The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1897-10-02
BOYCOTT Revived
Activity of the Imperial Mill
Arouses the Assembly's
Attention.
Economic Discussion Creates
Much Interest Scope to
Be Extended.

The Trades Assembly held an un
usually interesting meeting Friday
evening. No important business being
anticipated the attendance was not
quite as large as usual, but that did not
in any manner detract from the interest
of the session. >
The Imperial Mill boycott came in
for the most attention. The mill com
pany having failed to bamboozle the
assembly is now trying to work up a
public sentiment in its favor by misrep-
resentation. ''..->.
President McEwen called the atten-
ton of the assembly to rumors that
have been current to the effect that the
assembly had demanded money of the
Imperial Mill company as a condition
precedent to the lifting Of the boycott.
Sums ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 had
been named. For the purpose OF cor
recting this impression, and for the ben
eft of the members of the assembly who
did not exactly understand the situa-
ton. Delegate Findley, Of the confer
ence committee Oh the boycott, stated, it
in few words. The issue, he said, is
the use by the company Of union made
barrels and it's concession of this point
was the sole and only condition. The
union coopers did not care whether the
barrels were made in Duluth or ,Su,
perior so long as they were made by
union labor. These barrels are now
being made by the American Wired
Hoop company Of Superior. The I'm
.perial Mill is the principal consume OF
that firms output. 1t was, therefore'
made a condition Of lifting the, boy
cott-and the only condition-that the
mill company bring about the unioniz.
ing Of the Wired Hoop company's
cooper shops, or, failing that, that they
get their barrels from some other firm
that does employ union labor. The
negotiations, however, had been broken
off by a strike in the Wired Hoop COM
pany's shops of the machine coopers
who, while not organized under the
coopers' international union, yet are
affiliated with them through the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. No settle
ment, therefore, while this strike is
pending, can be made. between the
local coopers' organization and the
Wired Hoop. J.1=zs@ ~
The Imperial Mill company's repre-
sentative claims that this concern can
not be held Responsible; nevertheless
the fact remains that the Wired Hoop
company could not keep it's shop run
ming without the support of the mill,
and if the mill would say the word
the Wired Hoop company would have
to either unionize or shut down. ~ 4.
In view of the fact that there is dis
position on the part Of the mill company
to assume the offensive, the boycott
committee will assume more aggres-
slve position and the business houses
handling or using Imperial flour may
yet find themselves also under the ban.
Trouble was reported by the dray.
men with Dahlstein5 of the Parlor
Theater and the grievance committee
was instructed to investigate. ts.s
Delegate johnson requested to be re:
lieved from duty on the committee to
wait on the liquor dealers association in
regard to unfair furniture and Delegate
Findley was substituted. y ! :
Organization matters aroused some
interest: In addition to the proposition
to organize the woodsmen, it was re-
ported that the dairymen we're anxious
to organize. +. ~
=. Another feature of the, session was
the initial discussion in series which
it is proposed to make a permanent
feature. The subject was the federal
judiciary. President McEwen lead and
was followed by Delegates Baker, Find
ley, Savard and a number of othcr
members Mr.. Carl Thiel was present
and also added an interesting address
on the topic. i
For next meeting the subject will be
"'How Shall We Establish Liberty on 8
Permanent Foundation" George c.
Findley will lead. For the second meet
ing in October Thomas Savard will
lead in discussing the Initiative and
Referendum. 5-.4
While the discussion Friday night
was more or less of an impromptu affair,
it was felt by the old members that
a more systematic and broader plan
should be developed. Accordingly
a committee composed Of Delegates
savard, O'Nelll and Piering was ap-
pointed to c'.nyass among those friendly
to organized labor with view to secure.
vo1n FL l.