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THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
Gomez Oompertz
Samuel Gompers.
1883 be was elected to the presidency of the Federa- tion, the chief representative body of working men in the United States, possibly in the world, its mem- bership being estimated at over 2,000,000. He has been continuously re- elected president, ex- cept in 1894, when he was defeated by John McBride. The first six years of his presidency he served without re- muneration, and he also paid his own ex- penses incidental to the agitations of 1886 in favor of the eight-hour law.
Gompers was instru- mental in placing on the statute-books of the national govern- ment and of the vari- ous states laws for the benefit of the working classes. Among the numerous laws passed at his instance are those providing for cm eight-hour work- day for mechanics and laborers in government service, and a ten-iiour limit for street-railway work- ers; for the regulation of child labor, and the con- trol of sweat-shops ; and also for making tlie first Jlonday in September a legal holiday, since known as " Labor Day. "
In 1901 Gompers was appointed a member of the National Civic Federation as a representative of the interests of labor.
In addition to being the editor of the " American Federationist," the official organ of the American Federation of Labor, Gompers has written numer- ous articles on the labor question.
BiBUOGEAPHY: Natinnal Cijclnpedla of American Bioyra- phy, xl. 539; Who's Who m America, 1903; Tlie En- cyclopedia of Social Reform, s.v.; New International Encyclopedia, s.v. A. I. G. D.
GOMPEBTZ, BENJAMIN: British actuary; born in London March 5, 1779; died there July 14, 186."). He was descended from the family of Gomperz of Emmerich. In 1798 he began to contribute to the "Gentleman's Mathematical Companion," fora long time carrying off the annual prizes of that magazine. Though he entered the Stock Exchange, he contin- ued to study mathematics, became a member of the old Mathematical Society of Spitalfields, and acted as its president when it became later the Astronom- ical Society. He was a contributor to the " Transac- tions" of the Royal Society, and in 1817-18 pub- lished tracts on imaginary quantities and porisms which established his reputation as a mathematician. In 18] 9 he was elected a fellow of tlie Royal Society, and became a member of its council in 1832. In 1831 he was made a member of the council of the Astronomical Society, subsequently contributing many valuable papers to its proceedings.
Gompertz's reputation rests mainly on his work as actuary. On the establishment of the Guardian Insurance Office in 1831 he was a candidate for its
actuaryship, but the directors objected to him on the ground of his religion. His brother-in-law. Sir Moses Monteflore, in conjunction with Nathan Rothschild, thereupon founded the Alliance Assur- ance Co. (1824), and Gompertz was appointed actu- ary under the deed of settlement. In this capacity he developed in 1825 a mathematical law of human mortality which remains the foundation of all actu- arial calculations. In 1848 Gompertz, after twenty- four years' service, retired from the actuaryship and devoted himself to scientific labors. He had been frequently consulted by the government, and was a member of numerous learned societies as well as of the leading Jewish charities. He worked out a plan of poor-relief which was afterward adopted by the Jewish board of guardians.
Bibliography: A. de MorRan, in Athenmutn, July 23, 1865; list III Goin Hertz's scientific papers in Notes and Queries, 2i series, x. 163; M. N. Adler, in Assurance Magazine, 1865; Jew. Chrun. Oct. 6, 1845 ; Diet. National Biography, s.v. J. G. L.
GOiyCFEBTZ, ISAAC: English poet; brother of Benjamin and Lewis Gompertz ; born 1774 ; died 1856. He wrote: "June, or Light and Shade," a poem in six parts, London, 1815; "The Modern Antique, or the Muse in the Costume of Queen Anne," London, 1813; "Devon, a Poem," Teign- mouth, 1825. Gompertz was much admired by his contemporaries; Dr. Jamieson, in his " Grammar of Rhetoric " (p. 357), classes Gompertz with Dryden, Pope, Addison, and Gray.
Bibliography: Diet. Nat. Biog. s.v. Benjamin and Lewis Qnmpertz. .J. I. H.
GOMPEBTZ, liEWIS: English inventor of London; died Dec. 2, 1861; brother of Benjamin Gompertz, the mathematician. He devoted his life to the cause of kindness to animals, and in 1834 set forth his views in a work entitled "Moral Enquiries on the Situation of Men and Brutes," which at- tracted considerable notice, resulting in the founda- tion of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Gompertz became honorary secretary of the society and worked for it with much enthusiasm. In 1833 religious difficulties arose between Gompertz and the executive committee ; his " Moral Enquiries " was denounced as hostile to Christianity, and he severed his connection with the society. He then proceeded to form "The Animals' Friend Society," which speedily outstripped the parent institution. In connection with the new society Gompertz edited " The Animals' Friend, or the Progress of Human- ity " ; but owing to ill health he was obliged to re- tire in 1846 from public work, and the society dis- banded.
Gompertz was the inventor of shot-proof ships, with contrivances for reflecting the balls to the places from which they were fired ; a mechanical cure for apoplexy ; and the expanding chuck, which is now to be found in almost every workshop.
Besides a volume of articles from "The Animals' Friend," Gompertz was also the author of " iIechan- ical Inventions and Suggestions on Land and Water Locomotion," London, 1851.
Bibliography: Jew. Chron. Nov. 1,1889; AlUbone, Diet, of Authors ; Diet. National Bi/tgraplnj, s.v. ,1. G. L.
