The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-23

board. but more indirectly the condition OF
affairs i'm the labor world at the present
time. and the pitch of public opinion sig
nifty renewed activities the part OF this
central labor body. However much the
power of the new officers. IL is the spirit OF
he time that v really being felt more than
anything else just at this period. Withih
the past three or four years Indianapolis
has suddenly become the center of union
lam in the country. And from it emanates
the agitation OF the greatest question with
which organized labor has TO contend, and
IN which the war against it's power has
finally been launched. Under these circum-
stances the representative body of the
many labor unions OF this city becomes
more than ever the blwark of the de-
Tense
The movement launched by ID. NJ Parry,
however much IL may have started a gen
eral movement against organized labor.
has on the other hand strengthened the
labor bodies i'm that it has drawn them
more closely together in a mutual bond OF
fself-protection. and has demanded personal
interest and support of every union MEM
ber where formerly the impetus was lack
ing The fact that the local unions are
feeling the movement I'm opposition to them,
II no more clearly reflected than In their
Representative body. the Central Labor
Union. There delegates from overy seventy
unions assemble once every two weeks and
report the progress and the troubles OF
their organizations. From these reports
there has been a sudden growth in the
local unions of this city since the location
here of the headquarters of several OF the
most powerful unions in the country. And
since the agitation begun by Mr.. Parry
there has been an unprecedented enthu-
siasm. In the words of Samuel Gompers,
president of the American Federation or
labor. 1.-The air is fairly charged with
enthusiasm" at the meetings of the Cen
trail Labor Union.
POLICY OF THE FUTURE.
In predicting a new i'm the progress
OF the central body there l. no reference
meant to a change in its policy. The pres
ident of the union has declared that the
policy of the past will be the policy of the
future. But the things which stand out
most significant are first. the fact that
the unions are growing so rapidly, and
with their growth the number of their rep
resentatives increases. that committee
Is now making plans to secure a larger
hall for the meetings of the organization.
Where three years ago union had two
delegates. II now has FIVE. Not meeting
passes but that twelve or fifteen delegates
are seated This means the growth of the
local unions.
Second. at the recent election of delegates
TO the State convention of the American
federation OF Labor the full quota was
chosen something that has not occurred
for many years.
Third, the placing of D. M. Parry upon
the unfair list by every union in the city.
The declaring of an unfair on firm
means that no union man in the country
viii have dealings with that firm If he.
can possibly help it. But when every union
in the city has placed him upon the unfair
list IL is not only 1S.o00 union men not
patronizing him. but the united body and
their influence against him.
Fourth. the Enforcement of the boycott
against ID. NJ. Parry by the American
Federation of Labor. At the last meeting
of the Central Labor Union letter was
received from President Gompers saying
that the American Federation of Labor
had also placed ID. N. Parry upon the un-
fair list. There are many other facts that
mark a year of activity and concentration
among the labor forces. Over hundred To-
cal unions arc i'm this city to-day Their to-
tai membership is 1900. in round numbers.
and the average increase is over hundred
members each week Where formerly the
organizers found the workingmen skeptical
about joining the unions. they find them
now i'm the time of conflict, willing and
anxious TO enter the unions and support
the working class. of which they are men,
bers.
ORGANIZED IN 1881.
The present Central Labor Union or
eanized i'm 1881 as the Indianapolis Trades
Assembly. with handful of unions repre-
scented. The organization grew steadily,
usfsil to-day over seventy unions are repre-
scented at the meetings. in most cases by
more than one delegate. and in some cases
b. as MANY seven delegates To-day
from the standpoint of conservativeness and
concurrence in its actions, it is considered
one OF. the most stable and effective labor
bodies in the country. The object in the
formation of the body was TO protect the
worlxingman from the cut I'm wages which
resulted from trusts. IL has sought to set
standard wage scale and thus stop COM
petition which lowered wages TO mere
pittancc.
The officers of the Central Labor Union
since its organization have all been men
well Informed i'm labor questions and wise
ir the use of their power. The following
II the iSt OF pTeSiuthtS WHO nave
brought the central body to its present
strength: Sam L. Leffingwell, Lon H. Nc
Clellan. Milt Farnham. +. T. Oburn. 7. Nj.
Gruelle. Abe Lobenberg. ID. +. Kennedy.
Cloud. Peter Hammerle, Edgar A.
Perkins. Robert Croft +. p. Barry.
Thomas Blackburn. John Blue and John l..
Feitman.
At recent election held few weeks
ego man who for many years has been
q power i'm the local labor world was again
brought into prominence and power chief
executive of the body. Edward p. Barry is
the new president of the Central Labor
Union and selected by unanimous
vote TO direct the organization through a
term that promises to be the most import
ant of any i'm its history. This is Mr..
Barry's third year president of the Cen
tral Labor Union. He was elected in 1895
and served two consecutive terms. He has
been we'll represented otherwise i'm the labor
circles of the city. having been president
of Typographical Union. No. ]. of which
ne IL a member: delegate to the interna-