Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-12-15

The Federation of Labor Author.
fZes n Per Capita Tax

AACo - Z CH OdRht& AaA.
BosToN, December l4.-At the open
ing Of the fifth session of the American
Federation of Labor the report of the
Committee on Constitution was taken
up. The friends of closer union and i'm.
proved machinery for handling thes triket
which may occur May let were out IL
full force. Representatives. of the Inter
national Typographical Union and {
number OF printers who come from cen
trail organizations were decidedly op
posed to the question Of assessments tc
meet the expense of expected strikes.
The following section was adopted by
vote Of 81 to IL: '"The Executive
Council shall have the power, and are
directed, to levy a strike assessment Of
two cents per month on the frat of June,
1890, on all national and international
bodies under the jurisdiction of the
Federation"
Another amendment WAS adopted Civ.
ing the Executive Committee power
upon the call of an afflicted body to lay a
strike assessment not exceeding two
cents per n ember a; ;h wet K 10 continue N
the discretion of the Executive Council,
unless otherwise ordered by vote of all
the national and international unions.
Recess.
In the afternoon the delegates consid.
cred the following substitute article and
amendment: "Any national or interna'
tional or other body connected with the
Federation failing to comply with the re-.
quirements of this article within period
Of thirty days shall be Suspended and
ahall not be reinstated until all arrear.
apna ara paid in full -
This was amended 60 that organiza'
tions whose delegates have been in
structed to oppose levying an assess.
ment shall not be liable to suspension
until they have acted on the matter al
their next national or International con.
vention.
After considerable discussion the arti.
Gle, as amended, was adopted with q
provision for the publication by the Elk.
ecutive Council of detailed account o1
the strike for the support of which the
assessment was levied. Tie per capita
tax was fixed at one.fourth of one cent.
After some slight additional amendments
in construction the measure as whole
was then adopted.
The report of the special committee
ppo pointed to consider the attitude of the
Federation towards the Knights of Labor
was then adopted. The Federation states
that its position is as follows: "First,
that the Knights of Labor shall dis
countenance and revoke the charters ol
| all trade assemblies or districts Of Their
order; second, that in turn
the American Federation Of La
Dor, and affiliated trade unions
will urge their members and
encourage working people to become
members Of the mixed assemblies o
Knights of Labor. The time has arrived
| when trade unions should claim thei
own. The trend of organization show
that the wage-earners of America ar,
weary Of having their interests ad
jueted by the measure Of the huckster O
the yardstick of the merchant. We as
sert that the natural right of the trad
unions is to occupy the trade unions' ter
ritory. When this right is conceded dis
cord will end'an organized labor will b
more closely united"
The election Of officers resulted in th
re. election of President Samuel Com pere
of Now York, and Secretary P. J
Mcguire, of New York. Final adjourn
ment was then made. Detroit will b
the place of next meeting.