The Morning News

FEDERATION OF LABOR.

The National Convention in Session at New York.

New York, Dec. 9.—The convention of the American Federation of Labor was opened this morning at Madison Square garden. Labor leaders from all over the country, Canada and Great Britain are present to lend their prestige to the importance of the convention as an assembling of the leading representatives of the organized working class of the United States.

The greatest interest is already displayed in the election of officers, and the friends of candidates are actively canvassing for votes. Samuel Gompers, ex-president of the federation, is sure to be a candidate for the office again. Interest also centers in the proposition to remove the headquarters from Indianapolis.

The convention will remain in session for more than a week. Many important questions will come up for debate and action. Among the matters to be considered is the subject of a general movement for the 8-hour work day on May 1, 1896.

Wednesday evening there will be a grand ball and reunion of all the labor leaders at Madison Square Garden. Invitations have been sent to men of prominence in nearly all the walks of life.

The convention opened in the assembly rooms of Madison Square Garden shortly after 10 o'clock. The hall was elaborately decorated with bunting and streamers, and banners of various labor organizations were also hung upon the walls.

As this is the first time in twelve years that the federation has met in this city, the convention has excited exceptional local interest, and the assembly rooms and corridors were crowded sometime before the proceedings began.

John McBride, president of the federation, called the convention to order, and introduced J. W. Sullivan of this city, who delivered the address of welcome. President McBride responded in appropriate terms.

The following committee on credentials was announced by the president: T. J. Elderkin, T. F. Tracey, J. C. Dermell, D. P. Rowland and William Malloy.

The convention then took a recess until 2 o'clock in order to give the committee time to prepare its report. There were only one or two contesting delegations.

Upon the reassembling of the convention the committee on credentials reported in favor of seating eighty-three delegates, and that there were six protests, for the consideration of which the committee asked further time. The report was accepted.

The chairman announced the committees, after which he read his annual report.

The reports of the secretary and treasurer show that during the year there was spent for the defense of miners and other unions, for the defense of Debs, the lecturing tour of Burns and Holmes, etc., $3,467. The receipts for the year were $18,493; expenses, $15,612, leaving a balance on hand of $3,331.

The secretary says: "The total amount contributed to the Debs fund this year and last was $1,386." He continues:

"While we cannot report any great apparent gains in the field of labor during the past year, the agitation and education that is progressing along economic lines is particularly noticeable."

At the conclusion of the reading of the reports, John Swinton, the well-known writer on labor subjects, addressed the convention. The speaker denounced the methods of treating strikers by the authorities and instanced the sending of troops to Chicago by the unspeakable Cleveland. The militia, he said, had become the tools of a plutocracy so base that no army in Europe would do the dirty work of shooting women, as they did in Brooklyn.

Conlin, the chief of the New York police, he continued, had talked of grape and canister for the suppression of strikes. "Shame upon that creature Conlin," exclaimed the speaker, "who is a meaner foe than his predecessor."

The time for strikes had not yet passed, Mr. Swinton said; how else should the workers meet the oppression of the government and plutocrats? If American labor found that new methods were necessary to preserve American freedom, now imperilled as never before, let them adopt such new methods as would meet the situation and the existing condition.

Rev. Father Ducey delivered an address, and at its close the convention adjourned until to-morrow.