St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-14
THE WORLD OF WORK.
State Federation of Labor to
Meet in St. Paul This
Afternoon.
Interesting Labor Matters to
Come Before the lmpor-
tant Session.
ST. Paul Events of Labor Move
ment Prospective and
Retrospective.
Industrial Topics Receiving
Attention of Workers
Elsewhere.

quarters, 10 East Seventh street. About
200 delegates are expected to he present,
representing the various labor organl-
ZationS throughout the state. The basis
of representation is three delegates from
each union or assembly, also three from
each trades assembly and the same
number from the State Eight-Hour
league. After forming permanent Or
ganiZation and adopting constitution,
the principal business will be the dis
cuSSion of labor legislation. Each
branch OF trade desiring special or gen.
eral legislation is expected 10 send its
delegates properly instructed in regard
10 its wants. From interviews with
prominent delegates it appears that the
following are the principal demands to
Ire made from this session of the legiS-
iaIure: Free text books, compulsory
education, factory inspection, me
chances lien law,an employers liability
act, al anti-eOnSpiracy act, an act pro-
tecting skilled plumbers. an anti
Pinkerton law. an eight-h0ur law
governing city. county and state
public work; a weekly payment
dill and few Others of minor impor-
lance. n legislative committee will be
appointed by the Federation. Mile
this committee will doubtless work
in harmony with similar committees
from the State Eight-Hour league and
trades assemblies, yet it will represent
the highest body of organized workmen
in the state. The selection of this cOm-
mittee is already being discussed, and a
large number of prominent working
men, seem ready to devote themselves
to the task of procuring labor legiSla-
ton and hope to be selected for that
important duty. Other matters of gen
eTal interest will be considered, and the
meeting this afternoon will be one of the
most important OF the year.
The labor lyceum holds its regular
meeting this afternoon at $3.50 at Labor
bail. W. Hopkins will present paper
entitled The Mistakes of Our Present
careful student of political economy,
and, after giving years of special study
TO financial prGbiemS, has evolved an
original theory on this intricate ques-
ton. He will explain this theory to the
lyceum this afternoon. The paper will
be followed by the usual discussion. A
good literary and musical programme
will also be presented.
Tie meeting of the State Federation
to-day will make scene of lively inter
est at labor headquarters. Each organ
IZatiOn, as rule, picks Its representa-
tive men for meetings of this character.
There will be a notable array of local
orators, who seek for fame outside the
narrow limits of their local organization.
While the various committees are at
work upon practical details speech
making accepta0ly fills the gap. Then,
too, the various schools of economic
thought all find their opponents, so that
q meeting of this sort has features of
interest outside of the actual business
transacted. Such meetings give the
representatives of all crafts an oppor-
tunity to get acquainted with each other.
and rub off the sharp corners of local
prejudice A gentleman prominent in
labor circles said this week: In MY
many years connection with the move
ment l have never seen such an unan-
Unity of sentiment on general issues as
there is in Minnesota to-day. / at
tribute this largely to the monthly meet
ings of the State Eight Hour league,
which have brought together all Inter
ests, and the Federation will do this
even more effectually."
The idea Of forming a building trades
council, which was suggested several
weeks ago i'll the GLOBE labor depart
lnent, is being seriously discussed in
st, Paul. The carpenters are specially
anxious to see such council formed
No formal expression of opinion has
been obtained from the separate unions.
but from interviews with representa-
tive members, the plan is acknowledged
10 be just the thing needed. Among
the trades represented i'll such a coun-
ell would be: Carpenters, painters,
paperhangers. plasterers, fathers, plumb
ers, bricklayers. maSUns and stonecut-
tiers. OF course, shorter hours and
union rates of wages would be the
primary objects of such combination.
Ii the council is organized it will pre-
sent the advantage of being able to FUR
niSh skilled labor that will do work in a
satisfactory mannrr. Then if one
branch, like that of the carpenters, for
instance, should decide to ask the eight
hour day, all the others would aid finan-
cially and In every peaceable way to get
the just demands of that craft recognized
Such council has existed in New York
city for several years. and So strong is
the sentiment in regard to EMPLOYING
fair labor that on one building SOO
men quit work last summer because a
nOn-union paperhanger attempted to
take advantage OF the prosperous condi-
ton brought about by the efforts of the
council. i he walk-0ut lasted only ten
minutes. the non-unlOn Wan being re-
placed by union man in that space of
time. If such council is formed in st.
Paul, employers will at all times receive
sufficient notice so that they may adjust
their contracts To the new demands. In
stead of inducing strikes. such a coun-
ell is expected to prevent them by put
ting all business relations between en-
pIoyer and emplOye on more equal
basis of adjustment. The federation of
railway employees was similar step,
and is now conceded by all to have been
wise one.
The bakers union calls attention to a
class of employers who. when asked tu
employ union men. always reply, 81
have no objection to employing union
men if they can do my work" This of
course gives the impression that the
employer is willing to pay the union
scale and is only troubled by the notion
that there will not be enough union
bakers to supply the demand. Ex-
perience proves this not to be the case.
The union keeps record of such en-
ployers and finds that they do not only
Z,
but also immediately discharge any
union man who may by accident stray
into such shops. The bakers union is
composed of the most SkIilfui members
Of the craft and their number is
sufficient to meet all demands. SO if an
employer runs non-union shop, the
union takes it to be proof that he has
no desire to patronze .'fair" labor and
consequently cannot expect the patron.
age of other branches of fair labor
After the committee from the trades
assembly has visited all such employers
and obtained a decisive answer from
them list of non-union shops will bt
published, similar 10 that now used by
the BARRIERS, clerks. cigarmakers and
walters.
The carpenters are carrying on de
termined crusade against Anheusel
Busch beer. A committee from thai
union is canvassing all places where
Eh1f brand = Snid or