Hide Article Text (OCR)
ferent delegates accomplished during a very busy sessiou no one knows besides themselves. It is not believed the lenders have attained any definite result, and, in. fact, the president of one of the national organizations said that the failure of the conference was _ a foregone conclusion. “I should feel ^ very'much chagrined,” said he, “if I ( had any part in the convening of this^ conference.”t | The committee on resolutions and p plan of action was at work all afternoon and evening. Mr. Sovereign an-{ nounced that it had formulated a plan^ j but declined to give any details. The ( j platform, it is expected, will be sub* t imitted to the convention this morn* i jlng. The fourteen different organiz-. ; ations represented in the convention ! make an unwieldy body, an d it is evident that all of them cannot be satisfied with a platform formulated by five men representing as many branches of organized labor.Mr. Ratchford’s plan of petitioning President McKinley to convene Congress in extra session to enact measures providing for the settlement of the present labor difficulties, or, as he put it, “to define the rights of citi-j zens, if any,” did not meet with the.j approval he had hoped for, and it is ’ not believed the plank will be Incorporated in the platform.| Although present in the convention , all day. Debs did not speak, nor did he put in an appearance at last night’s mass meeting, where he was widely advertised to make an address He is represented on the resolutions committee, however, by Mr. Berger, and as he has remained pretty elose to the men composing that committee, it is safe to say his “social democracy” idea will be represented.IV. B. Prescott, president of the National Typographical union, of Indianapolis, was chosen temporary chairman, and \V. C. Pearce of Columbus, temporary secretary. Mr. Prescott then appointed a committee on credentials.The chairman named as the committee on resolutions and plan of action, W. C. Pierce of the miners, W. I). Mahon of the street railway men, Victor Berger of Milwaukee, who represents the Soeial Democracy, in whose favor Mr. Debs declined; G. C. Clemens of Topeka, representing the Populists, and James Ii. Sovereign. .. Mr. Ratehford then took t.he floor. He went over the miners’ strike from its Inception to the present day and dwelt particularly Upon “government :bv injunction.’’ He pleaded for prompt action, and coming to the pointjof his argument, advocated a special session of congress as the best, and in fact, the only relief. “I believe,” said Mr. Ratehford, “a special session of Congress is necessary to define the rights of the people of this country—if they have any,I believe if sufficient time is given the ; President of the United States willI, call special session of Congress to act upon thy matter of injunctions, and find means of relief from the existing troubles in the labor world “In case of refusal,” said Mr. Ratch-ford, impresslvety, after an outburst of cheering had subsided, “it will then he time to consider more extreme measures. 1 am in favor, if the'President refuses to call Congress together, of a complete paralysis of business. I believe in a sympathetic strike.” Patrick O’Neill of Rich Hill, Mo., who said he represented 1,500 “organized picks,” favored a labor revolution. He was a Socialist, he said, and believed in the miners taking things in their own hands, if necessary. Hia fierce harangue pleased the audience greatly. Mr. Sovereign put himself on record as opposed to Mr. Batch-ford’s plan. He believed this would be the last convention to be held un-# der present conditions and that the Crucial test now confronted organizedlabor.Less than 1,000 people, among whom were a large number of women, assembled in Masonic hall last night to listen to addresses by prominent labor leaders brought to the city by the con? ference- There was much enthusiasm Shown. When it became known that Rugene V. Debs, president; *of the Social Democracy, would sot speak, there were signs of indignant disapproval and loud cries for that noted leader. On the stage were a number of the most notable of the delegates j to the conference:
Newspaper Details
Lawrence Weekly World
Lawrence, Kansas, US
Thu, Sep 02, 1897
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
IN, USA 04 Aug 2020
Other Publications Near Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence Journal World
Journal World
Lawrence Daily Gazette
Lawrence Daily Journal World
Lawrence Chieftain
