The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-09-19
Meeting Michigan Federation.

at the Armory ON Tuesday morning
with President David A. Boyd, OF De-
troit, and SecretaryTr Treasurer Paul
Marion Jr.. in the chairs. Thirty-fve
delegates were present, and seven others
came later. The convention closes this
afternoon with the election of officers
and.the selection of a meeting place for
the next annual session. The cities
which want the convention are Manis-
tee, Saginaw and Port Huron.
The Michigan Federation consists OF
100 unions out of total Of 1000 in the
State. 1t represents 10000 men. The
appointment of committees was the
business of the Tuesday morning ses-
sion. In the afternoon Mayor White
gave an address of welcome, stating
briefly that he was union man him
self, and in behalf not only of the unions
but of the whole city of Owosso, well
coined the delegates to Owosso. G. A.
Byerly spoke along the same line.
The president answered for the as
semblage and then presented his annual
report, in which he made many recon-
mendations, some of which were adopt
ed.
The report of the secretary-treasurer
showed that for the first time in the
Federation's history there is money in
the treasury. The receipts for the year
ending Sept. 1, 1902, were $844.S0 the
expenditures $576.97, leaving a-balance
on hand of $267s3. The secretary also
stated that the year book, a venture of
the presidents, paid for itself from ad-
vertisements and will he issued soon,
containing the full report of this meet
ing.
On the committees into which the
Federation was divided, the Owosso del
egates were placed as follows: Rules, G.
A. Byerly; on secretary's report, G. A.
Byerly, E. j. Sheldon; on constitutional
amendments, Sheldon, J. A. f. Evans.
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
At the Wednesday morning session
Delegate G.. w. Duncan presented the
following telegram, which the conven
ton ordered sent at once:
~. B. Wilson, Secretary MineWork
ere Union, Indianapolis: The Michi
gan Federation of Labor in convention
assembled, extends congratulations on
your heroic fight for the principles Of
justice and freedom, and pledges the
moral and financial assistance of the or
g9 I'd labor of Michigan"
A number of resolutions were handed
up and approved on being read, among
them the following A resolution pro
viding for the appointment of an organ
izer to work among smaller towns ant
form unions that a constitutions
amendment be submitted to the people
so that state printing Office may b'
provided for; that the initiatiye ant
referendum system of voting be adopt
ed that each local union be urged t.
levy contributions for the striking min
ers. The Conkey Publishing Company
and the American Book Co., both O.
Chicago were denounced for hiring
cheap labor, and the Try-a Bita FOOD
Co., of Battle Greek, was commended
for hiring only union labor Ex Rep
David Burns, of Grand Rapids, candi
date for the nomination of state senator
~, t1,a ya,,,,1,l;oo,, f;ol-a+ ,r,os la,o,,p 40,
for unfairness to union labor, and al
effort will be made to defeat him in tn,
primaries.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
Rev G. H. Hanks was called for an(
made good speech. c. A. Byerly, il
responding to his name at roll-call, re
ported the labor outlook in Owosso to bt
bright.
Delegate John Nugent, of the Sagi
nav Miners Union, has just returned
from the West Virginia coal fields, where
for the past five months he has been or
ganizing the coal miners in their strike
So bitterly did he denounce the opera
tors and so realistically did he paint the
sufferings of the strikers whom, he de.
clared, were in worse condition than
Siberian prisoners, that resolution was
passed unanimously to send the strikers
5000 by wire.
The conventions. photograph was
taken in front of the Armory by Welte.
After supper Conrad .Mehlenbacher's in
vitation to Dutch lunch at his place
having been accepted, most of the dele;
gates spent their evening there.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
Delegate John Nugent, of Saginaw,
made such stirring speech for the
striking coal miners that the sum of
5000 was ordered sent to the strikers
committee by wire, which was done.
Mr.. Nugent claims that coal can be
mined at the Saginaw mines and
delivered to any yard in Saginaw for
81 rs per ton, where it sells for $3.50
per ton.
% THURSDAY MORNING.
After long discussion of the subject
the Federation d. cided not to send
fraternal delegates to the Farmers