Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-29
THE CENTRAL LABOR UNION
Committed Conference With Director of
Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
Increase of Press Feeders Pay Dis
cussed-QuestiOn of Assuming
Sovereignty in Philippines.

The regular weekly meeting of the Cen
trail Labor Union was held last evening,
with President Szegady in the chair and
Mr.. ]. l.. Feaney as secretary. The prin-
cipal business transacted was the consid-
Grafton of the report of committee ap-
pointed to visit Mr.. Claude NJ. Johnson,
chief of the bureau of engraving and print
ing, for the purpose of asking that the
press feeders in that bureau be paid the
same wages as are paid to press feeders
in the Treasury Department.
Mr.. Milford Spohn, chairman of the COM
mittee, which was composed of Messrs
Spohn, john Wolf and a. S. Nolan, before
presenting the report, said that within the
past ten days he had had conferences with
President Mckinley and Secretary Long
and was received with much more courtesy
and listened to with far closer attention
than was accorded himself and colleagues
when they called to see Mr.. Johnson.
Committee's Report.
The report Of he committee, which was
read and adopted, was as follows:
The und ersgn2d, a committee appoint ed
by this body to confer with Mr.. Claude
Johnson, director of the bureau of engrav-
ing and printing, and request an increase Of
the wages If the press feeders employed in
the bureau to The rate paid feeders emp. oy-
ed in the Treasury Department. report that
the matter was brought to Mr.. Johnson $
attention last Tuesday. November - At
that time 4 formal request was made that
the feeders Under his charge be paid s. >,
day. which Your committee aScertained is
the wages paid to feeders employed in the
treasury. of which the bureau is a branch
Your committee ascertained that the
feeders in the sealing room at the treasury
received s. a day, 5000 impressions being
a days work. while the feeders employ ed
~ ,NoiI
aging from 5000 to 1o.OG1 impressions daiIy
and are required to remain an hour longer
each day than those employed at the treas
ury. 1t was also learned that when feeders
ffom the treasury are employed at the bu-
reau they are paid ~ cents per day more
than those who are regularly employed
there Mr.. johnson was aware of these
facts, and admitted that of the nineteen
feeders under his charge all are paid 81. -
day with the exception of one who is
paid Sl-IJ day.
Mr.. johnson heard our statement impa-
uently and somewhat discourteously. He
informed the committee that any one who
viewed the matter intelligently would not
request this advance of wages lie advised
that labor unions refrain from interfering
with the management of the bureau, as the
employees generally were receiving sufficient
pay, and ii he increased the pay OF the feed
ers he would be required to increase the
wages of other employees. This, he said
would require such an increased appropria-
ton that Congress would provide that the
work should be done by contract, and thus
many would be thrown out of employment
as it would considerably decrease the force
a the bureau
He referred TO the American Bank Note
Company as having facilities to do the
work OF the bureau. which, under contract,
could be done much cheaper In concfu-
son. he stated that he did not favor an
increase of wages in the bureau. as he re-
garded the wages paid as sufficient and
largely in excess of what others could be
employed for"
The Garment Workers.
A communication was read from the
United Garment Workers Union. No. A. of
Kansas City. Mo. asking that the product
Of a certain firm in that city be placed on
the unfair list. The difficulty between the
Union and the firm is regarding a cut in
wages. and a boycott has been placed on
the product of the company. which the
friends OF organized labor throughout the
country are asked to indOrse. The request
was granted
An appeal was received from the miners
bencht committee, at Springfield, H.. ask
ing for contributions for the benefit of the
families and dependent ones of the miners
who lost their lives in the memorable bat
tie at Nirden Ill. October u. 1898, and
also FOR those who We're wounded"
The Central Labor Union made an annro-
prlatlon OF SO TO aid the movement and
the delegates We're requested 10 bring the
matter TO the attention of their respective
unions.
Against National Expansion
The chair announced the receipt for the
G. J.. |. of copies of a blank protest. adj
dressed to the President and Congress
which it was desired by those sending them
should be signed by the members of the
union and returned to Erving WinsIow
secretary, Boston. Mass, or WASHINGTON
ID. G COPY of the paper is as follows:
protest against any extension of tho
sovereignty Of the United States over the
Philippine Islands in any event, and over
any other foreign territory without the free
consent OF the people thereof believing
such action would be dangerous 10 the re-
pubic. wastefui of its resources, in viola
ton OF constitutional principles. and fraught
with neral and physical evils to our PEG
pie"
The delegates. it is said. were very ana
thet!c in regard to the matter, and no ac-
ton was taken on the protest.
H c. Lewis and John Shandley were
elected District organizers.
Twenty-FOur Dollars or Sixty Days
Matilda Contee, colored, was locked up
last night by Detectives McNamee and
Helan because she wanted a good dress
without paying for it. Miss Reed. her en-
pioyer. made complaint against her, and
the detectives recovered the dress at the
colOred woman's house. Matilda's explana-
ton of her possession of the dress was not
satisfactory TO Judge Kimball and the
penalty was Il fine of SO or sixty days in
Jail
AUCTION SALES.