LABOR, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF. A non secret confederation of trade unions, having for its object the improvement in the conditions and wages of labor; the establishment of self unions of wage-workers in every trade and legitimate occupation, where mole now ex ists; tile formation of public opinion by the agencies of platform. press, and legislation; and the furtherance of a civilization based upon in dustrial progress, by securing to the toilers a reduction in the hours of labor. The American ]Perforation of Labor originated in an attempt to found a general organization of American work ingmen, distinct from the Knights of Labor, on a trade-union basis. A preliminary convention was called by the Knights of Industry and the Amalgamated Labor Union—the latter composed largely of seceders from the Knights of Labor and met in Terre Haute, Ind., August 2, 1 88 1. The first convention officially recognized as slick met at Pittsburg in November, ISSI, at whieli the name of the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor of the United States and Canada was adopted. This federation merged itself with all independent trade-union congress held at. Columbus, Ohio, December 8, 1580, when
the present, name and organization were adopted. On January 1, 1903, there were affiliated with the American Federation of Labor 101 national or international unions, 20 State federations, -173 city centrals. and 182.1 local unions. In .,)lay, 1902, the scereta•y estimated the aggregate membership of alliliated unions at 1,100,000, ex cluding duplicates. Among the oldest and most influential of the affiliated unions are the Broth erhood of Carpenters and Joiners, the Interna tional Typographical Union of North America, tile Cigar :Niakers' International Union, and the Granite Cotters' National Union of tile 'United States of America. The largest affiliated union is the United .11ine Workers of America. The American Federation of Labor is growing very rapidly, about 400,000 members having been added from 1897 to 1902. it has practical ly taken the place of its old rival, the Knights of Labor (q.v.).