Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-20
PLUMBERS ARE GETTING BUSY
Rspsrts Of officers and Committees Come
Before the Convention.
SOME RADICAL REFORMS ARE PROPOSED
ThOmas Flynn Of Omaha f. Asked to
Stand for the Presidency Of
the Association, but
Keeps Out.

Yesterday mornings session Of the United
Association Of Plumbers, Gas and Steam
Filters and Steam Filters Helpers was at
tended by more than 100 delegates and was
given over to the reading Of the reports
of the president, the secretary-treasurer
and the auditing committee, which reports
were referred to committees to be re-
ported back later for final action. Some
radical changes we're recommended and
will have to be given considerable thought
before decided upon.
In the afternoon the report Of the nation
allzation committee selected at Buffalo a
year ago was read. The plan recon-
mended is almost a revolution In the
associations transactions. Auxiliary Sec
retary-Treasurer Thomas Burke, once an
Omahan, is on the committee and will be
one Of the most ardent champions Of the
new plan. He has travelled extensively in
the United States and In Europe and mem
bers say that they expect his talk to be one
OF especial interest, replete with statistical
information.
Flynn Suggested for President.
Another omahan is figuring prominently
now in an executive way. Thomas Flynn,
present jail custodian, could have the presi-
dency Of the association, Judging from talk
about the hotel. but cannot accept because
of HIS present duties at the jail. He was
elected first vice president two years ago
and fifth vice president a year ago. Mon
day committees called on him to urge him
to enter the race as a candidate for the
chair, but he had to decline. New York
was with him and he had other delegations
which we're against him last year, when he
was defeated for the office by only two
votes. At Monday afternoons meeting,
after the mayor had spoken, Mr.. Flynn was
called on and for five minutes sprayed the
audience with a superior quality OF Jolly"
The election of officers probably win &C.
cur Friday.
President Merrick's Suggestions.
In his address President Merrick said;
At the twelfth convention, held in Buff
falo, a committee on naturalization was
appointed and empowered to present a
complete beneficial system, based on the
equalization plan and adapted to the needs
OF our rapidly growing organization. l
desire TO call your attention to the report
of this committee, embodying the platform
and system which will be presented to you
for your most earnest and careful con-
'sideration. The rapid and large growth
of our association in recent years demon
strates that We have long ago outgrown
the present system and that we should
adopt a complete constitution IN line with
the foremost of International unions.
During the past year gratifying progress
ndb DtCu nhu6 UI a laTke nuHlDeT OIL our
locals eliminating the helper and the es-
Enlistment Of a proper apprentice system.
The so0d work accomplished should be
We find that our trade as well as others
has been rapidly branching out into hith-
erto unknown Fields. so l would recom-
mend that a special OF Ave be
appointed to present proper rules govern
ing trade. Jurisdiction for the considera-
ton of this convention.
General Organizer william J. Spencer, in
hia rapnrf aotd. saTho voar hoe kooa 49,
life In strikes and Industrial turmoil, but
1t must be said TO the credit Of the gen.
eral labor movement that more successes
lave been recorded this year than have
been secured during any other known per-
iod in the history OF the labor movement"
Spencer comes out fatty on the matter
Of appeals for aid He said:
Spencer on Appeals for Aid.
The frequency with which appeals for aid
are being circulated throughout this coun-
try is a subject worthy of consideration at
majority Of those appeals represent a
worthy cause and are only sent out as a
last resort, in order to properly finance the
listing trouble. Nevertheless there are many
locals that take advantage of the generos-
tty of sister unions when there Is scarcely
occasion for an appeal.
1t would appear as though the time had
come when some restriction should be
ctNAAAA thAo AAACdlAAS u ItHQtTlnk
financial aid, for an increasing number Of
appeals is bound to breed general discon-
discomfort on that score.
1t should be our purpose, too. to minimize
the number Of strikes to the relative pro-
portion OF our financial and moral strength,
thus insuring ourselves against loss In any
OF our ventures and steadily II slowly rails
ing the standard of our trades.
It is my opinion that the executive board
should be instructed to sanction no strike
unless the conditions in the district of the
0n0Ia ar
those OF the local that intends to present
additional demands.
By far the better way would be TO renosa
the power to order a strike in the hands OF
the board or other authority, so thai the
wages, hours and other conditions Of the
eo1olnlng locals could be made TO corre-
spond as near as possible with one an
other before another strike could be sane
toned that would be out OF ali accord with
the general prevailing conditional in tbe
solicited.
Must Fight injunction Abuses.
Whenever we hear Of a strike OF any
proportion today we may look for a con-
Rloyers for an Injunction, or, to strip IL OF
its harshness. a modern restraining order. |
to ight the privilege Of the employer 10 20
use the courts to protect the scab and
issue must be met some time, for we are
Soday living under a Veritable form OF
recommend that the delegates TO The nexf
convention OF the Federation Of Labor be
employed 70 have that body asht the i q
junction to the highest court of the land.
OUT locals generally are in a hourishinR
shown itself throughout the entire country
L. W. Ttlden. secretary-treasurer, made
= report which included the following show
ing;
On June 30. which Is the end OF our
nscal year, we had 14,1s9 members, an In
crease over last year OF 2,S67 members. One
year ago We had $50 local unions; this wear
we have 1888 local unions, which Is an in
crease over last year OF nfty-nine local
-Four locals have seeded and sixteen
have lapsed, but In all cases OF iapsed
loeals their charters have been reissued to
case ATLANTA, GaO, where the local re-
organized and a new charter was returned.
The number OF propositions submitted 10