PRESIDENT GOMPERS' REPORT. DENVER, COLO., November 9, 1908. To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-eighth Annual Convention of the American Federation of Labor. Fellow Workers: Fourteen years ago we met in this city, and then, just as now, the workers were suffering from a paralysis of industry resulting from the manipulations of the "Princes of Finance" or from the incompetency of our modern "Captains of Industry." I declare now, as I declared then, that it is an indictment against our civilization that in a land so bountiful, broad and fertile as ours, with the workers so earnest, energetic, industrious, anxious and willing to produce, that such a paralysis of industry should be possible, and I believe we should hold accountable those who are responsible for the unnecessary and wanton misery of so large a mass of workless workers. In our country there must not be permitted to grow up or to be maintained a permanent army of unemployed. In the midst of such adverse circumstances, that our trade unions have maintained their existence, speaks well of them and of the sound economic and fundamental principles upon which they are based. That they have not succumbed to the fearful antagonism arrayed against them, to the lack of employment and to other insidious influences, is the best evidence that the movement of labor has found the citadel of its protection, its noblest inspiration, in the hearts and minds of the workers. Coming as we do to this magnificent western city, where, by the hand of labor, the brain and brawn of our people, a waste land has been made to blossom like a rose, is there not an appropriateness in our meeting here, when the wrongs of the past are still extant? May we not indulge the hope that these wrongs may spend their force and find rectification at the foot of the mighty Rockies, and that the toilers may here be still further inspired and encouraged in their struggle and hope for the triumph of justice? Westward the course of empire makes its way, over mountain and plain and desert. No obstacle is insurmountable in the course of human progress, when real empire and sovereignty dwell in the heart, the minds, and the conscience of the manhood and womanhood of our country. Our Constitution and custom have made it incumbent upon the President to give an accounting of the work in connection with our movement for the year. It has been my pleasure, and is my duty, to make my report to the convention as comprehensiv as possible, but the manifold duties devolving upon the President of the Federation preclude the thought that anything but a few of the extraordinarily large number of important matters with which he has had to deal can be submitted. The Constitution prescribes that the President shall be required to "devote all his time" to the interests of the Federation. This command has literally, as far as his physical endurance has made it possible, been obeyed; and yet, because of this literal compliance, it is impossible to communicate to you in this report more than a very meager accounting of the work which has devolved upon me, and which I have endeavored to perform to the fullest. EXTENDING GROWTH IN ORGANIZATION. We have issued during the fiscal year, ending September 30, 1908, the following charters: INTERNATIONAL UNIONS. The materal some bane dine ma.font wa --::་ 2ry and 2. Catantes are, even the aztrganted bai oraze and para.y rested 300 **er time in the history of car inveral era has come and w. pass away and a wee 1 that matter, cutting in wages at a.. has practi nas comsarmed the wadom of car Fed-raton's declarat I got Vomic and political quests We have clearly The hurrier (90 ity zed cu tate d is with they STATE FEDERATIONS AND CITY CENTRAL BOI As already indicated, we have now 38 State Federatio Central Pole There is a marked advancement in the growth lavor movement, and there are no bodies more effective in carr ton the pouches and principles for which our movement stan is. federations and city central labor organizations. Their influer marked and w.despread. By reason of their local and constant the rank and fe of the toilers in their respective states and inspire the feelings of unity, fraternity and solidarity among the workers and all right-thinking men. It is, therefore, all the greater gratification to find so general a feeling of respect and confidence among the officers and delegates to state federations, central labor bodies, and the local unions of our great movement, in full accord with the officers of our international unions and our general labor movement. It is my earnest wish that these feelings, sentiments, and convictions of a common purpose shall still further be cultivated, so that it may The laternational unions above enumerated consist of approximately 28,700 local unioną of their respective trades and callings, permeate all those enlisted in the great cause of labor and humanity, the Grand Army of Labor, under the banner of the American Federation of Labor. DIRECTLY AFFILIATED LOCALS. We have now 583 directly affiliated local unions which have no internationals, and these come under the direct administration of the President of our Federation. Whenever there are enough of these local unions of any one craft or calling to warrant the formation of a national or international union from among their number, that course is pursued. We all realize that a national or international union can be of far greater advantage to members of any trade than where their unions have their local limits, yet it is equally true, and experience has clearly demonstrated, that an international union prematurely formed and perhaps of insufficient numbers to be able to financially sustain itself, has usually resulted in disbandment or dissolution after a brief existence, and that during the period of disintegration the interests of the men suffer and the local unions themselves are retarded. Therefore, quite apart from the general policy of our movement, it has been and is my desire to aid in the formation cf national or international unions whenever and wherever possible. When this is not done it is because the interests of the unions and the men of labor, are temporarily, at least, best served by their direct affiliation to the American Federation of Labor, where they receive the benefit and guidance of the experienced officers, as well as the advantages of the Defense Fund of the American Federation of Labor. There have been a number of contests waged this year by our directly affiliated local unions, and these will be more fully reported by the Executive Council. Advances in wages and conditions have been made, and many reductions successfully resisted by our directly affiliated local unions, and this is due to the financial and moral support rendered by the American Federation of Labor. LABOR MOVEMENT IN CANADA. It is with much satisfaction that I can report the great growth in the labor movement among our fellow-workers in the Dominion of Canada. Those intrusted with the affairs of the movement, both local and provincial, in the Dominion, are so earnest and loyal that they see to it that the interests of the workers are promoted, both nationally and internationally. It is interesting to note that, despite the efforts of those who would sunder the reciprocal and beneficial international fraternal relations which exist among the workers of Canada, the United States, and the entire continent of America, the bonds of unity and fraternity are constantly and more firmly cemented. The frequent intercourse of representative labor men with our fellows on both sides of the border, aided by our special organizer, Mr. John T. Flett. and the volunteer organizers' work of unification of the aims and aspirations of the workers, are bringing beneficial economic and material results. The exercise of legislative and political rights must, of course, always be mutually recognized and conceded. In a report recently made by the secretary of the Dominion Trade and Labor Congress, whom we honor and welcome with us today in the capacity of fraternal delegate to our convention, Mr. P. M. Draper, says: "Without any exaggeration it can be said that never in the history of the labor movement in Canada has such progress been shown in the organization of the workers. The knowledge of its power when united has swept throughout the length and breadth of the country, and despite the old, moth-eaten appeals to prejudice and self-interest, despite misrepresentation, persecution and coercion, the forces of labor have continued to unite. "To-day the organized workers in Canada breathe the same aspirations, harbor the same ambitions, and struggle for the same end, namely, the elevation and betterment of the masses of toilers who suffer not only from 'the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,' but from the oppressive and unjust laws and their prejudiced administration, uneivilized conditions surrounding the every-day The industrial departments organized, and to which charters were issued, are the Building Trades Department and the Metal Trades Department. The matter of organization of industrial departments will be more fully reported by the Executive Council. The State Federations are Montana and South Carolina. Charters were were reissued to the state federations of West Virginia and Utah. The localities of city central bodies receiving charters during the year will be given in detail by the Secretary in his report. At the close of the fiscal year, September 30, 1908, there were affiliated to the American Federation of Labor by charter the following: The Secretary will also report the number of local unions organized and chartered by our affiliated international unions. INTERNATIONAL UNIONS. The international unions have done magnificent work in regard to mem、 bership, as well as in uplifting their respective crafts and callings. They have at least partially supported their unemployed. The declared policy of our Federation against wage reductions has found fruition, despite the industrial panic. Organized labor, even those unions unaffiliated, have taken up and accepted the advice given by our Federation, to resist wage reductions under any and all circumstances; aye, even the unorganized have taken some degree of courage and partially resisted. For the first time in the history of our own or any other country, an industrial crisis has come and will pass away, and a wholesale cutting in wages, or, for that matter, cutting in wages at all, has practically been averted. Time has demonstrated the wisdom of our Federation's declaration on this, as upon other economic and political questions. We have clearly proved the soundness of the philosophy, that wage reductions are not only injurious, but their resistance and prevention are the most rational and most rapid method of emergence from an industrial crisis or panic, whether brought on by the manipulations of "Princes of Finance" or the blundering of the "Captains of Industry." I again strongly urge Labor's persistent resistance to any wage reductions. Nor can I permit this opportunity to pass by without expressing my great appreciation of the readiness with which the officers of our international unions responded to the invitation to meet last March in conference in Washington, to meet the emergencies which arose in our industrial and political life. STATE FEDERATIONS AND CITY CENTRAL BODIES. As already indicated, we have now 38 State Federations and 608 City Central Bodies. There is a marked advancement in the growth of our organized labor movement, and there are no bodies more effective in carrying into execution the policies and principles for which our movement stands, than these state federations and city central labor organizations. Their influence for good is marked and widespread. By reason of their local and constant mingling with the rank and file of the toilers in their respective states and localities, they inspire the feelings of unity, fraternity and solidarity among the workers and all right-thinking men. It is, therefore, all the greater gratification to find so general a feeling of respect and confidence among the officers and delegates to state federations, central labor bodies, and the local unions of our great movement, in full accord with the officers of our international unions and our general labor movement. It is my earnest wish that these feelings, sentiments, and convictions of a common purpose shall still further be cultivated, so that it may The international unions above enumerated consist of approximately 28,700 local unions of their respective trades and callings, permeate all those enlisted in the great cause of labor and humanity, the Grand Army of Labor, under the banner of the American Federation of Labor. DIRECTLY AFFILIATED LOCALS. We have now 583 directly affiliated local unions which have no internationals, and these come under the direct administration of the President of our Federation. Whenever there are enough of these local unions of any one craft or calling to warrant the formation of a national or international union from among their number, that course is pursued. We all realize that a national or international union can be of far greater advantage to members of any trade than where their unions have their local limits, yet it is equally true, and experience has clearly demonstrated, that an international union prematurely formed and perhaps of insufficient numbers to be able to financially sustain itself, has usually resulted in disbandment or dissolution after a brief existence, and that during the period of disintegration the interests of the men suffer and the local unions themselves are retarded. Therefore, quite apart from the general policy of our movement, it has been and is my desire to aid in the formation cf national or international unions whenever and wherever possible. When this is not done it is because the interests of the unions and the men of labor, are temporarily, at least, best served by their direct affiliation to the American Federation of Labor, where they receive the benefit and guidance of the experienced officers, as well as the advantages of the Defense Fund of the American Federation of Labor. There have been a number of contests waged this year by our directly affiliated local unions, and these will be more fully reported by the Executive Council. Advances in wages and conditions have been made, and many reductions successfully resisted by our directly affiliated local unions, and this is due to the financial and moral support rendered by the American Federation of Labor. LABOR MOVEMENT IN CANADA. It is with much satisfaction that I can report the great growth in the labor movement among our fellow-workers in the Dominion of Canada. Those intrusted with the affairs of the movement, both local and provincial, in the Dominion, are so earnest and loyal that they see to it that the interests of the workers are promoted, both nationally and internationally. It is interesting to note that, despite the efforts of those who would sunder the reciprocal and beneficial international fraternal relations which exist among the workers of Canada, the United States, and the entire continent of America, the bonds of unity and fraternity are constantly and more firmly cemented. The frequent intercourse of representative labor men with our fellows on both sides of the border, aided by our special organizer, Mr. John T. Flett. and the volunteer organizers' work of unification of the aims and aspirations of the workers, are bringing beneficial economic and material results. The exercise of legislative and political rights must, of course, always be mutually recognized and conceded. In a report recently made by the secretary of the Dominion Trade and Labor Congress, whom we honor and welcome with us today in the capacity of fraternal delegate to our convention, Mr. P. M. Draper, says: "Without any exaggeration it can be said that never in the history of the labor movement in Canada has such progress been shown in the organization of the workers. The knowledge of its power when united has swept throughout the length and breadth of the country, and despite the old, moth-eaten appeals to prejudice and self-interest, despite misrepresentation, persecution and coercion, the forces of labor have continued to unite. "To-day the organized workers in Canada breathe the same aspirations, harbor the same ambitions, and struggle for the same end, namely, the elevation and betterment of the masses of toilers who suffer not only from 'the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,' but from the oppressive and unjust laws and their prejudiced administration, uneivilized conditions surrounding the every-day |