Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-09
WILL Be BIG EVENT
State Federation Of Labor Con-
vention at Cedar Rapids,
IMPORTANT MATTERS TO CONSIDER

Trades Autonomy Will Be One That
viii Take Much Time-News of the
Local Labor OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Gompers Says About Unionism.
1.-The matter published in this col.
umn is furnished by the officers of the
Federation of Labor.
[From Wednesdays Dailyl
In the shadow of recent events and
the conclusions reached by the con-
vention of the American Federation Of
Labor, and taking all things into con-
sheraton in connection with the Uni
ted States and the state of Iowa, or
CARRIED labor has much for which it
can well be thankful. The principal
issue between the several different ma
tiCnal organizations was the strict ad-
herence TO the principle Of trades an
toromy. After listening to the argu-
ments, pro and con, which lasted over
seven hours, the convention appoint
ed five of its brightest men to solve
this question of jurisdiction for the
several international unions interest
ed The committee decided in favor
of trades autonomy but could not sug-
gest any way for the convention to
take up the matter of jurisdiction of
membership and compel national or.
CARNATIONS to adhere to it from the
fact that the American Federation OF
Labor is voluntary organization. The
convention adopted the committees re-
port with recommendations that each
state federation and local central body
take up this matter of jurisdiction and
decide it for each separate locality.
This will be one of the measures that
will come before the convention of the
state Federation of Labor, which will
be held at Cedar Rapids beginning the
second Tuesday in May.
Another important matter that will
come before the convention will be the
Iplacing of paid organizers in the field
to thoroughly organize every industri-
al center in Iowa and to so compact
these as to be entirely under the jur-
osdiction of the state Federation of
Labor. The matter of placing the
president of the state federation on
salary will also come before the con-
vention and in all probability it will
be adopted. sGc1
From present information, it would
seem that the convention this year
will be the largest yet held by the
State Federation of Labor. Very near
400 delegates will be- in attendance.
An effort will be made to get M. G.
: insolvency, deputy commissioner of
emigration at the port of New York,
to deliver lecture on emigration, pos
10th !, hot cD1i1 ro1
} before the convention of the American
l Federation of Labor. This of itself
will be worth an immense amount to
Y all those who will have the pleasure
t of listening to it. The officer of the
: Federation of Labor will be elected at
: the convention this year, and there is
: no doubt that the present incumbents
4 will all be unanimously reelected
: Another important convention that
( will take place before that, of the Fed
y Grafton of Labor will be that of the
+ miners of district No. 10, which will
S in all probability begin in Des Moines
e some time in February. xaa
/ Building Trades councI.5,
t The temporary organization of the
local building trades council has. beer
perfected and matters are moving
along smoothly. The matter of form
ing the organization is in the hands o
conservative tradesmen who are look
ing after all the details necessary t.
perfect, such an important union
There have been several meetings ant
a constitution and bylaws have beel
drawn and adopted by the majorit,
of the unions sending delegates to tn
council. This organization will NEE
Got OF ON =, I
n and it invites all unions in the build
q ing trades line to send delegates AM
9 assist in the formation of the council
Constitution and bylaws will be sui
mitted to all interested unions and |
is hoped that not single building
e trades union in the city will fail t.
n evenings meeting. k
!. Bartenders' League.
n An important, we'll attended and en-
,, thusiastic meeting of the Bartender
e. league was held at the Hibernian hal
II Sunday. where much business in tn
e interests of the welfare of this Graf
Is was transacted and the new officer
r were installed. The union card an
button Of the bartenders are now dis
played in every place of business en-
plOyluS CuS IlGUluGFS Ol lulS IL.
Clerks Union.
Although many of the retail clerk
in this city enjoy the blessings give
them in the way of shorter hours b
the hard and ardent work of organize
- labor, yet great many of them lac
appreciation of the self sacrifice c
Is many committees which have worke
If in their interests to bring about be
TX ter conditions! Many of them hav
R. failed to even make application to tn
IL retail clerks union and become PAL
1T of a movement that has secured &c
ot them something that they could neve
lg have obtained as individuals.
y. would seem that if these same clerk
it wish continuance of the shorte
Id hours and better conditions 1.-THE
Of should by all means hold up for the
n labor organization and become men
~ bers of it. An application handed [
lg any of the members Of the organic
he ton will be presented to the union an
at no ao,1ht will he accented ~