The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-09

creasing the organizations at Saltwater, Little
Falls, Two Harbors, Hibbing, Eveleth and
like towns.
Non-aRliated Unions.
The growth of the federation during the
past year has exceeded our strongest hopes.
Many new unions have affiliated, yet there
are a large number that have not yet
learned the value Of the federation. Among
these the railroad organizations. I have
visited a number OF these, and have conversed
with their grand officers in some instances
with reference to affiliation. AS a result of
this I have come to the opinion that the
opposed to federation, but that whatever
opposition they have comes from the grand
lodges and their officers.
Work of Officers.
AS the federation grows older and larger the
work and duties OF the officers increase. The
large increase in the unions of the smaller
| towns and cities has greatly increased the
| amount of correspondence. I have endeavored
to be prompt in the answering of all COM
munications. Of course sometimes delay is
necessary in order to secure the information
desired and 1t has sometimes happened that
correspondence was neglected. However,
have endeavored to answer all correspondence
promptly. -.
:,
for it represented to the cause a growth and
development that is both healthy and pro-
gressive: When tkis convention adjourns we
should again take up the work where it was
left off, We owe duty to the men Of TOLL
who have placed sufficient confidence in us
to represent them and their great cause in
this state federation. We are expected to go
on with the work of organization until every
wage-earner in Minnesota is on the roster Of
his trade or labor organization. I say to you
that while much is expected OF the officers
between the conventions, the real work, the
inspiring work. the work that will have the
most effect, will be that which you do here
day. ::
Points From Secretary-Treasure
w. E. McEwen, of Duluth, the secre-
tarytreasurer, reported a prosperous
year for the federation. The receipts and
disbursements were: --..- =
Balance at last convention ........... $626.26
Receipts for the year ................. ,047 40
Total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 81 ,M3 Is
Expenditures ,OSo. ~
Balance in treasury ............. $77S.53
Money was expende as follows:
Salaries of officers Observation-Disclosures. $500. 90
Convention expenses at Mankato .....:. POI .25
| Printing proceedings, etc lot. 40
Organizing in state observation-disclosures. 1913. As
| Postage ana STATIONERY " SO o.
| Fifty-six new unions affiliated with the
federation during the year. Including the
railroad organizations there are. almost los
| 300 labor organizations in the state. The
number of unions on the books of the
| federation is 166.
| Last year. he said, cit was thought
| we had made great record when we
reported thirty nine = newly affiliated
unions, but the report this year exceeds
our fondest hopes. But three unions
| h cr;>, of hoir with
drawal from the federation. These were
the St. Paul cigarmakers and BARRIERS and
| the Minneapolis stonemasons.'
Weapons of Labor.
Secretary McEwen in an attached ad-
| dress to the members of the federation
deprecated strikes and boycotts and ad-
| vocated more general use of other Weap-
| ons of labor-the union label, arbitration
and the ballot. He said:
| In the struggle of the past the strike and
| the boycott have served a purpose. They
| will be used in the future as often as neces-
| sary, but they will not solve the labor ques-
| ton entirely. Labor must learn to use the
weapon intended for that purpose. When we
begin to realize that the labor question is a
class question, and that there is class
struggle on, possibly we will know then how
| to protect our class interests better than we
| now do. If all men who strike would vote
| as they strike, it would not be very long
before there would be a revolution in Ameri-
| politics.
| In nay opinion this convention has two i'm
| rortant matters to discuss. The first and
| foremost is the matter of continuingssthe
| work of organization I do not believe in
! letting up until every town and village in
| the state has been preached the gospel of
| trade unionism. AS our federation grows,
and revenue increases, we can carry
on this work with greater success.
| Next to organization is legislative work.
| The federation has seldom done anything in
this branch until the legislature had con-
| vened. believe that the proper time to be-
| gin is at the primaries and polls. Let us
inaugurate plan at this convention where
| by we can have something to say about the
next members Of the legislature.
| This evening there will be mass meet
| ing in the new Metropolitan theater, at
which a program will be given. Before
the meeting there will be parade of
the various local unions in uniform fol-
lowed by the visiting delegates, and then
| the citizens on foot and in carriages.