St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-28
The WORLD OF WORK.
Great Strides Made During the
Year by St. Paul Organ
lied Labor.
A Building Trades League in
Contemplation for the
Coming Year.
General Labor Notes, Past
and Prospective, in the
Capital City.
industrial Information Gath
cred From Mill City
Sources.

The pasty year has witnessed wonder
fur growth in organized labor in st.
Paul. The trade and labor assembly
las delegates from forty unions, making
II by far the largest body of the kind
III the state. Each union has from fifty
10 two hundred members, and few
even reach the three hundred and fifty
limit. The total organized element in
st. Paul is in round numbers about i've
thousand. Among the trades org ming
In 1890 were the wood and machine
workers, fathers, gutter layers, lithO-
graphers, press feeders, BARRIERS, wood
carvers. walters, railway ear repairers.
paperhangerS. maehiniSts, cooks. Among
the progressive features accomplished
were the Labor day celebration, being
the first ever held in st. Paul; the
enactment of the eight-hour day on
city work, the success of the early
closing movement and the national Or
ganization of the clerks as result.
The walters have been able TO form
one of the most tlouriShing unions in
the city; they are paid Uniform scale
Of wages and, all but two restaurants
employ union men. The BARRIERS
have organized 10 push the early
closing movement and secure
the employment Of union men.
The national headquarters of the
IOurneymen BARRIERS is now located here.
TIE tin, cornice and sheet iron workers
secured the nine-hour day. The stone
cutters have had a long, tedious strike
on hand, but consider it practically at
an end now. The forming of the labor
IYeeum and the great interest shown in
the Sunday afternoon meetings is an
evidence OF that prosperity in organiZa-
ton which permits of some attention to
abstract as well as practical topics. The
organization of the State Federation
and the cooperation between that body
and the Farmers Alliance was result
that had for long time been sought by
those who desired to see all forms of in
dustrial organization merged into one
compact body. Altogether. the year
has been one of steady growth and re-
neWed prosperity for the organiZaed
crafts. There has been noticeable alb
Sence of strikes or disorder of any sort;
several important questions have, how
ever, been settled by friendly confer
ehees between employers and men.
Among the projects for the coming
year are the organization of building
trades league, the shortening of hours
IN several trades and more thorough Or
ganiZatiOn of every branch of labor not
yet affiliated with the unions. A great
deal of general work will be done, aud
st. Paul is undoubtedly land will be, the
center OF organized labor in the state.
The various organizations are quietly
but firmly remarking that the commits
SlOner OF immigration is not as jealous
IN the performance of his duties as he
might be. A member of one union
states that there are occasional cases
where the commissioner might be use
ful, but no definite results are attained.
The boycott on a certain st. Louis
make of beer is being pushed with such
Vigor that dealers are endeavOring to
prove that the boycott is unjust. The
y. f. OF L. authorizes the action, and
workingmen are still industriousIy
paSting suckers about town and letting
that particular brand severely alone.
The State Federation legislative COM
mittee is working busily to get all labor
legislation in shape before the opening
of the session. Copies of legislation in
other states have been secured, and the
bills will be drawn up with great care,
so that but few alterations will be neces-
sary.
The chamber of commerce and the
State Federation of Labor do not agree
as 10 the ACCESSIBILITY of establishing a
bureau OF immigration. 1t is under
stood that the Farmers Alliance does
not favor The idea, and a resolution,
similar to that passed by the Federation
Will be introduced at the Alliance con-
ventioH. A prominent representative
CT organized labor says: There is no
doubt but that Minnesota has much nat
ural wealth still undeyeiOped, but it is
also true that this desirable land is In
the hands OF spectators and railroads.
SO that 1t is Impossible for settlers to
get 1t on reasonable terms. There are
hundreds CT families in the Twin Cities
VINO would be glad to move out on
farming land if there were any prospect
of making living. If you have any desire
to know how the farming population of
this state exists, ask the farmers when
they assemble at their convention this
week. 10 establish bureau of fmmi-
grafton would mean greater competition
Tor WORK and au addition to the large
number already seeking work in the
cities. A lowering of wages and of the
standard of living would be an ineyi-
table result. An addition to the farming
population would mean more mortgages
and money to be loaned. This would
benefit the class who deal in such wares.
and many of them are members of the
chamber of commerce; but it is doubt
full If such course would add to the
prosperity OF the state at large"