Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1894-08-10
WHERE NOW rs UNITY [, q :,

| WHERE NOW rs UNITY
RECENT IMPORTANT CONFERENCES
OF ORGANIZED LABOR.
The philadelphia and st. Louis neetin~..
Sound Base Of Trade Organisation
American Railway Union - A Shady
Transaction by Labor Officials.
! What OF the unity movement? What
has been done since the Philadelphia
conference to accomplish the consolida-
ton OF organized labor? How stands the
case now, and what of the future? These
are some of the questions which are
being asked of me-and no doubt of
many others-by earnest men of the
rank and lille. l doubt my ability to
make satisfactory replies, and in my
Judgment admit am somewhat short
of infallibility, but have opinions, and
l give them for what they are worth,
assuring my readers that anything I
may say upon this subject is inspired
solely by desire to see the labor move
ment of America solidifed upon plan
for practical work under compact
and system which will embody the cor
rect principles of industrial organization
and insure the power to enforce Just and
wise measures. do not hope any more
to see the burial of all prejudice, but
am sure that it may be- made harmless
SO tar as any save those who hold it are
concerned.
What has been done so far in the line
OF unity? First, conference was held
in Philadelphia April $3.50, composed
Of over 30 representative labor men, at
which the sentiment was for complete
harmony, and the consensus of opinion
favored readjustment of economic or
ganization upon the practical lines of
special interests and the unification of
all for general work and the good of the
whole as we'll as each Of it's parts. Sec
ond, representatives of the Knights of
Labor, the American Federation of La
Dor, several Of the railway brotherhoods
and the Farmers Alliance met in St.
Louis on June II and adopted set of
resolutions which provide for semian~
nual conferences of representatives o.
organized labor 'Ffor the purpose of con-
sidering questions and devising plans
for the protection and advancement of
the toiling masses" A resolution to
which shall refer later was also adopt
ed. Third, the American Railway union
at it's convention in Chicago received
overtures from the general executive
board of the knights of Labor and eff
fected friendly alliance The extent
of the compact do not fully know at
this writing.
| Taking these three important events
in their order, let US first consider the
Philadelphia conference. There was no
authority behind that meeting, it is
true, but that fact was it's strongest rec
concentration to favor. It was compos-
Fed of men, many of them officials of Ia
Dor organizations, who came together
because they love the labor movement
and not because of duty placed upon
them by superior authority. They
were not, with slight exception, sent
there to "protect the interests of any
organization, but came of their own will
to contribute out of their experience to
the advancement of the cause of labor,
and they paid their own expenses. Men
who had never before met as friends to
cooperate in the movement joined hands
at that conference and pledged their
efforts as individuals to the improve
ment of. the toilers' condition. Such a
gathering was never had under tau
thority." If the Philadelphia confer
ence had done nothing more than estab-
lish friendship and confidence where
there had before been enmity and dis
trust, it would have earned prominent
place in the history of labor, but it did
that and aore.
It gave the keynote for harmony
movement; publicly enunciated the prin-
ciple upon which unity will be estab-
lished at some time in the future. Upon
no other principle can it be established
The principle is that there shall not be
two distinct organizations in the same
trade. There cannot be harmony where
the members of a calling are divided
into two or more organizations, owing
allegiance some to one and some to an
other authority, and such a thing as
permanent success for either of such Or
CARNATIONS is out of the question. Dual
organization means conflicting authori-
ty and-well, for 10 years we have seen
| what that means. The Philadelphia
conference is given credit for accom-
plishing something else. It is said tn at
if that body had not adopted resolu-
4.