St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-26
twin City Topics Now Under
Discussion by the Toll
epS.
Trades Assembly Men Inter-
ested in the July Fourth
Parade.
Some Little Anxiety as to the
Outcome in the Labor
Bureau.
Aldepnlanic Records Being
Looked Up and Made a
Note Of.

A member of the city council is re-
ported as having advised a city employe,
who asked for an increase OF salary,
ito knock down enough to make the
salary sufficient for his needs" The
man asking the increase happened 10
be a member of organized labor, ana IN
discussing the matter said he wondered
if the member of the city council FOL
lowed such advice OH his own behalf.
The alderman in question will be
watched With some curiosity by the tax
payers who elected him.
The employment. bureau nuisance has
again come TO the surface. 1t is charged
that the contractors having charge OF
grading in some portions OF the city
have an agreement with employment
bureaus BY which men are hired and al
lowed to pay their fee; then discharged
in a few days. and a new lot allowed to
pay a second fee. 1t is said that the
contractors and employment bureaus
have sort of joint cooperative COM
pany among themselves, and share the
profits derived from this peculiar
method Of hiring men.
Although it is unjust and annoying
to see poor men t1eeced in this way, yet
the nuisance exists in every city OF any
size, and the only remedy that has
been found etfectual is to have an en-
ployment bureau under the control OF
a Joint committee of the organization,
where those in need of work can apply
and be sure that they will be dealt with
honestly. Such a bureau could be
made self-supporting institution Ill
st. Paul if Il few active men would take
hold of the idea. A small corner OF the
cooperative store might be utilized for
the purpose, and, if it were well adver-
tised, men in search of work could sim
ply let dishonest agencies alone and
come where fair dealing would be as
sured. Nor would contractors be slow
in putting their orders for men in the
hands of this bureau as soon as the fact
became apparent that workingmen
understood and disapproved OF the pres
ent profit sharing system.
A canvass of different branches of
trade shows that work is dull in most of
them. Bolermakers and machinistS re-
port work steady with but small chance
of employment for new men. Sheet iron
and cOrnice work is picking up. FlaS-
terers all have fair amount OF work.
Stonecutters find plenty of work.
Printers complain that the dull season
is beginning unusually early this year.
Cigarmakers find but little change in
their status. Carpenters complain OF a
scarcity of work and low wages.
~
The trade and labor assembly held
well attended meeting Friday evening.
After receiving reports of special and
standing committees, a visitor was adj
mtted to explain the plans of new CO.
operative building and Improvement as
ISOLATION for workingmen. The idea is
to form a cooperative association COM
posed largely of wOrkingmen. to buy
tracts of land near the suburbs of the
city before real estate spectators have
advanced prices. These tracts will be
plated and every encouragement
offered to induce w0rkingmen to build
their homes there. A committee of
well known men have been canyaSSlng
the working population of the city, and
obtained several hundred signatures OF
people willing to become stockholders.
The plan was explained at some length,
and seemed to meet the hearty approval
of the delegates to the trades and labor
assembly. Of course, its success or
failure will largely depend upon the
tact and ability of those managing the
enterprise. But it is'to be hoped that
it will be success, for it is to the in
dustrial village that Krapsthin and
many other advocates of cooperation
look fol- means of peaceful and intelli-
gent avoidance of many of the OBJ
jectionable features of the present COM
petitive system, which tends to crowd
people into large cities, leaving the
village and farm deserted. All the
working people of st. Paul are heartily
invited to investigate this plan brought
forward in the assembly and see if it is
not something that they want.
~
A regular election of officers will take
place at the next meeting of the Trade
and Labor assembly, on Friday even
ing, June 10. Nominations were made
on Friday evening; there are several
for each Office. and an interesting con-
test may be expected.
~
Several aldermanic records were
brought and aired. The delegates be-
lieve in keeping record of those who
are opposed to organized labor. 1t will
probably make interesting reading at
and Cullen were added to the list on
Friday evening.
The Cigarmakers' union has changed
its place of meeting. in future they
will meet at labor headquarters.
~
The Brotherhood of Carpenters and
JoinerS hold an open meeting tomorrow
evening in their hall at the corner of
Third and Exchange streets to discuss
the need of organization. Good speak
ers will he in attendance, and all are
invited to attend.
The Ladies' Protective association
held a well-attended open meeting last
Sunday. Several short speeches were
made on industrial questions, and a
good musical programme furnished by
members of the assembly.
-
The K. of L. library has added several
hundred volumes to its catalogue within
he past year, and has now select list
of reading matter in fiction, history and
political economy. Books are let
weekly on the payment of trifing
sum, and every organized man and
woman should patrOniZe the library for
the sake of the education to be received
for themselves. Donations of books
are a great help, and almost every one
can spare few from his own stock or
obtain some from friends. A little help
from each one will make library that
will be q credit to the industrial classes