The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-06-15

done and will do for the wage-earners;
but the truth is known and spoken by
all honest and right thinking men that
if it were not for the trade unions, and
if the matter were LETT in the hands
of our so-called great. at.sphilanthropists,
our conditions would besworse tkan that
Of the southern slave before the war.
We sometimes read in the great daily
newspapers about some large firm or
corporation increasing the pay or re-
ducing the hours Of their employees
They neglect, however, to say that it
was brought about by organized labor
and that in ninety nine cases out of a
hundred it was either necessary to
strike or threaten to do So in order to
gain it. When a corporation or combi-
nation of industries get together and
raise the price of anysarticle or mater
ial we simply see a notice that such
and such an article has gone up and
that indicates that business is good;
but so soon as the working people get
together and raise the price of labor,
there is a. great demand for arbitration,
and we are counseled mot to be to radi-
Co1S dAu LAdI We Sl1Ouku leave well
enough alone, and not injure the pros
poets of good times. This condition Of
affairs makes our. work the more diff
cult. We have not only the great manu-
facturers and corporations against us,
but the middle men as well. Neverthe-
less we are overcoming great many of
the pretudices that have hereto fore ex-
listed against OrganiZed labor. Employ
ers of labor are beginning to see that it
is profitable to be fair with their en-
ployes, and in the past year close OBJ
server can notice a decided change in
public opinion towards trade unions
People who have heretofore criticised
and condemned organized labor now
practically admit that it is not only a
benefit to those who are organized, but
to the general public as we'll.
Unions Are Progressive.
This condition makes the opportuni- >
ties Of our organization great. AS we
grow older greater things are expected
of us. Each year we advance a step
nearer our goal. While am free to
admit that we have made mistakes, I
can safely say that it is but natural,
and that no man or organization is
proof against them. Mistakes are some
times caused by too radical action and
just as often by too conservative action
but on the whole Minnesota labor or
ganlzat1ons can be congratulated for
being able to strike a happy medium.
1t should be extremely gratifying to
every true union man to know that
Minnesota ic o1occo7 0f 10 hoS
and most progl essive organized states
in the union. While I am not selfish
enough to give the entire credit of this
to the federation, still I think that
am not going too far when I say that
the federation is to a great extent re-
sponsible for this condition. The con-
vention of the federation is the only
occasion which is offered labor of the
different parts of the state to come to-
gether to know each other, to get new
and different ideas and learn how the
movement is progressing. The conven-
t1ons also offer an opportunity to map
out policy to be pursued in the futrue,
by which the movement can best be
conducted. The progress that has been
made each year over previous years is
proof Of this. While we have reason
to feel pround Of the progress we have
ORGANIZATION Urged.
believe that we should not rest until
every man and woman in the state
that earns their living by daily toll shall
be brought under our banner. The OBJ
servations I have made, and the exper-
ience had have forced me to the con-
viction that if we would accomplish
this result we must take some step diff
ferent from anything we have done in
the past. I firmly believe that if the
federation had a regular organizer in
the field under the direction Of the Of
ficers, that instead of having twenty
five or thirty thousand members we
would have fifty thousand and double
the number Of delegates at our conven-
tions. 1t is no necessary to say what
we could accomplish under those condi-
tions. I recommend this proposition to
the delegates for their serious consider
alton.
Eight Hour Day.
In my last report I recommended
that committee be appointed to at
tend the different political conventions
and urge upon the political parties to
adopt resolutions covering the legisla-
tion and reforms demanded by the fed
Grafton, especially the adoption Of the
eight hour workday. The recommends
ton was adopted, and pursuant to in
structions, I appointed the following
committee. John Rogan. Joseph H.