The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-06-08


President Neary, will call the nine
teenth convention Of the Minnesota
State Federation Of Labor to order in
the city of Mankato. AT the convention
Duluth will be represented by twenty
delegates, all Of whom are prominent
in both local and state labor circles.
That the convention will be notable
gathering is now an assured fact. The
business transacted will be the most
important ever brought before a gath
ering of workingmen. The attendance
will be large as ii evident by the
number Of credentials daily arriving
at the office of the secretary- treasurer.
We are safe in predicting that there
will be two hundred delegates seated.
The growth of the State Federation
during the past fiveEyears has been re-
markable. When the federation met in
Minneapolis in 1896 there We're but
sixty delegates in attendance, and
nearly one-half Of that number were
from Duluth. At Red Wing last year
there were one hundred and fifty dele
gates on the convention roll. - =
This year will show q remarkable in
crease over last Now Duluth. which
once enjoyed the distinction of being
the strongest trade union city in the
northwest, forms but a small portion
of the unions affiliated with the fed
Grafton. I.fssss* -" @.,
In 1896 Minneapolis had but very few
unions, and poorly organized at that
Today that city iss netted with them,
there being over one hundre thorough
there TALKING aaisft uinions being
5detriment to the citY either. On the
contrary there seems TO be q common
understanding between the trade un-
ions and the business organizations
that insures the most complete har-
mony. They weld a powerful influence
in politics and the politician who turns
them down has a rather poor political
future before him, It is said that the
influence welded by the trade-union-
lists Of the Twin Cities was the means
of defeating Robert Evans for the
United States Senate Mr.. Evans had
opposed the adoption Of the eight hour
plank in the Republican platform last
summer, and the unions very kindly
failed to forget his attitude. ''.--
But getting back to the State Fedora
tion of Labor, which Is the link that
binds the trade unions OF the state SO
closely together. The work of the fed
Grafton is confined to the organization
of trade unions in the smaller cities of
the state, and the securing of legisla-
ton in the interest of labor. In both
branches of it's work it has been as sue
cessful as the average central labor
body. From now on more may be ex-
pected from it than ever before. It is
in first rate financial condition and has
the assurance Of steady increasing
revenue. gt r. 49,. ~
The smaller cities Of the state will
in the future claim greater attention
from the federation. 1t is there where
unions and unionists are the fewest. It
is there where non-union men are Sc
cured in immense. numbers during
strike. 1t is there where enemies Of
organized labor are in plenty, simply,
because they know little of the
labor movement. save the little know
ledge they receive through a prejudiced
press. Hence it is among the smaller
cities where the efforts Of organized la
Dor will be concentrated. Several at
tempts have been made in the past to
organize mixed unions in these cities.
but with poor success. e No good organ
ization was ever given the workers
there. that would insure any benefits.
| The COMING convention win 90 over
this thoromrhlv. a plan will be snr-
9csted that viii insure to the members
sons {mn MEDIATE benef1tg. that viii nro-
tect ench. and every trade the same as
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