Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-02-05
FRIENDS OF LABOR



re seeona wear 81 oar exasssace can fs
dstsEmsaed hy The Increased represen
tatioa an1 nasDtsl abilities 81 tbs con
venssoa. ana by the reports oI your re-
tlFlng oKteers
Handicapped IS ss we're from the
fact that he State Legislature VAS noi
Ia SESSION last year, our labor MAS nee-
es,aTily zoe nned % a RATION neld, "A
fast the work Of the legislative conn.,
mi.tss IN Lansing. consisting OF Broth
ersF. r. Pierce, c. 4. Facet aud l. f.
HOLSTER, Is almost entirely embraced
IN their work OF last mouth ~ enllstins
the support OF senators and kepFesen-
tatlyss Ia favor of much needed legs
lation for the ria sses- Or tie meas
ufes proposed. prosainent snes are a
weekly payment b.li, factory Inspector.
LAbor Day - he declared a Legal ho.a-
day, the repeal of The conspiracy law.
and others. At the request OF the
Trades anu Labor Council, OF Detroit,
your Executive Board opened CORES
poaeence with TIE Representatives
ffonl this state at Washington, IN re-
gard 10 their support OF the eght-hour
contract law CA pablc works, intro
dueed by j. Logan Chapman, of De
tTOit. Four promised their support,
namely, Bliss, O'Doanell. Bclknap aud
Whiting. Mr.. Wheeler wrote lac would
consider u carefully, and the others
youehsafed 40 reply. ! would recon-
menu 90 this convention, that their best
efforts be given 10 consideration OF
ways and means with the objects n
view OF securing favorable legislation
for the wage-earners OF our State, aud
| | call your attention particularly 10 the
proposed measures above mentioned.
Ia the work OF organization We have
been as active as could be expected,
there beng no funds To appropriate for
| the purpose, therefore, our work WAS
done entirely through correspondence.
| We had organizers appointed n all
| places where none existed, and besides
| the work done by these officials We as
| sisted in securing charters tor the sales
men OF Lansing and the Trades and
| Labor Council OF the same city. As
| was expected at the Saginaw conyen-
| ton, the carpenters OF Detroit, vino are
| affiliated With this federation, went out
| May /. after demanding and being re-
/ fused the eight-nour work day. Alter
a gallant fight OF seven weeks. they
| we're defeated III their demand for
! eight hours, but secured an advance oil
| l0per cent. III wages, when, in addition
| to increased demands for labor, showed
| at the end of the year that they had
| suffered no loss financially from the re-
suit of the strike, hut had secured re-
suits which certainly will appear in the
near future. In connection with this
| strike, would state that your eXecu-
| tive board issued an address appealing
| to the sympathies of the people of De-
| troit and of the State in behalf Of the
| striking carpenters, which Was printed
| by the entire press OF Detroit and in
many papers throughout the State. We
also appealed to the affiliated bodies
outside of Detroit for assistance, which
was promptly responded 10 by 81 per
cent. OF the unions. The secretary's
report will give the names of unions
and the amounts donated. We also
endorsed the boycotts issued by the
Iroa holders Unions of Detroit and
the Typographical Union of K ilama-
| ZOO, which had previously become af-
| tiliated with this Federation.
On July 81, First Vice-Prcsident
| Vance, OF Saginaw, rendered his resig-
| nation, he having withdrawn from his
| nnion and become an employer. which
was duly accepted by the executive
board and IN accordance with the con-
| stitutlon. Brother Frank McPhIllips.
of Grand Rapids. was appointed to ill
/ the vacancy. Our relations with the
| American Federation OF Labor have
/ been all that could be desired from the
outset. At our request Mr.. Gompers
has promptly issued charters, and also
| given commissions to organizers where
none existed. 1t is TO be hoped that
the fraternal feeling will continue to
exist, and that still closer relations may
bc formed lay acton OF this convention.
J With this object in view, | recommend
| that We become affiliated with the
! American Federation of Labor, and
| that this convention elect delegate 10
| the next convention of the American
| Federation of Labor.
As the time for introducing proposed
laws in our State Legislature is limited
to fifty days, it is quite evident that
| our convention should meet 1T least
| three weeks earlier in the year, so rs to
| give more time TO drafting and pre-
| senting proposed labor laws. / recon-
mend that you give tins matter the at
tentIon il deserves. / would also call
| your attention 10 the fact that your
! executive committee has been deferred
1 ~
| pleted treasury, and that better
financial policy mus, be adopted, to
| secure the results SO greatly desired |
believe, aud also recommend. that
this convention should continue in
every manner possible TO identify it.
self with that popular movement for a
shorter work-day. 1t IS evident 70 all
| that the greatest mind IN and out of
the labor world now believe that the re-
| duciion OF the hours of labor must
ultimately lead TO improving the con
ditlon of the workers, and making bet
ter and more intelligent citizens. which
would result IN quickly solving those
| industrial and social problems which
are today so family understood by the
, masses.
Ia closing my term of Office. | wish
to express my heartfelt thanks to my
| colleagues on the executive board AMI
TO the Legislative Committee FOR taeir
| friendly assistance rendered during my
term of Office: also to the Official organs,
the Grand Rapids Workman and the
| Detroit Tageblatt. and to the other
journals OF our state who have done
much toward the advancement of the
| Federation. Nv relations with all have
been such as Ia command nav waTmest
admiration and respect. and the fra
terDal feelings tina. have "a a result
| ensued, will never be obsitera,ed. Ana
row, believing inst have made eveTt
| effort To perform TIE duties OF ms
Office 10 the extent Of the abilities
possess. leave i in your hands. *
1 lieving that no act OF miue has con
tribuied 10 retard the advancement O