St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-11
LABOR LEGISLATION.
The Various Bodies of Workingmen Com
prised in the Trades Congress at
Columbus, o.,
Spent Yesterday in Discussing Various
Matters of Interest to the Wage
Farmers.
Some Confusion Arising From the
Sessions of the Different
Associations,
Which Followed Each Other Too
Closely for the General
Convenience.

Which Followed Each Other Too
Closely for the General
Convenience.
COLUMBUS, O., Dec. 10.-The morning
session of the trades union conference was
unpr0ductive of results, and, owing to the
slowness of procedure, it was decided to
hold night session. The convention then
took recess. There has been little of IN
terest of an official character obtained in
regard to the conference of trades unions
this afternoon. The occurrence looked
upon as the most important was the second
meeting of the trades unions and Knights Of
Labor committees. which was held this aft
ernoon and continued for several hours.
Both sides were nOn-committal as to what
was done. all referring inquiries to Secretary
McGuire as the only one vino had kept any
minutes of the proceedings. 1t is claimed to
be known as fact that the Knights OF Labor
committee
REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTION
as to the Trades union treaty promulgated
at Cleveland in July, which was in sub
stance demand upon the Knights to re-
move all charters granted any assembly that
The trades committee insisted on a settle
ment on the basis of this treaty. AS the
conference lasted after this refusal, it is
supposed that the trades committee &C
cepted something else. The spirit and
business of the conference can only be Sc
cured by general talks on the streets. as
the minutes furnished by the secretary, in
their nleager outline, convey but little
idea as to what is being done.
The proceedings of the federated con gress
are nOmnally open to the press. but the
TWO bodies change so often that it is
difficult to know when either is in session.
Even some of the delegates become mixed,
and at times unable to tell which body they
have been or are sitting in. Several have
become tired of the delay in accomplishing
results and gone home. The time seems to
be taken up in discussion. Secretary
Kirschner states this is more so than at any
former congress which he has attended.
The trades conference. at its afternoon
session, instructed its committee to insist
upon a
SETTLEMENT OF DIFFERENCES
between the unions and the Knights of
Labor, upon the basis of the trades treaty,
and Mr.. DAILY. of the shoe lasters. was
added to the committee in place of PreSi-
dent Weihe, of the Amagamated aSSOca-
ton. Mr.. KerSchner made a personal eX-
PLANTATION in regard to the charge prOmul-
gated against HIM by McFeely, of the
Knights committee. repeating his action
in inducing union cigarmakers in New
York to take the place of Knight cigar
makers in Philadelphia. who had been on
a strike for what they considered a
reduction of wages by the introduction by
the manufacturers of a low-priced cheroot
into the factory, where Cubans and Knights
of Labor were employed. Some more reso-
lutions were discussed at length. The one
in regard to support of the Foster Memorial
association was adopted. A fight was
made on the political resolution. 1t was
framed by Messrs. Kerscher and Black. and
advocated the formation of third party by
wOrkingmen. trades unions being particu-
larily urged to take action looking in this
direction. Several clauses regarding third
parties were struck out by large majority
of the vote. and
THE RESOLUTION,
after being amended thoroughly, was
adopted as follows:
Whereas, Political action is subject which
has in the past been prolific source OF dis
cussion and trouble in the ranks of the work
ingmen, but happily the revolution recently
witnessed in the election contests of the sew
eral states, not only the remarkable and ex
traordinary demonstrations made by the
wo kingmen of New York, Milwaukee, Chi
cago and other cities, shows US the time has
now arrived when the working people should
decide upon the necessity of united action as
citizens at the ballot box, Independent of the
existing political parties; and
Whereas, the necessity of this is apparent
from the subjectiou of the police powers to
@L- ;,,tA ~ o,1it tn F<-a
ing upon their employees conditions repulsive
to free labor and liberty, and if the nefarious
work of the Pinkerton detective agency Is to
continue workers must secure a greater share
of political power; therefore, be 1t
Resolved, That the convention urges most
generous support to the independent political
movement of workiDgmen.
The resolution opposing the preference
the government is supposed to give the
ex-soldiers in the matter of employment,
was killed, but another asking congress to
pass a compulsory ndenture law for the
District of Columbia and the territories,
was adopted. 1t was decided to make the
night session continuous to the close. The
conference resolved itself into a trades
congress about p. m, and for some time
was devoted to financial matters. When
the congress adjourned it was understood
that the
CONFERENCE OF TRADES
would form the amalgamation, and that
when the congress adjourned this session
it will be sine die and no longer exist.
Chairman House, of the Powderly
committee, reports tonight that their
conference with the trades committee re-
suited in the understanding that negotia-
tiOns on the basis of the trades union
treaty was out of the question, and. before
the conference closed, the trades union
men talked very fairly, and a tacit under
was reached. He said his COM
mttee would report to the national execu-
tive board, and in case such committees
were continued to settle all grievances that
might arise, he believed there need never
be any serious trouble or antagoniSm be-
tween the Knights of Labor and trades
unions. The Knights preferred peace, and
Sary. He believed the cigarmakers were
the only trades that opposed the Knights
anyway. Some Of the members of the
committee left for home tonight
and the others will leave in the morning.
The conference tonight worked ON the
constitution and adopted the name
American Federation of Trade and
Labor" 1t was decided to hold the next
meeting in Baltimore. The conference will
not adjourn till to morrow morning.
THE kNlGHr~ SNUBBED.