Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-10-30

tHcSc departments. superintendent
Sheldon says no general orders for a
general closing Of the plant have been
received and does not expect any.
The Methodist Episcopal church in
America has decided to lend its ef-
forts to the settlement of labor trou
bles in this country. Bishop E. G. An
drews is leading the movement and he
has hopes of interesting other denomi-
nations in 1t. If the present plans
are a success an nterdenominationa
convention may be held next summer
to elect a committee on labor and cap
ital.
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, and
James Duncan, first vice president,
have been instructed by the executive
council to outline plan for the for
nation of building trades section
within the A. F. of L., and to report
the plan to the members of the execu-
tive council at least ten days before
the date of the Boston convention
next month.
Organizer Fitzpatrick of the Chicago
Federation of Labor has sent report
to Secretary Morrison of the American
Federation of Labor of the unions that
he has organized since September OF
last year. 1t shows fifty-eight unions
that have been formed in this city
during the twelve months. Among
the recently organized unions are the
wax model makers. portrait artists
and craftsmen.
Orders have been issued from New
York whereby Is per cent Of the en-
ployes in the car shops, repair shops
and roundhouses of the entire Wander
bilt railway system will be discharged.
About 1900 men will be thrown out Of
employment with hardly a minutes
notice and saving in wages of near
ly $4,000 a day will be effected. Ne
cessity for retrenchment and the good
condition of the rolling stock is given
as the reason.
A lockout of the members of Frank
In Union No. 4, Chicago organiza-
tion of printing press feeders, was an
nounced yesterday afternoon by the
Chicago Typothetae, an association of
employers. Notices were sent by each
firm to the members of the union in
which the Typothetae declared that
their agreement with the union had
been broken by the union and that
the employers would not recognize the
union hereafter. In this fight the en-
ployers will have the support of the
Allied Printing Trades council. All
efforts to bring the Franklin union
into the regular organization have
failed.
Organizer. James Leonard of the
American Federation of Labor was
driven out of Vicksburg, Miss, by
armed citizens because of his activity
in organizing the working people into
unions connected with their respective
national and international unions.
The executive council of the federation
Endorsed Mr.. Leonard's action and
agreed to cooperate with the repre-, !,
sentatives Of other. organizations in
Vicksburg in proceeding legally
against the citizens who forced Organ
izer Leonard to leave the city under
threat of bodily injury. The fedora
ton decided to bear part of the ex-
pense.
The executive council of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor at its last
meeting requested the United Mine
Workers International union to send
FIVE delegates, with power to act, to
constitutional convention to be held
shortly of the International Associa-
ton of Allied Metal Mechanics, with a
view to bringing about an amalgama-
ton of the two organizations, or of
framing up an agreement regarding
the question Of jurisdiction. AS mat
tiers stand now, beth organizations are
claiming the same Jurisdiction. James
O'Connell, president Of the Interna-
tional Association of Machinists, is to
preside over the convention.
The electrical workers who havs |
been trying to unionize the plant of
the Goodman Manufacturing Com.
pany, Chicago, presented an ulti.
matum to that company yesterday |
with committee of the Steam Power
Council, in which they threatened to |
strike unless the concern agreed to |
pay the union scale of wages to en-
gineers, firemen and electricians.
Rather than face general strike in
the plant an agreement was made by
which the engineers will receive 37h
cents an hour, the firemen 2SA cents
and the electrical workers an increase
ranging from 20 to 35 per cent above
the present wages. bringing them up
to the requirements of the union.
The strike of the western miners or
dered by the, executive board OF the
United Mine Workers of America will
the first real contest of the
National Employers Association with
a branch of organized labor which has
a $1,O0000O fund and the power to in
crease it to $3,00O,O00. The officers of
the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company
and the Victor Fuel Company against
whom the strike has been ordered,
are engaged in a many-sided business,
and as smelters and manufacturers
are members of the National Associa-
ton Of Manufacturers. 1t Is stated