The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-28
MONTANA MATTERS.
A MEETING CALLED TO FORM A
STATE TRADES ASSEMBLY.
Women's Protective Union and
What 1t Has Accomplished.

There are few Industrial centres in the
United States that can boast of such
splendid and thorough organizations of
Workingmen as Butte. She has probably
smaller percentage of non-union labor
in the varied trades and callings than any
other place of equal population in the
world. While this may seem a very
! sweeping statement, vet the facts will
pear II out, and those acquainted with
the situation will bear witness to its
| truth. This being essentially a mining
camp, of course the Miners Union is the
foremost organization in members. The
butte Miners Union has membership at
| present of over 3,000 and it owns large
pulldlng and has valuable treasury.
+ II is the largest organization in the Wes-
OF the mine operatives of the western
states and territories, and is a leading
factor III the settlement Of all disputes
between other organizations. Having at
Its head some of the most Intelligent and
| conservative labor leaders in the north
west 1t commands the respect of the en-
ployers, and it settles all difficulties in
a business-like manner. With all of the
Dig mines in Butte district, employing
thousands of men above and below
ground, it has been able during the past
Two years of depression, to maintain its
wage schedules and hours of labor with
no serious Earring, and no sign of strike
or other difficulty. 1t spends each year
thousands of dollars i'll relief for its own
members who meet miSfortunes and Its
purse strings are always open to calls for
ald from other labor organizations;
Next in Importance to the Miners I'm
Ion, and possibly in some respects more
lar reaching i'll its work, is the Silver
Bow Trades and Labor Assembly. This
Is a central body made up of delegates
from all the labor organizations in Sill
yer Bow county, and is acknowledged by
all as most powerful organization. 1t,
100, IS lavish in its responses to calls
from others for aid, as witness its action
in sending hundreds of dollars to aid Mr..
Debs and his associates in their legal
fight against the Railway Managers
bers among its members some profound
students of the questions concerning
labor, and its weekly meetings are of
great benefit to the interests represented.
All questions that come before 1t are
carefully considered and settled only
after mature elaboration, and it has its
first failure yet to score.
1t would be impossible in the space at
hand to properly detail each of the local
organizations and so 1t must suffice to say
that each skilled trade is organized in
its own union and all unskilled callings
are so perfectly organized in local assem-
blies of the knights of Labor, that nom
union workmen in Butte today are as
scarce as the proverbial hens teeth. The
same may be said of almost the entire
state of Montana. Each county of any
industrial Importance has its Central
where the voice of organized labor is
heard and respected. a call has been
issued for a state convention to meet in
Helena on May 1st to form a State
Trades council. and delegates from all
labor organizations in the state will be
in attendance. 1t will be notable gath
expected from a closer alliance of the
varied classes of wage-earners
Before passing from this branch Of the
subject, a word should be said in praise
of the Women's Protective Union, of
this city This body is composed of girls
and, women who earn. their own living
in the various walks Of life, and il is do
ing a wonderful amount of good. It
sends its delegates to the Trades and
Labor Assembly: and it is I'll close SYM
patty with all the labor organizations of
the city. Nearly two years ago it foun-
ded the Women's and Children's Home,
designed as a temporary refuge for
women out of employment. and for chill
dren deprived of their natural protectors.
Financial aid was freely given by the
other organiza tons, and contributions
We're made by business men and citizens,
and so TIE home has been enabled to do
an immense amount of good, and is to-
day not only credit to it's projectors
but the city.
There are few laws on the statute /
books of Montana that are of any effect |
upon labor one way or another. We have
state bureau of agriculture, labor and /
much to be doubted. The last session |
provided for a free employment bureau, !
or agency, but about all that it has so (
far accomplished seems TO be to have T.
charge. There are laws providing for /
eight hours work for stationary engineers I
under certain conditions, but the con- /
ditions' seem to make the laws totally /
imperative. However, Montana is as yet /
in her swaddling clothes as a state. and /
previous legislature seemed to have the /
opinion they had nothing to do but elect /
United States senators Cor try to) and /
much needed legislation has been over /
looked on that account, but future ses- I
sions give promise of better work, and so !
we patiently wait. Organized labor all 4
over the state takes a cheerful view of /
the situation. and while there is much /
room for Improvement, we are concious /
few states can show as little vicious leg
islation as can Montana.
Three of the largest publishing centres /
in the state-Butte, Anaconda and Hell /
ena-have recently put machines in all /
of their daily newspaper offices. and this |
has thrown a large number of printers |
out of employment. but aside from this /
there has been no perceptible change af- /
fected by labor-saving machinery in the (
state, and it is doubtful if the years to /
come will see any material increase of I
such.
Taken all in all, organized labor in Mon {
tana has much ground for self-grat- !
ulation, and it confidently looks forward +
to a prosperous future.
HARRY.
Butte. Montana, April 90. 1895.