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Show GOMPEHS IN THE (Til r Samnel Gorr.p, P resident of the Amerl can Federation of Labor Arrived Here this Morning, , EE WILL SPEAK TONIGHT ' AT r The Mass Meeting to be Held in Mark'. Hall Parade of the Labor Unions Q This Evening, qj Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, arrived in Salt Lake city about 3 o'clock this A morning. He was welcomed by the re- O ception committee and driven to the M Hotel Temploton. -( Mr. Gompers kindly received ft M Tim i.s reporter this morning, and in re- Q ply to a question suid: "The object of (a my visit through the west is to assist W tho workinginon in organization, and x to soeiiro the co operation of the people H and organized workmen in the enforce- fj) meut of the eight-hour system for tha coal miners. Last year the demand ji was for the carpenters, which was of- 4 ; feeted, and other organizations gained recognition in this respect. On gaining this request for the coal initiers, other organizations will bo recognized and before long the eight-honr system will be universal. Tho coal miners will make a formal demand for the reduction reduc-tion in hours of labor about May 1. Tha estimated number of coal miners in tbo United States is about 2$0,00j, ot whom 200,000 are in the 'competitive 'com-petitive district, including Pennsylvania, West Virginia, thio. Indiana and llli- BAMIF.I. COJirKKS. nois. Of these 109.000 are already on , ganized, and the remainder are rapidly perfecting their organization. The con veution of tho federation at Detroit last December decided to concentrate every effort on this move of the coal miners to make it a success. The ' regular assessments will bo devoted to this end. . "About the first of next month there should be a cgnerence between th) miners anil the operatw".- irytttfrtttni, ; ,. t.,. . f I hope to have the country so thoroughly thor-oughly aroused as to force tho operators to grant the demand without trouble; or iu case of their refusal, to have success, assured. The present prospect for the victory are excellent. Our watchword is eight hours. They mean higher wages, steadier employment ami work; for thousands now without employment.' "I find that the movement of the working people is taking good shape. These men are learning their rights and securing them to their advantage iu the most practical way. The improvements im-provements for tho working men will benefit the entire country. Any reck-less reck-less arrangement may prove to be disadvantage and disrupt business which may possibly bring with it its own reaction. We are not advocate of strikes and we recognize their evils, but the greatest objection we have to them is that they occur when tha strikers are least prepared. A successful success-ful strike seems something gained. Tha strike properly conducted is an educator. edu-cator. "We would rather reduce the. number of strikes than condemn them. NothiDg tends more to reduce the num ber of strikes than preparing for them, with organized labor forces and a well-filled well-filled treasury. Then employers think twice before acting unjustly. "The American Federation of Labor? has its organization all over the country. coun-try. It is the result of economic conditions condi-tions and it recognizes the necessity of the improvement of the working work-ing people by a natural and gradual development. We desire no injury to ; existing enterprises, but wo insist on tho improvement of tho condition of the wage workers as regards their moral aud social condition." President Gompers has received noth ing but enthusiastic receptions since he left his home iu New York city on this mission. He has spoken at Syracuso : and Rochester, N. Y.;Cleveland Colum ! fins, O., Indianapolis, Logansport, Terre Haute and Kvansville, Ind., Burlington, Bur-lington, I ,, twice in Kausas City, Kan., four times in Kansas City, Mo., St. ; Joseph Mo., Topeka, Kan., and twice i in Denver, Colo. From here ho will go to the coast and thence to Montanaaud ' North and South Dakota. Mr. Gompers' reception in Denvep was a great affair. Lieutenant Governor Gov-ernor Storey welcomed hiiu in behalf of Colorado and Mayor Londoner in behalf of Denver. The house and sen- ' ate each passed a resolution extending the privilege of each body to Mr. Gom- t pers. Tho geutleman made an address to each body in which he stated i tho object " of the organization he represented was to lift the working j men to a higher plane of civilization. Mr Gompers was the recipient while in Deliver of a handsome gold badge. Ou the bar is his name and on the gol41 plate about the size of a $20 piece wliicl", is attached to the former by tiny chaimi j are the words: "Presented by the Den- ver Trades and Labor assembly, F'eb- ' ruary 27, 1801, " eight hours is em I bossed on the plate. On the reverse sido J are the coat of arms of Colorado antl -the motto of the state and the labor or ganization. The reception committee in Salt Lake ; City called on President Gompers this moruing. After luncheon he waa j shown tho sights of the city. The pa- i rade of the unions will take place this j evening at 7 o'clock. The meeting at which President Gompers will speak i w ill be held in Mark's hall on South . Temple street. ! |