The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-15

The following Is a copy of a letter sent to
Gov. Lind this week:
St. Paul. Mimi, Jan. 10, 1899.
Hon. John Lind, Governor Of the State OF
Dear sir; Having in former communica-
ton requested your excellency to appoint
member Of organized labor to the i'm
portant position of labor commissioner and
that request having been complied with. we
take great pleasure in conveying to you the
warmeSt thanks of the Trades and Labor AS
sembly OF st. Paul, and OF every working
man and woman in this city enrolled in the
cause of organized labor for your appoint
ment of Mr.. Martin McHale, of Minneapolis,
as such labor commissioner.
1t was in no spirit OF personal or political
partisanship that our committee in its form
er communication urged upon you the pro-
priety of such action. Nor was it In any
spirit of class interest or to obtain either
honor or emolument for any one identified
with our movement The state bureau of
labor was established through the instrument
tally of the labor organizations Of this state.
1t was believed that by its establishment
more humane and just economical principles
would come in time to be applied to the con-
ditions attending the lives of the mechanical
toilers, especially in our large cities. We
believed, as we believe now, that, as the
operation Of the department had especial
and immediate reference toJ the needs and
wishes of mechanical operate es, it should be
directed by one not only who was in sympa-
thy with the aspirations of the manual toilers
OF the state. but who by the experience Of
edge essential to any true understanding of
the great work designed to be done through
the state labor commission.
The reputation which you had won for
yourself in American public life led us to
regard you as the one whose humanity was
bread. enough to give him deep sympathy
, with the struggles of Woodworking men and
women, and whose moral and intellectual
equipment would qualify him, SO far as pub
lie agencies would permit to promote the
welfare of that. large element of society of
whom it has been truly said: 1.-THE world
is not your friend, and neither is the worlds
law" We have not been mistaken. The
gives abundant proof that you are man of
the people, just, courageous and discrimi-
mating. You have blazed the way for great
reforms in our state. You no respecter
of persons and no believer in special priv
leges for any individual or any class. Your
work and influence will go, we have no
doubt, to the loyal service of the people OF
this state without regard to rank or worldly
circumstance.
In your appointment of Mr.. McHale you
have, in our opinion, only acted in accordance
with your evident view that all men 1'a are
equal before the law. You have established
a precedent which, we believe, will operate
to the lasting gain of all the people, as well
as of the humble and uninfuential class
among them who were designed mostly to be
benefited by the establishment of the depart-
ment of which you have made Mr.. McHale the
head. We believe that you will find your ap-
pointee to be an able and conscientious rep
resentative of the industrial masses from
whose ranks you have taken him. And we
are assured, from our knowledge of the man
and of his repute among his friends and as
sociates, that he will prove to be a faithful
and efficient servant of the entire people
Permit us to assure you, in conclusion
that no matter what action you had taken
with reference to our request for the appoint
ment of number of organized labor we
would have been satisfied that such action
was purely the product of an honest under
standing of your official duty. Wishing YOU
prosperous career, in personal as well as
in official life, We beg to tender to YOU in
the name of the Trades and Labor assembly
of st. Paul the thanks and devotion of that
body. Cornelius Quincy
Chairman.
Henry Feyder, Secretary.
Executive Committee Trades and Labor As
sembly of St. Paul
William Strauss, agent of the cigarmakers'
international union of the state Of New York
arrived in the city Friday night from Eau
Claire, Wis. Mr.. Strauss is on his way to
the Pacific coast in the interest of the New
York union, which has fight on at present
gars. He will visit every large CITY from
here to. the coast calling on dealers and cI-
garmakers In the cause of the union label To
a reporter of The G l o. e last night Mr.
Strauss said: Very few smokers In the
West have any idea of the tenement house in
dustry in the cigar line. In some cases n
family of six to eight live in one large room
where they cook, eat and sleep and durin O.
the day and part of the night make cigars
our trouble with the Carl Upmann com
pany comes from his having discharged a,
large number of men and reduced the wages
OF others. The places of the men who were