Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-19
NEGROESINTHE UNIONS
SUBJECT TO BE DISCUSSED AT
COMING CONFERENCE.
Investigation Of Conditions Surround
ing the Colored Man as an Artisan
In 800 Different Cities.

For the past six years Atlanta University
has conducted through its annual negro
conferences a series OF studies into certain
aspects of the negro problems. The results
of these conferences, put into pamphlet
form, have been widely used and quoted.
The first investigation In 1896 took up the
Mortality OF Negroes In Cities" The fol-
lowing years the studies were: 1897 Social
and Physical Condition of Negroes In Cit
les" 1898, Some Efforts of Negroes for
Social Betterment;" 1879, The Negro In
Business" 1900 The Coiiege-bred Negro;'
1901. The Negro Common School" Grad
yates OF Atlanta. Fisk and Howard Univer-
stiles. Hampton and Tuskegee Institutes
and of many other schools have co-opersted
In this movement.
This year the seventh Atlanta negro con-
ference will meet May y at Atlanta Unit
versity and Will take UP the interesting
subject of the negro artisan. There has
been much discussion lately as to the negro
In mechanical industries but few tangible
facts. The census OF 1890 gave 1T2.970 ne
groes in the manufacturing and mechanical
industries throughout the United Stal s. but
this includes many uuskilled laborers and
omits many artisans like miners and bar
bers
In 1890.
In detail there We're the following skilled
negro laborers reported in 1890:
Negro artisans in the United States. CEN
sus of 1890: Carpenters. 223ls; BARRIERS.
l7.4So; saw mill operatives. 1920: miners.
lo.so9: tobacco factory employees, 1904;
biacksmths. 1O762; brlckmakers. 10a2I:
masons. 9,641: engineers and .iremen. Co;
dressmakers. I.iI9: iron and steel workers.
5,d90; shoemakers, 5.OS5; mill and factory
operatives. 5000; painters. 1896: plasterers.
4.o6; Quarrypen, 3.19S; coopers, 284s;
butchers. 2510: woodworkers. 1875; taIlors,
1.2so; stone cutters, 1.2I9; leather curriers',
1899.
The figures for 1900 are not yet available.
but they Will show great increase in all
kinds
The investigation by the Atlanta confer
ence includes a personal canvas OF some
700 negro artisans, a study OF general con-
ditions In 300 different cities and towns a
canvass OF all the International trades
unions and local assemblies and study OF
the opinions OF employers, and tabulated
returns from Industrial schools.
Trades Unions.
Probably this will prove the most thor
ough investigation OF the kind ever under
taken. Especially will light be thrown on
the attitude OF the trades unions. There
are in the United States ninety-eight ma
tional unions. In thirty-four of these there
are negro members: but in most cases very
few. Only ten unions have any consider
able number, viz: BARRIERS. 800; brick work
ers, 200: carpenters and joiners. 1.Oo0: car
riage builders, 500; coopers, 200; stationary
fremen. 2.1eo; painters. 100.
The cigarmakers. iron and steel workers
and miners, also, have considerable num-
bers. So that we have: Unions with no
negro members. "a; unions with few ne
gro members. "a: unions with a consider
able number Of negro members. 10.
Nearly all the unions with no negro
members refuse TO receive negroes: some
by open Discrimination. as in the case OF
the locomotive engineers. locomotive fire.
men. electrical workers and boiler makers.
while others exclude them silently. In
some cases. like the curtain operatives and
applied. that question is unsettled. In
nearly all cases any local union has a
right to refuse an applicant so that a
single negro workman would stand small
chance of admission.
Federation of Labor
On the other hand, the American FEEDER
alton Of Labor. with which most Of these
organizations are affiliated. has taken strong
ground for fair play toward negroes and
the union movement has greatly extended
among them in the last ten years.
Among the speakers at the seventh At
lanta conference. where this question will
be thoroughly discussed. will be Mr. Booker
T. Washington of TuskeSee, President J.
G.. Merrill Of Fisk University Major II. r.
Motion of Hampton Institute. Mr.. William
Benson of the Dixie Industrial Company,
President Bumstead and DIR. w. E Ii. Du-
Bots of Atlanta, and a representative of
the American Federation Of Labor.