St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-08
LABOR TAKES A TURN.
The Federation Gets in Shape
at It's Initial Meeting
Yesterday.
A Question Whether Politics
Will Yet Play a Star
Part.
Delegates From the Farmers
Alliance and Nationalist
Admitted. 90 s
Views of the Assenblage Laid.
Down in Terse Reso-
lutions.

Farmers Alliance, promise TO develop
a towering strength in the dominion of
legislation in Minnesota. The initial
meeting of the federation was held in
Labor halla yesterday. 1t was a warm
session-the debates and the hot wave
held high carnival.
The federation made bold and out
spoken declaration of principles. There
was little friction upon the points en-
compassed by the platform, however.
That is to say, the conflict of ideas was
entirely outside the principles involved
in the report of the committee on reso-
lutions.
The first breezy controversy arose
over the proposition to admit delegates
from the Farmers alliance. The queS-
ton was raised by the federation dele
gates upon the principle that inaSmuch
as the official call had not enumerated
the alliance as entitled to recognition,
it was an unauthorized departure from
the primary objects of the convention.
Those holding this view were largely in
the minority, however, A test admit
ted the alliance delegates, ana the diff
ferenceS were brldged oyer IN peaceful
harmony.
The declaration of the federation in
cludes few entirely new principles,
although the cancellations interpolated
are of an important character. Briefly.
the federation recognizes the paramount
importance of practical reciprocity, and
to that end it was resolved that the
farmers and the laborers-the producers
and the consumers among them-deal
with each other as directly as possible.
TO further the plan and make it SyS-
tematical, it was decided to adopt
method of labels indicating that the
commodity was manufactured or pro-
duced by the man ufaeturerS or growers
connected with the organization, and
insisting that goods be sold and supplied
them bearing these labels.
The eight-hour day system is one of
the prominent plankS. and the lien law
IS touched upon, as matter of course.
A section was put through with
Zest that showed the estimate in which
it was held, demanding weekly payment
for employees, and it was also resolved
to strengthen the laws securing to en-
ployes and relatives damages for loss OF
life and limb.
Particular prominence is given the
demand for legislation for the state
ownership and control of railway, te1e-
graph and telephone systems, and also
all franchises and grants OF special
privileges by the state.
The federation is friend of the Aus
tralian system of voting, and will labor
to secure its extension to every precinct
in the state, instead of limiting it as
now to cities of and over 10000.
What Was Done. -
At 3:15 yesterday afternoon the state
federation was called to order by
George E. Ledgerwood, president of the
state eight-hour league. Secretary Mar
| tin, of the state eight-hOur league, read
| the call for the federation which was
| issued by that body. II. B. Martin was
selected temporary chairman. The fol-
| lowing committee on credentials was
appointed: H. V. Poore, of the Farm
ers' alliance; E. G. Ives of the typo
| graphical union; Frank Valesh, presi-
| dent of the st. Paul Trade and Labor
| Assembly; r. 81. Lucas, district Secre-
tary of the Knights of Labor; Eva Nc
Donald, of the state eight-hour league.
| The following delegates were favorably
| reported upon:
| Farmers State Alliance-President, R. j.
| Hall; secretary John Lathrop; lecturer, Ig-
| natius Donneily: treasurer, II. 2. Biorge, and
| J. J. Furlong, d. P. Lister. II. V. Poore, A. L.
| Stromberg. j. B. Hompe and j. H. Baker;
| state eight-hour league, George E. Ledger
| wood ]. P. McGaughey, III. B. Martin F.
| Valesh. j. d. Coughlin Eva Mcdonald, E. C.
| Ives, E. Stevenson, Thomas Ward ana B. G.
| Chalker; st. Paul trade and labor assembly
F. j. Casserly, j. c. Meyers, j. Murphy, NJ.
| Bantz and j. H. Doyle; Minneapolis trade
| Lindbloom, W. Sheibel, Thomas Lucas and
| Richard Colquhoun; District knights of
| Labor J. F. McNally, Little Falls; S. P. Ras-
! mussen, NJ Keefe, Saltwater; Alvins Braley
| WinOna; A. l.. Gardner, Austin; M. 7. Fin
| negan, Minneapolis.
The Nationalist clubs of Minneapolis
| and st. Paul sent six delegates. They
| were not included in the call. A lively
| debate enSued whether they should be
| admitted. On motion it was decided to
admit the following:
E. S. Edwards F. Finsterbach, Dr. A. *.
| Frain, Rev. G. A. Greasy and j. Goldblum.
The following committee was appointed on
| Hotchkiss McNally, Poore and F. Finster-
| bach On resolutions, MesSrS. Donnelly
| Finnegan, Miss Mcdonald, Scheibel and
| Cressy. On organization, Messrs. Lucas,
| Ward, Chalker, Ives and Furlong.
The meeting then adjourned until 5
| o'clock, so as to give the committees an
opportunity to transact their business.
The resolution committee reported the
following resolutions:
| whereas, All lDQuSlTldl ORGANIZATIONS ue-
sire to better their material condition by
establishing fair price for the commodities
they produce, and they also wish to have
some means of recognizing fairly made
goods.
Whereas, The goods so produced should
receive the preference from members of
labor unions ana Farmers alliances and be
distinguished by some device or LABEL
Resolved, That we would equally benefit
| the consumer and producer by producing a
| natr0naQn between
| lied consumers in the several Industries.
Resolved, That we urge both the farmers
| and workingmen TO deal with each other as
directly as possible, and urge upon the vari-
Gus organizations in the state federation
| represented to discuss the ACCESSIBILITY of or.
ganizing as consumers and adopting label
for the commodities they produce.
| We demand: That eight hours shall con-
stitute days work; the entire abolition OF
the convict contract system; lien law that
shall give to labor fist lien on all products
together with all costs and reasonable
| amount for an attorneys fee, to be deter
mined by the court, and that it be crime
for any attorney to charge more than the
amount awarded by the court; law provid
ing for weekly payment of employees; law
whereby an employee of corporation can re-
| cover damages for loss of life and limb; the
passage of law creating proper system OF
| mine and factory inspection similar to the
| English law.
We favor the state ownership and contro
| OF railways, IelegrapnS ana lelepnones anC
all business where a special grant of power
| or franchise from the state becomes a ne
cessity.
We favor the extension of the Australian
ballot to all parts of the state. and that i
shall be SO amended that the voter shall
place an X opposite the name of each candi
date he votes for.
This federation favors such reforms al
will restore to the laborers of every class the
full possession and enjoyment of their right
ful chorp in the piftS of nature
Talked Politics.
The evening session of the federation
began at s o'clock. The committee OIL
constitution made its report and the