The San Francisco call., 1895-12-21
BIG LABOR CONVENTION,
A Gathering of Organized Work.
ingmen to Be Held in
February.
The Trades Council Will Issue Call
for the Uniting of All
interests.

The Trades Council last evening awoke
to the realization of the fact that it has
been indulging too long in Rip Van
Winkle sleep and that to slumber any
longer would be waste OF time and loss
of energy too long lying dormant. There
was a time when the Trades Council was
composed OF delegates from sixty to
seventy labor organizations and when the
general public seriously considered every
measure acted upon within its council
halls. But the giant, united labor, be-
came sleepy and allowed itself to drift
into ina ctivity. Now only sixteen unions
are represented, by about sixty delegates,
and the usual weekly attendance averages
about fifteen men.
Last night there was an awakening that
was more or less painful, which was
brought about by the statement that the
general public and even organized labor
do not care a snap whether the Trades
Council orders boycott or not. 1t seems
that few weeks ago the Musicians Union
had some difficulty with the manager OF
the Peoples Palace Theater and decided to
boycott that pleasure resort. The case
was reported to the Trades Council and a
general boycott was ordered. Nothing
more was heard of the matter until a few
d
council to the Musicians Union for re-
port as to the progress of the boycott No
answer was received, and last evening the
matter was called up again. Several reso-
lutions were offered to the effect that the
boycott be declared off, because those most
interested, the musicians, are taking ap-
parently the least interest in the case.
Then it was that the statement was
made that the boycott of the Trades Coun-
pit nf n n q q
well patroniZed as though it was not
placed under the labor ban. 1t was also
asserted that very few members of the
labor unions were even aware that the
place was being boycotted, and the ma ior-
ity of these did not care whether it was or
not. Several argued that to maintain a
boycott that was of no effect was placing
the council in very humiliating position
and injuring its standing. The present
system of doing business places the coun-
Gil in a position where it would lose the
respect of all classes of employers, and
with its power crippled the laboring
classes Will soon be treated with no more
consideration than lot of carhorses.
This sentiment seemed to be felt by ALL
and after the matter was disposed of by
the secretary being directed to call for a
report from the musicians within two
weeks under the penalty of the boycott
being declared off, the principal business
of the evening was taken up. Without
preliminary remarks several delegates
made speeches, in which they said that
some move must be made to draw into the
central fold ali of the labor unions which
have from time to time been dropping out.
The situation as set forth in the foregoing
was reviewed in detail, and all united in
the expression that organized labor must
be interested in the central council, old
unions be drawn back and new unions be
brought into the fold.
Various ideas of how this could be ac-
complished were suggested, but none
found so much favor as the holding of
labor union convention for the purpose of
learning from the laboring people the
cause of their lack of interest or apathy to
the council. One delegate suggested that
if there is anything in the constitution
and bylaws that is obnoxious they could
be changed to suit the masses of the labor
ing people.
President McGIvnn made q spirited
address, in which he said that the main
cause of the decline of the council has
been the universal hard times, when men
regard the demands of ther families more
than labor rules and regulations.
But the times are changing for the bet
ter and now is the opportunity to revive
the interest in unlonism in general and
the Capitalization of union power in par
tiNuidi. ho III ChdhSihS LHC Vi
the council that is out of the question
The constitution and bylaws were the
product of the best and w1sesS intellect of
the laboring classes when the council repre-
sented thousands instead OF hundreds OF
workingmen. He favored holding con-
vention, he said, for such agitations are
always productive of good. They stir the
blood OF the laboring classes and make the
people more patriotic in the workingman's
cause.
He spoke with great feeling upon the
loyalty of the few who have held together
through prosperity and adversely and kept
the council alive when others fell by the
wayside.
1t was decided to invite all labor organi-
cations in the City to meet in convention
and discuss subjects for their mutual in
terests. The convention will be held on
the night OF Friday, February IA. A COM
mittee consisting of III. Burns, A. Milne,
c. f. Masten, J. K. Phillips and E. P.
Burman was appointed to issue the call
and make arrangements for the conven-
ton and the representation from each
union.