Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-11-29

The Brooklyn Labor lyceum will cele-
bfate its fifteenth anniversary at the ly-
ccum grounds in Brooklyn, on Thanks
giving Day.
wants an additional cabinet officer, whose
duties it will be to look after mines and
miners claims and rights.
Illinois state federation of labor wants
convict labor confined to manufacturing
articles for consumption in state nstitu-
tions and in breaking stone to be used in
making good roads through the state.
The new rule adopted by the Chicago
Plumbers union, requiring all employers
who work at the trade to join the organ
ization, has created a sensation among
members of the Master Plumbers asso-
citation. rule of the bosses union ex-
pressly prohibits this.
At Ocala, Fla, in January, will be
formed a national association of tobacco
growers, manufacturers and handlers.
This move has become necessary since
the present troublOuS condition OF Cuba
will not admit of this country looking
longer to that source for her supply of
tobacco.
Never in the history of the United
States has such a wave of organization
as at present exists been known, says
the Midland Mechanic. But in all this
boom there is one drawback-the small
town. By small it is not meant towns
where there are 500 or more workmen
of the various trades, but the places
where but three or four workmen OF any
one trade find employment.
Buffalo plumbers are at war with hard
ware men. The latter claim that the
plumbers instigated an order prohibiting
hardware men from making water con-
nections. For revenge they propose to
organize a central hardware dealers
plumbing shop. 1t will be capitalized at
5000, 900, and most of the hardware men
in the city will take stock in it, They
say they will reduce prices over one-half.
LEGISLATION urged by Governor elect
Pingree, of Michigan: Two cent fare on
all the roads of the lower peninsular at
least. Taxation of railroad property the
same as other property. The application
of the principles of the interstate COM
merce act to commerce within the state.
A vote of the people upon public fran
chises, such as street railway charters.
The suppression of trusts and monopolies
as far as the state can go in that direc-
ton. Laws against over-capitalization
of corporations and swindles committed
by promoters.
The boss BARRIERS and journeymen, of
Minneapolis, held joint meeting Mon
day night. For a number of years they
have endeavored to have the legislature
pass a bill which will make it obligatory
for BARRIERS to pass examination before
they could get a diploma which would
entitle them to pursue their vocation in
the state, but so far they have been un-
successful. A short time ago the union
decided to take the union card out of
every shop where there was employed a
member Of the union who was in ar
rearS.
The progressive Tailors' union, of New
York, has been called upon to investigate
the complaint of the employees of a cloth
ing contractor. They have been in the
habit of bringing their lunch with them
and eating it in the shop, but he insists
that they must go outside and eat a
square meal. Their lunches have been
frugal ones, and they insist that they
cannot go to a restaurant and eat the
square meal demanded by their employer
unless he pays for it, which he refuses
to do. A unique strike may be the re-
suit.
In Maoriland a compulsory civil service
insurance scheme has lately been started.
Every public servant appointed after the
passage of the act has to insure in the
State Life Insurance department, on a
plan which provides that, if he should
die before 60-the statutory age of re-
tirement-his heirs receive the amount of
the policy with profits, and, if he should
survive that age, he receives an apnui-
ty for the remainder of his life. If he
retires or Is retrenched before the age of
60 he can either continue his policy or
get liberal surrender value, as he pleas
es. The policy is absolutely protected
against all creditors, and, SO long as the
officer is in the service, it cannot be
pawned, mortgaged, assigned or divert
ed from its purpose in any way what
ever.