant its demands. To make its posi-
tion on this point emphatic it deposed
as a member of the executive council
Daniel J. Keefe, president of the Long
shoremen's union, and told the newly
elected officers of the council that they
must abide by the decision of the ma
Jority of the recognized officials of the
labor unions Of the country or get out
Of office.
In approving the final report of the
resolutions committee the convention
Instructed the various international un-
ions state and city central bodies to use
their influence with the state, national
and municipal governments to under
take as much public improvement work
as possible to give relief to the mil
lions of unemployed men. In that con-
nection John H. Walker OF the Miners
unions urged the construction of a
deep waterway between the great lakes
and the Gulf of Mexico as a means Of
employing thousands OF workers and OF
benefiting the business and CONNER
cial interests Of the country.
The strike Of the shopmen against
the d. & r. G. r. R. was in
dorsed and the executive council In
structed to issue an appeal for funds
to aid the strikers
Another resolution attacked the en-
ployment Of illiterates and non English
speaking sailors as dangerous to life
and property.
The blue cross button adopted by the
Denver Union Label League was IN
dorsed and referred to the label con-
ference for adoption for general use.
The convention went on record as
| determined TO fight to a finish the legal
proceedings instituted as a result of
the strikes and boycotts against the
| Buck Stove and Range Company of st.
Louis and the Lowie Hat Company Of
| Oanbury. Conn.,. that threatens to
send 0ompers, Mitchell and Morrison
to jail for contempt OF court.
The last act Of the convention was
. demonstration in favor OF John
Mitchell. who was attacked bv A. B.
Grout, q Socialist delegate from St.
Louis, IN an alteration growing out of
| the boycott against the Buck Stove and
Range Company.
| The vote to adjourn was q rousfng
'hurrah" instead Of the usual aye.
|
Presidents Thanksgiving Turkey.
Westerly. r. 1.-The Rhode Island