Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-10-02
$780, -s---H
NEWS OF THE LABOR FIELD.
Items Of Interest Gathered From Many
Sources.

Items of Interest Gathered From Many
| Sources.
Within year more than 1000
skilled workmen have left the French
silk factories for the United States.
The Miners Magazine, monthly
publication of the Western Federation
of Miners, has been changed to a
weekly paper.
The percentage, of wage -earners
who are females is: In the United
States, IA; in Germany, %; in Eng
land, Is; in Italy, 40; and in Austria,
| AZ.
Tailors and garment workers will
meet in Boston prior to the conven-
ton Of the American Federation Of
Labor and try to agree upon plan Of
amalgamation.
| Elevator constructors from all over
the country held convention in New
York city. formed an international
union and decided to affiliate with the
| American Federation of Labor.
Three hundred men employed in the
freight department of the Jefferson
Vile, Ind. branch Of the American Car
and Foundry company have struck for
a rs per cent increase in wages. They
have been paid from Is to % cents per
hour.
President Curran of the Interior
| Freight Handlers and Warehouse
mems international union reports the
| formation of local unions of that craft
in Columbus, Toledo, Chicago juno
ton and Cleveland, Ohio, the last
week.
William Penje, president of the Sea-
mems international union, is prepar-
ing for the annual convention of that
body to be held in Milwaukee in De-
cember. He says that the organiza-
ton Sept. had over 1000 members
in good standing.
The 12,5O0,0O0 sheep in Montana
yielded this year 375OO,OOO pounds of
wool, which at 16 cents a pound
brought 100000 cash. Baled, this
wool would fill forty miles of freight
cars, and the sheep, If killed, would
produce $25O,OO0.OO0 worth of mutton.
The Pittsburg district has more in
dustrial superlatives than any other
similar area on earth. 1t has the
greatest iron and steel works. the
greatest electrical plants, the largest
glass houses, friedrich yards, potteries
and at the same time is the center of
the worlds greatest coal and coking
fields.
The International Bricklayers'
union has planned to increase its
membership by absorbing the stone
masons, plasterers and stonecutters.
In some cities these trades are al
ready affiliated with the bricklayers,
but the intention is to extend juris-
diction over all in the United States
and Canada.
The Incorporated manufacturing
establishments in Indiana pay an
average wage of $2.43 to skilled labor,
$1.33 to unskilled, II cents to boys
and SO cents to women and girls. The
unincorporated manufactures pay
$213 to skilled labor, $1.25 to I'M
skilled, sc cents to boys and 7S cents
to women and girls.
Forty employees Of F. Herbold &.
Sons, chair manufacturers at Chicago
are on strike for the union scale of
wages. Twenty-Five are girls who,
while not being members Of the Wood
workers union, will be paid strike
benefits. This strike. it is said by
union officials, is the first step toward
organizing all chair factories.
The strike which has been on at the
Port Vue plant of the McKeesport Tin
Plate company has been officially de-
clared off by officials of the Amalga-
mated Association of Iron, Steel and
Tin Workers. Nearly all of the strik-
ers have left town. The plant has
been running full for several weeks.
H.C. Mcfarland, foreman, of the job
press division of the government
printing Office at Washington, was the
second vice president of the Interna-
tional Typographical union in the days
when the pressmen were component
part of that body and when they Sc
ceded to form an international organ
ization of their own.
The Bookbinders' union at Washing
ton is keeping up its fight on w. A.
Miller, whom the members want dis
missed from the government printing
office. Petitions and letters are being
sent to local unions all over the coun-
try asking them to adopt letters of
protest snd sending them to Presi-
dent Roosevelt against the open
shop" sentiment he expressed and re-
Questing the president to. reverse his
position.
There are at the present time 22,383 |
unions, affiliated with the American
Federation of Labor according to
Secretary Morrison, and per capita
tax was paid last month on 1,6O5,G0O.
an increase of over 10000 in a
month. The unions affiliated are class