Show THE LEADERS OF LABOR meeting of the american labor federation ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT mr gompers points out tho the necessity ot of the working classes standing together for mutual protection and declares that it Is the only way to keep up wages work of the past year hits has been very successful rough bough sketch of a rugged struggle cincinnati dee dec JI 11 the sixteenth annual convention of the american federation at 0 labor was called to ta order here at al 30 10 by president samuel gompers Gom pors after the appointment of committees on and of 0 the convention ven tion a recess was taken until 2 30 A at t the hotel last night president gompers and jolin john PhIlIl ps were robbed ol of GO each woods and 51 allinson english delegates do lega tes were robbed 0 of cash and jewelry and several delegates ot a oilier articles the actu faglier tier part ot of the afternoon was devoted to the informal cont consideration of a le solution to exclude from the convention all representatives of nonunion newspapers new papers when the convention vi nas as permanently organized after t the I 1 ie special report of tile the committee on oil credentials was adopted tile the resolution boycotting nonunion non union newspapers arid and refusing if them loin representation lit in the co contention mention was adopted the committee on lais made a partial report seating sealing US delegates out of tho the committee reported only on uncontested seats and has not reported on tho the contests the partial part lil report on acied credentials n wg was q unanimously adopted ADDRESS president compere then presented his annual report as follow follos in the matter ot of legislation by congress only fair proe can be ro re poi tod led there are arc too few members ot of congress who are elected u upon pon distinctive labor issue or committed to labor interest hence the members of 0 con gress greca imagine that the special interests of 0 labor have small need to bo be considered in ili the matter of legislation in the several states much better progress has been reported there are few states in which in laws w 9 have not been passed in the interest 0 of f labor under the police authority th arity ot of several states many measures looking to the preservation of health life and limb of the workers ra better sanitary conditions of factory let rv and workshop lien ilon laws and factory factory laws have beert been enacted nearly ne arly all the states now have burdens of labor statistics ates anti and also factory inspectors in nearly every instance the re quiren to cany out these laws have been appointed from the ranks of tobar lobor 11 1 I w would uld recommend that representatives e of f this federation be constantly kiyat at the 0 seat of government during the sessions ot of congress to guard and further the legislation alch our or organizations gaill demand in the interests of labor labar we can call secure the abrogation or of laws inimical to the inac interests rests or 0 tile tho musses find and the passage of others for their advancement ad an cement and protection at al thought we may all desire to secure the purposes for which ne tire aro organized through other methods that should not deter ul its from pursuing tile the course chich all experience demonstrates demonstrate Is conducive to the best results the workers of our country nee need 1 immediate letter klief K lief immediate improvements they cannot afford to wait until tile the in millennium ilion thill cent come I 1 and in the meantime suffer tile the wrongs which L the present year ham aft lit it tle Improver improvement nent over tile two pieced preceding I 1 ng years willie while industry and commerce com corn merc merce has just about amei ged front from the panics of 0 1813 95 the changes or improve improvements e rn e n is have been very meager thero there h has m s n no ot been that industrial RE ArIVAL looked lind hoped for and i halh we had a right to after tile crisis through which ive ae had haa passed that our panic was not more acuto acme and ill did not do more harm harin than it did was due met gioie e to our movement than to tf a all I 1 other elements anti and forces combined industrial crises and stagnation result from many causes but practically from the lick lack of oc opportunity for workers to connine more largely of 0 th the L product of 0 their jhc thc lr labor A reduction in maecs w 9 es means meana a lessor lesser consumption of 0 the so products pro aucta thus rendering tho the labor of at other her workers unnecessary and throwing thron lne ing them out of employment whatever else elbe the ale ot of our movement em nt may urge against it tie no one can dili dispute te that the at 0 labor have very largely it if not entirely prevented a great Tt reduction Auction in ili wages malch hiell couil Olber Mho have taken place by dint of energy anil and persistence a very large increase ae in till tile member ship or of our konczal movement hue has bren been secured in round numbers nearly cioll oil morn workers are members of 0 the unions affiliated than aas the case a year ait ago the report or of thi the secretary chows that twenty more mon charters ere issued to iff local unions as arai nit fourteen in 1895 eleven national und linck filter nat lemal brailes unions havo become af adf fil by charter with ills th american federation of 0 labor and also twenty throe three central labor bodies today we find it just as to defend the tha faith that ts is us TIE that tho the trades union is the natural and le organization of the working classes as at any time since their first organ Iza iz Atlon tion says mr campers who thern then goes on to expatiate on the duties toward union or of boilers toilers tol toi lorg lers and the grand grandeur of the work which they must bring to 2 a successful end nl compit PEACE says saya lia joe I we want peace deaca bu but t we wa a ball ahall insist that thal peace be maint maintained consistent with the increasing needs neca of 0 our woi codr liera and those upon them we organize orean lise and the better we are prepared pie pared to enter into strikes trl kB the less oc aal will we have t ti reso t to thorn lit in oid conr r to lo innuse success lit in no euting justice to lubor babir rev J A all ci udar L r aft tor of V ivy ley vint chul wa il and 1 in I 1 1 CIn t tu alpy hll ailt i lt nl sunda aeto I 1 noon pr pompei ac aed UK lit and III announced lie he would mould bevak on A rough sketch of 0 a hugged struggle secretary lelor ted that the receipts for or the year an increase of 15 per cent over last laal behr I 1 lillo lilli the balance on liand hand lu 14 25 per cent greater TIC was increased 08 1 during the year and heavy at op ere cro met mcl for strikes trl kt an onil d other purposes pur posea in tho the interest of tile I 1 federation ede ration tho the treasurer re report portal oj receipts toi rei expenses 15 balance on oil hand 1169 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