The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-12-15

Unionfst~ RESOLUTIONS On Clothing
sweat shops aud Otner subj cots Intro
ducsd-The Reports Of the secretary
and the Treasurer.
Kansas CITY, Mo, Dec. l3.-The con-
veut-ou OF the American Federation OF
Labor showed a ign this morning Of
getting down 10 real busine 5, but the
bust ness coutGed itself to the work OF
committees taking M various topics
that were offered for consideration.
The real interest will not begin until
the committees have finished their
work and the delegates begin di scuss-
ing the various economic questions.
The federation Is quite systematic in
all that it does. No question is dis
cussed on the floor until il has been
acted upon by n committee. About %
committees are now busy with topics
and resolutions and when they have
finished the real work of the convcu-
tion viii begin.
The convention is looking for the
liveliest kind of fight when the So
cialist ticket comes up. The socialists
have been trying for years to secure
recognition for their cause and party
at the hands of the federation, but
they have always been defeated.
Max Hayes and Isaac Cowau, both of
Cleveland. O., are the leaders of the
socialists delegates in the convention.
They opened their fight last night by
issuing a challenge to Mr.. Gompers TO
meet either of them in ebate on So
cialism. Mr.. Gompers paid no atten-
tion to their challenge, refusing to-
day to discuss it.
At the opening of this mornings
session James Duncan, represen tative
of the International Granite Cutters,
read report of his attendance as
delegate to the British Trade congress
of Great Britain last August He said
al the British congress there were
present 4I6 delegates, representing lsS
unions, with a good standing mem ber-
ship of 1850, 900 workers. The sub
jects handled by the congress were
the law of conspiracy, electoral re-
form, taxation of ground values, fac
tory legislation, compensation for ac-
cidents. fair wages legislation, eight
hour working day, forced labor in
COLONIES, victimizing railway employees,
naturalization of railways, compul-
sorry education, child Ia Dor in factories
and arbitration. Mr. Duncan declared
that the English trades unions had
made splendid progress in securing
legislation looking to these reforms.
During the congress it Endorsed a
railway naturalization bill. Mr.
Duncan declared that the greatest |
progress had been made in England in
the matter OF ORIGINATING the women |
workers in all branches of employ |
ment.
Samuel Autler- representing the gar |
meut workers of New York, offered n |
resolution calling upon the United |
States government To give its clothing /
contracts to union labor and not to |
sweat shop contractors. The resolu- /
ton was given to com mittee, but it /
viii without doubt be adopted and a
telegram at once sent to Washington |
making the demand.
James O'COnnell, grand master Ma /
chinist's union of Chicago. offered a |
resolution this morning giving the ma
chinists Jurisdiction over all men en- !
ployed mechanically in the care of
linotype machines. There has been a
controversy between the printers and
as 10 which union should
control this branch of labor. With
other resolutions it went to a com
mittee.
q. J. Kent, of Lincoln, Dopulist labor
for Nebraska and a per
,onal friend of William J. BRYAN. in
-rOduced an anti-expansion resolution. |
The pream bIes EN- brace all the gener-
Al arguments made against the extern
sion of the power OF the United States
beyond the western hemisphere and
ienouuee the 'so-cailed policies of i'm
oerialism, expansion and coloniza-
ton
The most revolutionary measure is
Introduced by J. +. O'Sullivan. of Bos-
on 1t asks congress to impose an
annual tax Of - per cent OF the total
products Of any firm or factory which
employs women and children over
light hours per day or EMPLOYS chill
iren under the age of "a The resolu-
ion strikes at two of the greatest
wills the federation is fighting. II
vas referred.
The report Of Secretary Frank Nor
'ison states that during the last wear
,uly two of the g. affiliated national
md international organizations re-
ported a decrease in membership
nearly all showing a healthy growth
md several dOu bling or trebling in
strength During the wear
. organizations surrendered their
harters, among them being the
Sestern Federation of Miners, with ;
membership of 1900. The other
Inions were local and repre-
ented 4i2 mem bers. Three local . {
nions were suspended and . were
ropped for nonpayment Of dues The y
eaviest item Of expense during the Z
ear was the cost OF the legislative !
ornmittee-S1,9j 4. 81 The agitation of
he union label has been productive
Z much good, says Secre tarv Morris