The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-12
WAR NEAR AT HAND.
The Labor Day Committee Holds
Tightly to Its Funds.

Argumentative questions were passed In
| Central Labor Union last night in a more
peaceful manner than usually cnaracterizes
| that organization. There has been con-
| Siderable theorizing among the delegates
| since John Feltmann, of the Cigar Makers.
was elected president of Contra Labor
UEion, over what will Feltmann do in
the chair Last night they found out.
| When the first debatable question was
presented he announced that each delegate
| would be allowed to speak but once on one
question, that the time limit was to be five
| minutes and no speaker should be inter-
rupted. The result was that one man got
up and said what he hadfto say and then
sat down. When the time limit was reached
the president made his word good by rap
ping with his gavel and telling the dele
gate to sit down. Once or twice there was
a murmur of "gag rule but the gavel was
unyielding.
What brought out the principal discus
sion of the evening was a resolution intro
duced by E. p. Barry. of theITypographical
Union, asking that the Labor day commit.
tee be abolished and the celebration of
Labor day be hereafter in the hands of
Central Labor Union. 1t also provided
that the president of the central body APP
point the committee to have charge of the
affair and that the proceeds a~ccruing from
the celebration go to a fund for the estab-
lighment of a home and headquarters for
the central body. In support of his reSolu-
ton he said the Labor day committee had
failed to keep its promise and turn the
funds into the Central Labor Union treas
ury for the establishment of a home. The
committee now has S1,10O in it's treasury,
and Barry refuted the charge that the reso-
luton was introduced for the purpose of
the central body. getting hold of the
money. He said he was willing for the
committee to dispose of the fund as it
NJ. T. Butler, of the Sawmakers. who is
chairman of the Labor day committee,
was the first to speak against the resolu-
ton and lead the opposition side. He said
the Central Labor Union had tried to give
Labor day celebrations several years ago
and failed financially, while the committee
had made il a success. He also said the
constitution Of the provided that
the committee cannot be dissolved so long
as representatives of seven unions pro-
test. There were representatives of six
unions in the meeting, he said, who came
instructed TO vote against the resolution,
and he was conndent he could find a sew
e1 tn that would hold the intact.
He said the committee did not intend to
release its funds and would give a cele-
bration next Labor day. no matter what
the central body did. provided the men,
hers Of the committee decided to take such
steps. He also stated that when Central
Labor Union gave evidence that 1T was try
irg TO establish a home and did something
towards il the committee was ready to
turn over the money.
After an hours discussion which gave
evidence that the sentiment was so divided
that n factional fight overshadowed or
ganized labor in the city, Edgar A. Perkins,
PRESIDENT OF the State Federation of
Labor. introduced a substitute for the mo-
tion providing that the whole matter he
deferred till the second meeting in May.
that the secretary of Central Labor Union
write TO all local unions informing them
that il is the opinion Of the central body
that Labor day can be managed with
greater success by a change. and asking
tho secretaries 10 cali the attention OF the
meeting 10 the subject and instruct their
delegate to the Labor day committee to
vote for or against a dissolution. This
was accepted on both sides and was
adopted.
At he close of the meeting President
I eltmann announced his appointments for
members OF the ways and means commit
tee. a new committee of the central body.
The appointments were: l. j. Mccormack.
john r. White and Harry Slough, of the
4. biographical Union: John blue, of the
AGENTS Union: John Koch, of the Brewery
Workers; Clarence Gaumer, of the Cigar
Makers; George Custer. of the Iron Mold
ers; =. j. Collins. of the Machinists: d. l..
Stoddard. of the Carpenters: ". Il. Butler,
n fsthe Sawmakers. BY the adoption of a
re- olution President Feltmann was made
4 member and chairman of the committee.
After the appointments were announced
George Custer. vice president of Central
Labor Union, said the constitution OF the
central body gave the vice president power
20 appoint the minority of al. committees
and that he had been ignored in the ap-
pointments. l.. p. Barry then introduced