The Meeker herald., 1897-05-08
FEDgn4TIoN OF LABOR.
John Barrett, of Denver. Chosen Tresisient
"A banquet Follows Adj Journment.

| "A banquet tFollOWs-Adj jOurn ment.
Victor. May The State Federation
! of Labor finished It's business yesterday
and adjourned.
A special committee on convict labor
was appointed. consisting of Messrs.
Kretlow. McDermott. Frink. -Cyphers
! and Callowan.
A special committee on home indus
| try was also appointed. consisting of
/ the following named delegates: Messrs.
| Willis Hall. Apsley, Yarnell, Patterson
| and Mrs. Ramsey.
President Thum delivered his annual
address.
Numerous resolutions were adopted.
| the most important being one intro
( huced by NJ. Daughters. of Denver Car
riage Workers Union. which reads rs
| follows:
"Resolved. That we in this state con-
vention express our firm belief that
land should be held only by occupancy
and use and that this change in our
land system can best and quickest be
secured by taking away the tax from
labor and products of labor. where the
great weight of taxation is now fixed,
and place It upon the value of land.
thereby loosln. the grip Of land sharks
and giving back To the people that
The wage question and the question
of trades unions and labor leagues IA
yoring home Industries was referred to
the committee on home industries.
A committee on labor and boycott re-
ported their Endorsement OF all union
ahels on goods manufactured by the
organized trades. and registered pro-
test against the purchase of goods not
so marked. The report severely con
demned Senate bill No. 11G in regard
to blacklisting and boycotts as blow
at the strongest weapon of trades un-
ionism. and recommended that a fund
lie raised by means of Il per capita tax
to test the law in the courts. The rec
ommendatlon was supported by n num-
Der Of speakers and the report was
unanimously adopted.
The committee on grievances had no
report 10 make
The special committee on convict Ia
bor next presented its report 1t IA
vored the appropriation of $1,000 to
furnish farm to he operated by con-
Wet labor under direction of the State.
the convicts to he paid the minimum
union scale and the proceeds to he used
Tor the benefit of the convict's family or
given to him upon his discharge. This
recommendation produced long de
bate and numerous amendments were
offered. The opposition to any form
of competition between convict and
IRE" labor was very pronounced.
Mr.. Coates offered as n substitute for
the report of the committee that the
Federation approve of the employment
of convicts in such way that they
snail not come in competition with the
products of free labor and that II such
products are placed upon the market
they shall I've labeled convict goods. The
substitute of Mr.. Coates was carried
y special committee reported reso-
luton thai the Federation give its sup
port to school directors only on the con
dition that they employ Colorado teach.
ers in the public schools and discon-
tinue the practice of importing teach.
ers from the East. The resolution was
adopted.
A resolution was Introduced fayorinc
the exemption Of new manufacturing
enterprises from taxation for Ave
years. but wis lost on n tie vote Sec
retary Rogers moved that the State
Federation of Labor affiliate with the
American Federation. but the motion
was declared out Of order.
At . u. m. the election of officers was
taken mp as special order of business.
John Barrett. of the Painters and
Decorators Union of Denver. was
placed in nomination for president nv
NJ Daughters
John Calderwood placed the name of
Samuel Yarnell. Of Victor. before the
convention and Henry Kretlow. of the
Cigar Makers Union, was also nomi-
mated
The vote was taken by ballot and re-
suited: Barrett, 81: Yarnell. IA. and
l<retlow. 6. Mr. Barrett was declared
elected and made n short speech in ac-
acknowledgement of the honor
Max Morris. of the National Clerks
Union. was elected first vice president
by acclamation and Frank Fem, Of the
b. of II. 7. No. 81, was chosen second
vice president
David Coates. of the Pueblo Typo,
graphical Union. and Willis Hall. of the
Denver Typographical Union. were
nominated for the sccretaryship. The
ballots stood 10 to II in Mr. Coates
favor.
Frank Lee. of Mnchinists' Union No.
II Of Denver. was reelected treasurer.
Two members of the executive COM
mittee We're elected. They are Philip
veaIs of the Louisville Miners Union
and Chaunccy Miller. OF the Cripple
Creek Cooks and Walters Union
The new officers were installed and
several amendments adopted. in the
constitution affecting the time OF pay
| ing dues and the age at which unions
would be entitled TO representation.
/ II was decided to hold the next meet
| ing in Colorado Springs.
| The convention then adjourned A
| banquet was given in the evening.
\ A rock drilling contest was held dur.
ing the morning.
I