Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-07-31

nave uOulucu tHc cFiiS VI Cullu iduOi
in that state, but the small majority
against reform indicates that the time
is not far distant when public opin
ion will do its work and Georgia's
shame will be done away with for
ever.
A complete change in the character
of the working men and women who
live in the Chicago stockyard district
change from abject hopelessness tc
the feeling of personal dignity, has
come as the direct result Of the labor
union, according to Miss Mary e. Nc
Dowell, head resident of the Univer
sity of Chicago Settlement, located in
that district.
Retail clerks in all sections Of the
country have inaugurated move
ment to establish universal nine
hour day. It will be under the super
vision of the Retail Clerks associa.
ton, which has membership of over
$4,000. The move for shorter work
day started in Chicago, where the
clerks have forced many of the EN-
ployers to put it into effect.
President Merrick of the Interna
tional Plumbers Union says that OF
the seventy strikes the organization
has been engaged in recently sixty
eight were won, one was lost and one
compromised. The steamfitters ir
various parts of the country, he states
are obeying the orders of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor and affilia
ting themselves with the plumbers
organization.
Japan has a Federation of Labor
with almost 100000 members, writer
from the land of the Mikado claims
He writes that this organization hai
been struggling for improved condi
lions for the working class in Japan
and its efforts are being rewarded by
the enactment of factory law regu
lating hours Of labor, age of workers
etc., and compelling employers to 81
considerate Of the health and safety
Of their employees.
Horseshoers in one of our large
cities have made an agreement with
their employers through which they
receive an increase in wages OF $3.50
week and the use Of the union STAMP
on all horse shoes made by members
of the union. The employers at irsl
refused to adopt the union stamp, and
instead, offered the men an increase
of 81 q week in wages. The men sac
rificed so cents a week in wages II
consideration for the adoption Of the
union stamp.
I" A convention of employers will be
held in Chicago within the next month
to form a national employers associa
ton for dealing with the labor prob
lem along conservative lines. Fred
erick w. Job, secretary of the Chica
go Employers association, says that
besides the Chicago organization, the
business men have banded together in
in Cleveland, Boston, st. Paul, Min
neapolis, New York, San Francisco
Cincinnati, st. Louis, Kansas City
Omaha and Brooklyn.
Labor Commissioner johnson, oil
Kansas has commenced campaign
against public officers who work
themselves or force their clerks tc
work more than eight hours day
He claims the eight-hour law applies
to all state officials and has warned
them all. from Gov. Bailey down, that
thsy must stop violating 1t on pain OF
If an official cannot keeI
up his work by working eight hours
a day, the labor commissioner says
he should employ additional help.
A recent report of the British labo!
department shows that the settlement
of labor controversy by arbitration is
growing in favor in the United King
dom. During last year 451,OOO dis
putes respecting wages were settled
BY cancellation boards and 10000 by
the parties themselves. Wage-earnera
received much less than in 1901, Blu,
taking the period of ten years, from
1S93-1902, the whole of the time OF
the statistics have been collected
there was a slight average increase
about pence per head per week.
The frequency Of trade jurisdiction
disputes throughout the country has
been the cause of an agitation being
started to invest the A. F. of l.. with
more power, SO that 1t can give de
cisions that must be carried out by
affiliated unions. At the present time
the constitution provides for complete
trade autonomy, and while the unions
are not likely to give up that clause,
it is said many of them take advant'
age of It to defy decisions rendered by
the national federation. The plan dis.
cussed Is to place the members Of the
executive council of the American
Federation of Labor on permanent
salary and have them called into any
city where a dispute Is in progress
and end it at once.
1t seldom happens that a national
officer of a labor organization Is elect
ed by a plurality Of two votes, but that
is what happened through a referen'
dunn vote of the members of the Metal
Polishers, Platers, Buffers and Brass
Workers International union last
weak. Votes were cast in 273 local
unions, and when the ballots were
counted Nicholas Dutle of Dayton, the
{oour,hopt had < $40 vOtoc |