Evening star., 1897-03-31
AMONG THE wORkINGMEN.
A Division of Opinion Rearding a
Boycott.

Boycott.
The relations of MIR. Stilson Hutchins to
workingmen are receiving considerable at
tention from organized labor societies of
Washington. AS it now appears. those
who are connected with the unions affiliated
with the American Federation of Labor
have arrayed themselves against him. while
those connected with the knights of Labor
have declined to engage in a boycott.
At the meeting last evening of the Build
il & Trades Council a resolution was unan-
imously adopted requesting those who are
favorable to the purposes of organized
labor to withhold their patronage from
Convention Hall. Purity ice plant, K Street
Market, Washington Times. Glen Echo
Electric railroad, and all other business
enterprises with which Mr.. Stilson Hutch
ms Is connected SO long as he persists in
employing cheap labor.
1t was also concluded to request the Cen
trail Labor Union to indorse the action of
the Building Trades Council.
Under the call of trades the delegates
from the Bricklayers' Union reported that
at the last meeting of that body the
tion of the council had been indorsed.
The local Federation of Labor also met
last evening. President James F. McHugh
presided and c. A. Maidens was secretary.
The committee appointed to wait on Mr..
Stilson Hutchns reported that they had
been very courteously treated. ne agreeing
to employ union labor in the constructing
and repairing of all his buildings. Mr..
Hutchins, they said, complained of the
treatment he had received at the hands of
some unions not connected with the Fed
Grafton of Labor at the same time showing
| many letters Threatening and otherwise)
to substantiate his statements, also letters
from members of the same unions actually
contradicting each other, and asked what
a business man was to do when annoyed
| in that manner.
The Shoe Clerks Assembly asked that
| a committee be appointed from the Fedora
| ton to work in connection with like
| committee from d. A. 66 to walt on the 7th
| street shoe merchants in reference to the
| early closing movement The request was
granted.
| The call of trades showed that the fed
| erations business was prospering finely
and no grievance of any character was re-
ported. The delegates felt quite encour-
| aged. and, as OF e of them put II, The fed
Grafton is at peace with the world. Sew
eral s-ries of resolutions We're read and
| adopted; one of which was request that
| the Commissioners bid in for the District
| all delinquent tax property. and after hold
| ing it the legal length of time, build homes
! on it for the poor of Washington, for sale
| or rent at reasonable prices. 1t was felt
| that this was furnishing homes for the
| needy along similar lines TO those pro-
posed by the board of trade charitable and
| other organizations. In this manner the
| unions could improve their condition in
f! other ways than the raising of wages and
! reducing hours of labor.
A large amount of important business
| was transacted. The grievance of the en-
| gineerS againS. a prominent contractor con-
| structing a church on North Carolina ave
rue, was reported nicely adjusted by the
| contractor recognizing the claims of the
| federation's committee as just and reason
| able.