The Indianapolis journal., 1893-12-12
THE BARS LET DOWN
The Central Labor Union Will
Admit Politicians as Delegates.
Action Taken at the Meeting Last Night
Politicians Bring About an Acri-
mOniOus Debate.

The locks were raised and the political
hoodgates opened upon the Central Labor
Union at its meeting last night For several
months past there has been a very
strong undercurrent swirling towards the
murky political stream, but 1t has
been kept well under the surface
until within the past few weeks,
when 1t so increased in volume that 1t
burst upon the body with sufficient force
to sweep away feeble opposition before
the unyva.ry were cognizant of the danger
that was impending. When the attempt was
made to admit politicians a few Of the MEM
bers valiantIy attempted to avert the catas-
trophe but their weak efforts were un-
avaiIing and henceforth politicians may sit
as delegates to the Central Labor Union.
Section Article of the constitution
of the central labor organization, provides
that any person may sit as a delegate in
the central body who has been member
in good standing, of any union, for period
of six months prior to the election as dele
gate, with a proviso that the section shall
not apply 10 delegates elected from newly
organized unions. Section 3 of the bylaws
provides that the central body shall not
indorse a candidate for Office on any poliu-
cal ticket, prohibits the discussion of par
tisan politics ON the floor Of the Central
Labor Union, and provides that person
holding any elective or appointive public
office shall be entitled to sit as a delegate.
The section of the bylaws on this point
has, in times past, been insisted upon by
the delegates who thought it wise pro-
vision to prevent the degeneration of the
central labor organization into a
political machine, and 1t has
+1A Of oI,,oh hIa dola
gates withdrawing when they came within
| its provisions. Mr.. White, Democratic
member OF the 4 Board ard OF fubiiS SAFETY: was
| ed to the Council, but resigned after his
election. Several weeks ago Mr.. Deery, the
Democratic labor legislator, was asked to
resign because of his being ineligible under
| this section of the bylaws Mr.. Deery
| said, the Legislature had adjourned. he
| was entitled to hold his seat, and refused
to resign. The question was brought up at
a meeting of the central body several
| weeks ago. and he was expelled, it being
| decided that ne was still a member of the
Legislature After this Mr.. Deery friends
| set about to secure his reinstatement as a
| delegate, and it was thought this could be
| there was conflict between Section of
| Article of the constitution and Section 3
eligibility.
A. b. Loebenberg, who acquired a great
deal of notoriety during the last city cam
| paign by holding unauthorized labor poiit-
| ical meetings and speaking In the interests
| of Sullivan, and Harry Roberts, secretary
| motion to strike out the section of the by
| laws and entirely abolish poll ical restrfc-
| tions of any character whatever. The ef-
feet of the motion presented was TO leave
the central body open to indorSe candi-
dates. discuss politics in its hall and hold
| politicians and officeholders in the body
| as delegates.
| There was a violent opposition to the
| motion on the part of those delegates who
| foresaw what such a step meant and Mr..
1 I,Vpn6pfkar
| promptly came forward with compromise
amendment. He proposed to leave that
| part of the section of the bylaws prohibit
| ing the Endorsement of any candidate for
/ Office and the discussion of partisan poll
| the last three lines Of the section, which
| provided that the politicians should not sit
as delegates to the body, Lyendecker' 8
motion was then put and carried and the
d9Ers b opened to is Pscifansb fnsbenhers nre
sented another motion which was the cause
of a spirited discussion and engendered con-
siderable personal feeling before 1t was
| Heretofore local unions have each been en-
| titled to two delegates in the central body
| and one additional delegate for every fifty
members. The amounts contributed by 10,
| cal unions to the support of the central
| body have also been regulate by the num-
| ber of members in the union, by the levy
ing of a per capita tax of cent a month
| for each member of the union. There are
| several carpenters unions In the city, and
as they each have a membership of several
| hundred, this entitled them to a large rep
| resentation in the central body, and it ap-
| peared that the carpenters almost, II not
| quite, had control of the union. Loebenberg
| presented a motion last night to change
| the basis of representation and give each
| union four delegates, regardless of member
| ship There was no provision for a change
| in the per capita tax, and the delegates
| from the larger unions seeing the unjust
| ness of the proposed charge at once rallied
| in opposition, and the motion was defeated
| by vote of twenty-three to four. The dis
| cussion on the motion was very spirited
| and led to personalities in several instances.
| In speaking to the question Mr.. Hacker
| from the Bakers Union, said he thought
| it was high time the Central Labor Union
| bring itself down to the consideration OF
| business connected with the interests of la
| Dor and refuse to permit politicians to come
| into their midst every meeting night with
| some sort Of motion, the only effect of
| which was to engender broils and Ill feel
| ing.
The Retail Clerks Union sent in COM
| munication announcing that the union had
| agreed to allow its members to work every
| night of the week preceding Christmas as
| late as the employer thought the trade
| would Justify. The employers, on the other
| hand, had agreed and the union would in
| sist, that all stores be closed the entire day
| Christmas.
German Typographical Union Benefits
| During the past two months the German
| Typographical Union, No. IA, has paid death
| benefits to tie amount of $500 and sick ben
| efitS O the amount of 500.