The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1898-04-02

in the hands of the Federation Council
whose duty it is to use all honorable
efforts at the biennial sessions of the
Minnesota state Legislature to secure
favorable action thereon.
The principal objects of the Fedora
ton are the encouragement and forma-
tioD of trades and labor unions, local
amalgamated trades and labor councils;
the promotion of state, national and in
ternational trade and labor union al
liances; encouragement of harmony and
Joint action between the Industrial and
agricultural working classes; the adop-
tion of the eight workday, and the
better general condition of labor
throughout state and nation.
Through the loyalty of affiliated un-
ions in voting in favor of per capita
tax of one cent per month the Fedora
ton has engaged in work which prom
ises to be one of the most important to
the cause of organized labor ever un-
dertaken by it, with the possible excep-
tion of securing the adoption of laws
favorable to the working classes. That
work is organization. Late last fall,
after the proposition to create per
capita tax had carried by the handsome
majority of $50, five organizers were
placed in the field, and although the
conditions at the offset were anything
but favorable, up to the present time
sixteen new unions had been formed
with al aggregate membership of over
500. Among the new organizations in
stltuted at Duluth by w. E. McEwen
are the stonemasons, machinists, sta
tionary engineers, 'retail clerks, Ameri-
can agents and porters (colored). John
Swift has organized the retail clerks,
electrical workers, flour barrel coopers
and wood workers at Minneapolis, and
the stone cutters and stone masons at
Sandstone. j. B. Wood, who succeeded
w. H. Franklin in St. Paul district,
has organized the furriers and expects
to institute four other unions in the
near future. Organizer Hess, of
Winona. the successor of John Spuhler,
is busily at work with four of the trades
in that city, and will no doubt present
a good report of his labors at the COM
ing convention. Morgan Flaherty, of
st. Cloud, has not yet reported the re
suits of bis efforts to strengthen the
forces of organized labor in that city,
but that he will use every means pos
sible to induce the members of the diff
ferent crafts there to unite for their own
protection 1 have no reason to doubt.
Before June 4th there should be total
of twenty-f five new unions organized,
and to secure that result I hereby urge
the organizers of the Federation to re-.
newed exertions. That they have done
efficient work so far no fair minded per-
son will deny. That they deserve praise
for what they have already accomplished
every trade unionist will cheerfully con-
cede. That they may be further encour-
aged in the work. in which they are en-
gagged, that the forces of organized labor
in Minnesota may be greatly augmented
and the power of the Federation intensi-
fed, call upon all affiliated organiza-
tions to cooperate with them in every
way possible.
In concluding I desire to congratulate
the members of organized labor on the
fact that, despite the adverse conditions
which have prevailed for the past year
in the industrial trades throughout the
state, the labor movement has not only
held its own, but today is numerically
stronger for several years past.
Again expressing the wish that tho
coming convention of the Federation
will be the greatest in it's history, and
that every labor union in the state en-
titled to delegates will be fully and ably
represented, I remain, yours for the sue
cess OF organized labor.
G. G. COLLINS.