Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-02
LABOR TROUBLES.
Important Meeting of ChicagO's
Trades Societies.
The Worlds Fair Directors to
Be BoyCotted.

organizations DISCUSS the minimum
Wage 0uestion -- Some Remarkable
Charges Made and a Number of Resolu-
tions Passed-Other Labor News.
CHICAGO, June AT a general meet
of the five central labor bodies of the
city Sunday, organized labor took a
radical stand against any further move
to give public assistance to the worlds
fair as long as their demands for min
mum rate are refused. Resolutions
upon resolutions were cast at the fair
and the directors and committee was
appointed to continue the fight. The
bodies represented at the meeting were
Trade and Labor assembly, Central
Labor union, Central council, Knights
of Labor, Building Trades council and
Carpenters council.
Legal opinions were read from G. S.
Darrow and Jesse Cox on the question as
to whether the worlds fair directors had
the right to grant minimum rates of
wages, the directors claimed that it
would conflict with their bylaws,
which required them to let the
contracts to the lowest bidder
Both these attorneys opinion were to
the effect that the directors had the right
to grant the minimum rate; that it did
not conflict with the bylaw referred to-
The inference drawn by the labor
people from these opinions was that the
directors knew their rights all the time,
and merely gave this excuse as a sub
torfugo to escape from the minimum
rate.
The worlds fair joint labor commit
tee submitted an exhaustive report, COW
ering all its conferences with the worlds
fair directors together with all dOcu-
ments bearing on the case. 1t recited
the action OF the city council IN its
favor, the refusal of the Builders and
Traders Exchange to act i'll conjunction
with it, the rejection of the minimum
rate Of wages by the directors.
The report further says that the APP
under which the fair will
be held makes it public not private
business enterprise. THAT as all lawful
power, local, state, National and inter
national, has been invoked in aid of the
fair, our action in struggling for the
recognition Of union hours, wages and
labor should be equally extensive and
the whole lawful force of union labor
should be used in securing these de-
that reports of all conferences
be printed and sent to all labor bodies in
the world; that a committeeman from
each trade represented in the bodies
present be elected to begin the crusade
for minimum rate of wages; that mass
meeting be called soon to start the ball
rolling; that legislative action be i'll
voked and that SO long as our rights are
not recognized by the directors we can
not conscientiously aid the worlds fair.
This report was adopted with all its
recommendations. Resolutions were
then adopted, that as it has come to our
knowledge that Il conspiracy has been
formed between the managers of the
worlds fair and the Chicago papers to
prevent public knowledge of the discon
tent among the working classes of this
city caused by the action OF the manag-
ers of the fair, that notice of this con-
spiracy be sent to the principal papers Of
New York, Boston, st. Louis and other
great cities in the United States and
Europe; that notices also be sent to all
labor organizations and that advertise
ments to this effect be inserted in such
papers as may assert their independence
and refuse to be party to this conspir-
ICY; that we respectfully, but firmly,
protest against any further increase in
.axation for worlds fair purposes or
lnythiug connected Herewith, and that
his resolution be properly presented to
,he city council.
1--WE protest against any portion of
yhe fire department or police force being
furnished the worlds fair corporation at
he public expense, and that this resolu-
ion be brought to the attention of the
mayor If the worlds fair needs special
ire and police service let the corpora
ion furnish the same at its own and not
he public expense
j. w. Mackin, secretary of the joint
abor committee, was instructed to go
o Springfield and attempt to have in
in the pending appropriation
)ill of 81 ,0Oe,0 600 in aid of the worlds
air clause providing that the mini
mum rate of wages shall be maintained
Il the expenditure of that money.