St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-14
THE TRADES ASSEMBLY.
The Last Session Devoted Largely
TO Convict Labor.


ing with all the officers and large quota of
delegates present. After the obligation of
four new delegates, the reports of the COM
mittees were considered at considerable
length. The boycott committee reported
excellent progress and that the boycott on
Deuber's watch cases and StetSon'S hats
was being vigorously and successfully
pushed Merchants generally had agreed
not 10 buy further supplies and TO keep
what they had under the counter to supply
only special requests for those goods. The
boycott of Nicholas Kuhnen, Davenport,
Ia. had been reported lifted. but recent Of
fetal advices from the Davenport union
stated that the matter had not been settled
yet. The exact state OF affairs would be
known in a day or two. All the unions had
co-operated in very gratifying manner.
The eight-hour committee reported prog
resS slow, but to the point. One contractor
had signed the agreement and the only stick
ing point was Mr.. Breen's action. They
had good reasons for believing he would con-
cede the point
The report of the committee on convict
labor was heard and the subsequent proceed
ings on this point were quite lengthy.
The committee had visited the Min
neapoliS Trades assembly at its
last meeting, and committee
from that body was with the present meet
ing. The committee of three appointed to
consider the matter of prison labor and its
bearing on the labor interests of the state
at the labor meeting at Garfield hall last
Sunday evening" was also present, with
member of the wood-fnishers' organization
of the city. Two or three prominent rep
resentatives OF tine wood manufacturing
interests of st. Paul had been expected, but
failed to appear. 10 definite action re-
suited from the conference other than the
arrangement of another conference by the
three committees, to be held in Minneapolis
in the near future, each committee TO
thoroughly
INVESTIGATE THE SUBJECT
in the meantime. The pOstpOnement was
to give time for further study of the
question, and the next conference will
probably be attended by wood manufacturers
who are in competition with the prison
products of Saltwater. j. NJ. Minor of the
Labor lyceum committee spoke at some
length, giving few st. Paul buildings in
which the fnishings were partially or wholly
done by prison labor. He also asserted that
fine and expensive jobs had been done in
ST. Paul and little or no changes made. the
meaning of which was easily understood.
The labor organizations were ripe for the
agitation, and would push it to a successful
issue. The wood manufacturers would
consult their pecuniary interests by heartily
cooperating in the movement. The foe
would be a hard one to down. The prison
ring had organized money and political
power which must be overcome by force of
numbers and hard work.
A gentleman from the Hardwood Fin
ishers' association of the city said that many
of the wood manufacturers had recently re-
solved not to bid on work where bids from
the Saltwater prison factory were consid-
cred. Members of the Minneapolis COM
mittee spoke, expressing the resolute pur-
pose of the labor interests of that city to
push the matter vigorously. A. l.. Robin
son wanted each committee to thoroughly
investigate the matter and when the time
came they would hold rousing mass meet
ing in each city and declare vigorous boy
colt. They would awaken a public senti-
ment that would abolish the system at the
next session of the legislature.
Reports from trades were as follows:
Cigarmakers, in splendid shape and the
udiOn stimulated and increased by the re-
cent boycott: stoRecutters, work beginning
TO boom and men were being put on in all
the shops; steamfitters, but few men work
ing; bricklayers. picking up little; carpen-
tiers, not as good as usual at this time Of
year.
NJ. +. Kahn was present and announced
that the Dispatch Office now employed none
but union printers.