Telegram-herald., 1891-02-05
FRIENDS OF LABOR
The Convention OF Workingnen
Gets Down 10 Business ana
In the Laws Cnasr " hish Prss~as Asases
Exlst-Ths KsAatsx ct Bxayht Papers
by Bright Delegates President
1osssy's address,


Grafton OF Labor began at 10 O'Clock
with an increased attendance Of dele
gates.
The usual formalIties observed, the
following resolutions were introduced
by the several delegates:
Keliy-Asking that the Legislature
provide for the submission of woman
suffrage TO the people OF the State
Also, asking Congress TO pass laws for
the protection OF the purity OF the bal
let.
Conneliy-Providin for the payment
of sick and death benefits by trade
/ unions.
o'Ronrke-For the appointment OF
organizers of new unions.
Providing for the payment
of wages weekly.
MiIls-Calling upon Congress to cub
nit the question OF universal suffrage
to vote of the people. ;
Lemcke-Asking the Legislature to
enact more effective mechanics lien
laws. I
Thomas-To make the recoating CT
walls of houses and halls with kalsol
mine criminal offense.
Schultz-Endorsing the boycott OF the
Fleischmann yeast.
Dutfey-Endorsing the bill now be-
fore the Legislature making the coun-
terieiting of union labels criminal Of
fense.
Flsher-Endorsing the boycott against
the products or the Rochester Cooper
ative Stove Foundry.
| Jandorff-Requesting q special effort
to organize the salesmen OF the State.
Misunderstanding that special ef-
fort be made 10 organize the band scroll
sawyers.
Dutfey-Providing for the organiza-
| ton OF the working women OF the State.
The reports of the president and Sec
retary We're adopted.
In lieu of Delegate Ingalls, resolu-
ton, the committee offered one provid-
ing that the meeting refrain from dis
cussing partisan politics; adopted amid
cheers.
| The resolution providing for weekly
payment OF wages was adopted.
| The resolution recommending the es-
| tabllshment of a State bureau of print
| ing and engraving was adopted.
| The resolution asking the enactment
of a mechanics lien law was adopted.
| The resolution endorsing the cigar
makers blue label was adopted.
| The convention then took a recess
for noon.
| Upon convening in the afternoon,
Mr.. c. Z. Miller read an able essay on
Monopoly" Mr.. Miller is an lncisive
reasoner, and he made several telling
hits against the giant which defeats and
throttles honest labor and fair COM
petition. He was followed by w. A.
| Taylor, on 1.-The Outlines of Systeni
of Practical Indlvidualism," in which
he advanced many new and original
ideas.
| Charles Erb read paper on "The
| Present Aspect of the Labor Move
ment." Mr.. Erb is an earnest defender
OF the rights of worklngmen, and
evinced clear conception of the pres
| ent condition of his fellows.
T.. Z. Mills contributed a paper on
"Generalities." He has a comprehen-
sive knowledge of the labor movement,
and succeeded IN convincing his hear
els that he was sound on all the princi-
| pies of the Federation rs set forth by
| the president III his address.
| The session then resolved itself into
an informal body, or committee of the
whole, under which each delegate pres
| entsreported the state of trade and the
workings of tue unions In the localities
| they are here to represent. The con-
vention will meet again at . a. M. to-
| day.
TIE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
The principles and achievements OF
| the Federation of Labor are admirably
set forth in President Tosscy's address,
which Is herewith gwen IN full:
| To the delegates of the third annual conven-
tion of the Michigan Federation of Labor:
BRoTHERs:-Eiected by the will and
authority OF the Saginaw convention as
president OF the Federation, ! have
been placed IN a position IN which.
while my Official duties have been few
aud simple, keenly feel the RESPONSE
bilities placed upon me In the trusts
confided IN me. in submitting TO YOU
this report, am happy to say that it is
a matter OF congratulatIon that our
state Federation, based upon the prIn-
ciples of free and voluntary assocla-
ton among the trades organizations, is
steadily gaming ground. and demon
stratlng that 1t contains the elements of
permanency. 1t Is we'll demonstrated
fact that the industrial reform is IN
sepersble from social evolution. and we
find that discomfort is one of the frs.
| Indications OF prosperity. In the age
OF concentration OF capital, and tie
use of improved and labor saving ma
| chinery, the workers are continually on
the alert, to increase their social and
industrial power, and so be prepared to
meet successfully these gradual
changes of industrial progress.
Very naturally. the first step in this
| direction IS organization, which. under
trades union principles. j. 20 be more
! effective; each craft preserves it's auton-
omy intact. BY organizing within itself
a system that, IN the lIght OF the failure
Of past Organizations, proves il To he toe
1 grandest OF any IN the history Of the
labor world. and too much credit can
| not be gwen TO those men for Their
/ efforts in forming and propagsting s0ch
a grand system OF perfectly uniting the
wsge-woTkeTs. The grand success OF
trades Eu ons in improving the oonal-
ton OF individual trades does not stcp
/ here. they believe that industrial ard
social reform can not Re thoroughly y
accomplished without the aid Of legs
lstion, and tast e one OF the reasons
| that le1 many trades unaonists OF Alea-
/ gan % form the Michigan Federation
Of Labor. Its effects are set fortA q
our constitution, section /. article 2