The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-20
Federation of Labor viii Take Up
the Fight.
IS SCHEDULED FOR 1900
SOCIALISTS SNUBBED AGAIN AT
YESTERDAYS SESSION.
Ironclad Boycott Against Hoffman,
the New York Cigar Manufacturer
Controversy Over the Linotype
Machinists-An Obnoxious Gov
eminent oficial-Per Capita Tax.

Kansas City, No, Dec 19.-It was
decided in the national convention of
the American Federation of Labor to-
day to bring the struggle for an eight
hour work day to a climax in the
year 1900. On May l, of that year the
granite-cutters of America win ask
their employers to choose between
yielding to their demands for an eight
hour day or suffering the consequences
of a general strike.
James Duncan, the delegate to the
convention from the granite-workers,
announced their decision on the floor of
the convention this evening and asked
the support of the federation. He said
the granite-workers had committed
themselves to the introduction of an
eight-hour day by inserting a pro-
vision to that end in their constitution.
Following Duncan's statement, the
convention adopted unanimously re-
| port submitted by David Black, chair
man of the committee of an eight
hour workday, pledging to the granite
| cutters in their coming struggle the
moral and material support of all
| affiliated organizations of the American
Federation of Labor. The speeches on
the subject indicated a general belief
that the employing granite-cutters VIII
not stand out against the demand.
The socialist delegates We're again
| sat down upon by the convention today.
They urged the federation to send dele
gates to an international trades union
congress to be held in Paris in 1900
A delegate, seeking information, asked
| of Messrs Thorne and InslSip, the
fraternal delegates here from the Brit
| ish trades congress, their opinion of
the proposed Paris congress. The
Elnglishmen both expressed the opinion
! that it would be composed chiefly OF
socialists and advised the federation to
have nothing to do with 1t. Their
recommendations We're concurred in by
an overwhelming vote.
Two resolutions adopted at the morn
ing session petitioned congress to pass
a bill giving to the citizens of the Dis
! trict Of Columbia the same rights OF
! franchise enjoyed by the people of the
states and urging the government
! ownership of a system OF telegraph
lines, and the adoption of postal tele-
! graph system.
A resolution was adopted thanking
! Governor Tanner of Illinois for refus-
! ing to call out the state troops to. pro-
! tect the mine operators when they
brought several trainloads of negroes
/ from the south to take the places OF
the striking miners.
WANT JOHNSON FIRED.
The convention paid its respects to
Claude Johnson, director of the ma
tional bureau of engraving, because he
has adopted the use OF machinery IN
! engraving plates from which paper
money is printed. A resolution was
| adopted asserting that Johnson had re-
| peatedIy violated the instructions OF
! congress by using machinery in his
/ department.
The resolution. closed with the SEN
tence: I'VE would hail with undis-
eIised satisfaction the discharge of
I this Official
Another resolution adopted rendered
an expression OF gratitude to Perry >.
Heath first assistant postmaster gem
| eral because he has issued an order TO
allow only union labor printing used
in his department.
The convention again put itself on
record concerning the woman workers
problem by adopting this resolution:
IN view of the awful conditions I'M
der which women are compelled TO
toll, this, the eighteenth annual con-
Vention of the American Federation or
/ Labor strongly urges the more general
formation of trades unions of wage
working women, to the end that they
may scientifically and permanently
abolish the terrible evils accompanying
/ their weakened because unorganized,
state; and we emphatically reiterate
the trade union demand that women
receive equal compensation for labor
performed.
LINOTYPE MACHINISTS.
The fight between the Typographical
union and the machinists for jurisdic
ZION over the men who repair and take
care of linotype machines in printing
Offices, was renewed at the afternoon
session. On the second day of the con-
vention James O'COnneD of Chicago.
grand master of the machinists, offered
/ a resolution giving the machinists such
jurisdiction. The resolution was re-
ferred to a committee, and from that
committee the convention this after
noon took it UP. Reporters were ex-
Guided and the matter was considered
in executive session.
The report of the committee, which
was against action on the question of
jurisdiction until the result of the l. T.
I u. referendum should be announced in
January, 1899, and suggesting conciliat-
ing, was finally adopted, with but three
dissenting votes. These We're O'Con-
hell of Chicago, Warner Of New York
and Reid of New York.
Samuel 3. Donnelly of New York,
president Of the typographical union,
who led the fight against the machin-
lists and fought for the adoption of the
committee resolution. claims the vote
to be a victory for the union.
The federation struck from its con-
stitution the 2 cents per capita tax to
support striking organizations. This
was done because of the difficulty en-
countered in collecting the tax, and for
the reason that it has been the means
of disappointing many striking bodies
who expected help that never came.
SWEATSHOP CIGARS.
The ironclad boycott of the cigar
makers union against Carl Hoffman,
the New York cigar manufacturer, was
endorsed by the whole Federation of
Labor, and hereafter trades unionists
viii refuse to buy cigars made by the
Hoffman company. The cigar makers
have been in bitter contest with Hoff-
man for some time. Recently the man
ufacturer threw down the gauntlet, re-
fusing to employ any union cigar
makers at all. Committees that in
vestigated the boycott reported to the
convention that Hoffman was employ
ing women and children, and paving
them sweatshop wages to make cigars.
1t was voted to install a national or
ganization of teamsters, the local char
ter organization having been formed in
Kansas City.