Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-11-13


intends, it is said, to dismiss in al
1900 men, with a view to saving o.
| 100000 year in wages.
| The United Garment Workers CT
America and the journeymen tailors
| of America have reached an agree
ment for defining the jurisdiction of
the two bodies and for the creation
of committee looking to the amalga-
nation of these bodies, to comprise
all clothing workers in the United
| States. This consolidation which 1t
| Is expected to effect within year will
bring in approximately 100000 men.
The constitutionality Of the anti
boycott law recently enacted by the
Alabama legislature, and which re-
ceived the approval Of the governor.
will be tested in the courts. The Fed
Grafton of Labor of Birmingham de-
cided upon this action, and counsel
has been engaged for that purpose.
The union labor men of Birmingham
say they will carry the case to the
highest courts in the land, if neces-
sary.
| All labor unions and central bodies
throughout the country are receiving
circulars issued by President Com
pers of the American Federation of
Labor requesting them to urge Sena-
tors and Congressman from their 10.
calities to pass the eight-hour bill and
the antiinjunction bill at the coming
session of Congress. The different
associations of employers are equally
active in their efforts to defeat the
measures.
For violating an injunction restrain
ing United Mine Workers from tres
passing on the property of the Tenn
essee Coal company at Briceville,
Tenn, Chancellor Kyle, at Clinton,
Tenn, fined and sentenced the follow
ing officials: F. L. Rice, national or
ganizer, who came from Iowa, $500
and eighty days in jail; Robert
Vaughn, $3.50 and seventy days; ]. H.
Sayler, $1O0 and twenty days; G. L.
Rice, $50 and ten days; r. A. An
drews, $50 and ten days. The defend
ants have appealed to the Supreme
court.
At the convention of the Interna-
tional Brotherhood of Blacksmiths,
held recently in st. Louis. it was de-
cided to change the headquarters from
Moline to Chicago. The next con-
vention will be held in st. Paul. Gen.
eral President John Slocum of Moline,
ILL.,, was reelected. The other officers
chosen are as follows: Vice president,
p. H. Cumminis, Amsterdam, N. Y;
]. w. Cline, Kansas City, Kan; James
]. McDade, San Francisco; Charles N.
Glover, Chicago; John Stanley, st.
Louis; secretary-treasurer, Robert B.
Kerr, Moline. Ill.
The officials and managing direct
ors of the United States Steel cor.
poration returned to New York from
their annual trip of inspection of the
company's vast system of plants and
properties thoroughly imbued with
the idea that the present was the
proper time for effecting economies.
This will include not only the closing
of plants where the cost of reduction
is higher than in others but also the
establishment of lower wages to the
thousands of employees of the big
trust How the problem of making
reductions in wages will be worked
out has not been decided.
The Illinois Steel Company has leid
off 1000 laborers at it's South Chicago
plant. No notice of the contemplated
action was given the men, and when
they were paid off they were told that
there would be no more work for
them for the present. Lack of orders
is given by the officers of the company
as the reason for laying off the en-
ployes. The men who are thus thrown
into compulsory idleness were en-
ployed in the slab and plate mills
and the open hearth mill. There are
about 1000 men employed by the ILL.,
nois Steel Company at South Chicago
when all the plants are running at
full capacity.
At the recent meeting of the gen.
eral executive board of the Amalga-
mated Association of Street and Elec-
trio Street Railway Employees, Presi-
dent w. D. Mahon reported an in
| crease Ol -clSuI uiNioiOho, VI 6ah-
lied since the convention held last
May. The report shows the actual
number of active divisions in the or
ganization to have been 225 on Oct. l..
On the question of wage agreements
the report says: There have been
twenty-eight written agreements
made between as many different d.
vision associations and the employing
companies, without contentious, as
we'll as ten verbal settlements Of
wage scales. Four agreements have
resulted from strikes, making total
of forty-two adjustments during the
six months.
Those who believe in class war
between workers and capitalists will
find their theories upset by the latest
news from Portland, Ore. All the or
ganized workingmen of that city have
nut their money together and bought
1900 acres of timber land, and first
class sawmill. The company is capt.
talized for $4,000 and no shareholder
| 10 allowed to own more than 5000