Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-05-08

John barrett, OF Denver, Chosen Prepidei
"A Banquet Follows -Adionrnment.

"A banquet Follows -Adjonrnment
Victor, May 2.-The State Federation
OF Labor finished Its 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
duced by M. Daughters, Of Denver Car.
riage Workers Union, which reads as
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 1t upon the value Of land,
thereby loosing the grip of land sharks
and giving back to the people that
which ri~ghtfully belongs to them"
The wage question and the question
of trades unions and labor leagues IA
voring home industries was referred to
the committee on home industries.
A committee on labor and boycott re-
ported their Endorsement of all union
labels on goods manufactured by the
organized trades, and registered n pro-
test against the purchase Of goods not
so marked. The report severely con-
demned Senate bill No. 116 in regard
to blackllsting and boycotts as a blow
at the strongest weapon of tSades I'M
ionism, and recommended that a fund
be raised by means of a per capita tax
to test the law In the courts. The rec
o~mmendation was supported by a num-
Der of speakers and the report was
unanimously adopted.
The committee on grievances had no
report to make.
The special committee on convict Ia
Dor next presented its report. It ia
vored the appropriation of $4,000 to
furnish a farm to be operated by con-
Wet labor under direction of the State,
the convicts to be paid the minimum
union scale and the proceeds to be used
for the benefit of the ~convict's family or
given to him upon his discharge. This
recommendation produced a long de-
bate and numerous amendments were
offered. The opposition to any form
Of competition between convict and
free labor was very pronounced.
Mr.. Coates offered as a substitute for
the report of the committee that the
Federation approve of the employment
of convicts in such a way that they
shall not come in competition with the
products of free labor, and that If such
products are placed upon the market
they shall be labeled convict goods. The
substitute of Mr.. Coates was carried.
A special committee reported a reso-
luton that 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-
tlnue the practice of importing teach
ers from the East. The resolution was
adopted.
A resolution was introduced f~avoring
the exemption of new manufacturing
enterprises from taxation for five
years. but was lost on a tie vote. Sec
rotary Rogers moved that the State
Federation of Labor affiliate with the
American Federation, but the motion
was declared out of order.
At > p. m. the election of officers was
taken up as a special order of business.
John Barrett, of the Painters and
Decorators Union Of Denver. was
placed in nomination for president by
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
Kretlow, 6. Mr.. Barrett was declared
elected and made a short speech in &C
acknowledgement Of the honor.
Max Morris, of the National Clerks
Union, was elected first vice president
by reclamation and Frank Fem, of the
B. of r. I. No. 80, 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 secretaryship. The
ballots stood 40 to II in Mr.. Coates
favor.
Frank Lee, of Machinists' Union No.
AZ of Denver, was reelected treasurer.
Two members of the executive com
mittee were elected. They are Philip
Veals Of the Louisville Miners Union
and Chauncey 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.
1t was decided to hold the mex 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.