The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-12

and am ;of sthe opinion THAT EftS can be
most effectually done along political lines
The platforms of the several political
parties. of the state have-not yet been
WRITTEN but when -theysare If some of
them do not contain sections spledging
the adjustment of convict labor for profit
ii will be the fault of organized labor
itself.
NO LONGER AN EXPERIMENT.
up to the convention of the State Fed
GRAFTON at ST. Cloud the officers had been
principally confined to the securing of
legislation In the interests of the wage
earning classes. At that convention it
was demonstrated that II organized labor
was to advance, If twas to become the
power for good which it's most ardent ad-
herents desired 1t to become, the work Of
organization must be taken up. AS
result of the deliberations of the dele
gates additional powers were conferred
upon the president authorizing him to
appoint five sorganizers. from as many
different cities. The result of the years
labors of the organizers was most en-
couraging, eighteen unions being added
to the number previously existing.
$50 satisfactory did the experiment
prove, that the Winona convention made
the presiding officer chief organizer for the,
state, leaving 1t optional with him, SUBJ
council, as tel the number of organizers
to be placed In the field, as also the nam
ing of the cities where the work should
be carried onr Those selected as organ
izers for the nerm ending with this con-
vention wereT Brothers Re. W. McEwen,
of Duluth; J.. f. Krieger, of ST. Paul:
John Swift, Of Minneapolis, and George
Hess, gof WinDna- Later Brother A. w.
Field was appointed an~additional organ
izer for Minneapolis, and still later, at,
the suggestion of the. Federation Council,
Brother p. ]. Geraghty- of Kilkenny, was
chosen special organizer for Waseca and,
Mankato. Brother Hess rendered hissres-;
ignation in May last, and his successor
has yet..tos be selectedss Asa result Of
their combined efforts more than thirty
organizations have been Instituted since
June, 1885, twenty-three of them In the
Twin Cities, the total number of unions
formed during the twossyears exceeding
over fifty. Among the number are three
federal labor unions, composed of repre-
sentatiues of as yet =Hnorganized trades,
which, sc proper encouragement Is eX-
tended them, I believe will eventually
bring about the institution of scores of
trade unions. 49,
THE LABOR AND DAILY PRESS.
There is one subject which 1 desire to
direct.the special attention of the dele
labor press. These Journals are published
in the interest of the labor movement.
1t is mainly through them that We learn
what other unions are doing, of boy
colts placed, of strikes declared. When,
as is frequently the case, other papers
refuse to accord labor organizations space
to set forth their side of the question in
disagreementss with employers, 1t is the
fearless laborspress which comes to their
rescue. 1t Isl these Journals which adj
vocate municipaiFe ownership of street rail-
way, electric light, gas, water and other
systems, the Shorter workday, the ini-
tiative and referendum, free text books
and the abolition of convict competition
with free labor. 1They support candidates
from labor's tsanks for political office no
matter to what party they. belong. They
denoHnce both the trustyand the monop-
oily, injustice and oppression. If properly
supported, If they have the solid backing
of trade unienists, 1t will not be long
whenswe shall have daily as well as week
1y publications. eff they are to prosper,
their prosperity tmustscome from organ
lied labor; ife4hey are allowed to die for
lack of finanGals support, trades unionists
are alone responsible for their death.
An Incident of more than passing in
terest in the daily newspaper world has
occurred In the past few months. The
three big dailies of St. Paul entered into
combination In June, 1896, not to rec
ognize organized labor in making up their
forces. On the 10th of March, 1899, George
F. Clifford, young man who grew up
from the ranks as union compOStor, 4
became the editorial manager OF the
Globe. His action was swift and pur-
poseful. He broke the combinations at
one blow and voluntarily and enthusiasts