The Saint Paul globe., 1896-12-20

DIS IOiiONS.
Total number of members. rs.............2123
Net increase in past six months .... PIG
Number working ....... ...............15 $40
Number unemployed ...................... 47S
number of non-union workers .......... Ats
Commenting on these figures. Mr..
Hammond continues:
1T cannot be said that the showing
is one to be proud Of When the or
ganized trades have to report more
than 40 per cent of their fellow crafts
men as non-uniOn. and practically half
the situations held by them, it suggests
very forcibly the idea that there is
room for Improvement in methods OF
organization. Then the number of un-
employ yed-2212 per cent of the total
memberships sufficient to cause the
earnest union man to stop and reflect
on the situation. If our unions are to
be the success they ought to be, and
which we wish them to be, and if we
are to gain from them the benefits we
might receive, we must find the cause
of this failure to organize the workers,
and we must adopt some means to
guarantee work to the unemployed
who will not always consent to starve
for the benefit of those who have stu
ations. Charity schemes and out-of-
work benefits Will answer as eXpedients
for temporary relief, but cannot sUc-
Ceed as permanent measures, for the
in every calling is on the increase, and
just in proportion as to the need for
out-OfWork benefit grows, the source
from which it comes-the wages of the
mployed-diminishes One Of our
strongest unions has felt this truth
severely in the past three years, and
all which carry benefit funds are sure
to realize it as time goes on and the
skilled worker gives place to the
machine tender, the man to the Wo-
man, and the woman to the child. 1t
is never the part of wisdom to overrate
our difficulties; but, on the other hand,
the ostrich which hides its head in the
sand, and imagines itself safe because
it sees no danger, has become the type
of wilIful folly. Union workers who
desire to make their organizations
what they should be will study this
question, not ignore it, and will hon
estIy and impartially weigh any plan
which promises to do what so far has
not been done. to-Wit: Thoroughly or
ganiZe the whole working class, and
give to the laborer the whole product
of his Industry.
"Of nine strikes reported, four were sue
cessful, two were compromised, one was
WHOLLY lost, and two had not been abandoned
at time of report. In wages, two cases of
advances and four reductions shown. On
condition Of trade, one union reported good,
eleven fair and seventeen DUH or every dull.
1T is noticeable, the report concludes,
that the trades which are least mechanical
in their nature all report trade. fair. ("
The socialists have received SEVERAL severe
set-backs in their efforts to secure repre-
sentation in the central labor bodies of the
city and state within the past few months.
First it was the st. Paul Trades Assembly
that refused admission to their delegate.
Then their effort to enter the local label
league proved fruitless, the constitution
Of that body had been framed with the evil
dent intention that trade unions only should
be there represented But the last and most
severe blow was administered last Sunday
by the state federation OF labor when the
delegates from several socialist sections in
the Twin Cities were refused seats, although
they had been granted that privilege in the
Minneapolis convention six months ago. By
the subsequent adoption of amendment
to the constitution stipulating that party
politics, whether they be Democratic Re-
publican. Socialistie, Populistic. Prohibition
or any other, shall have place in the con-
vention of the state federation of labor. nor
shall the delegates from any political party
be admitted the day when the Socialist-La-
Dor party will be recognized by the federation
is set afar off, as it requires two-thirds
vote to change the constitution
That the opposition to the socialists is not
owing to a belief in the theory of social
ism itself made clearly evident in each
instance related and Delegate Geraghty,
last Sunday, expressed the views of a large
majority of the delegates when he said so
ciaiism is all right. but the men behind the
Soc:alist-Labor party are all wrong
TIE socialist resolution, known as No. g.
was defeated largely for the reason that Il
approved ard recommended independent po-
Iitical action by the trades unions, which,
a great many delegates claimed was a
practical Endorsement of the Socialistic Trades
and Labor Alliance, at the head of which is
Daniel De Leon. who has declared the object
of his organization TO be to supplant the pure
and simple trade union.
The election of officers By the federation re-
suited as follows: President, M. f. Neary,
Minneapolis; first vice president, J. L. Chap
man. of the same city; second vice president
Kate Keating, ST. Paul; secretary W. z.
McEwen, Duluth; treasurer James Mcdowell
also of Duluth. TIE federation council was
chosen from st. Paul, follows: G. C.
Collins. Maggie Mcclure, j. l.. Hughes Ed
Chrstopherson and G. H. Becker
St. Cloud gets the next convention.
john F. McAuey. of st. Cloud, was elected