Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-11-06
NEWS OF THE LABOR FIELD.
Items Of Interest Gathered from Many
Sources.

Barney Cohen of the Chicago Cigar.
makers union was elected president
of the Illinois Federation of Labor.
"The only Americanizing force for
the European immigrants is the labor
union" says Prof John R. Commons.
The employees of the glucose trust
at Chicago have won full union wages
and conditions, after seven months
fight.
International Tube Workers associ-
alton reports that it is gaining at the
rate of 1000 members every four
months.
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
had 642 lodges and 48,56S members
Aug. 81. New lodges established this
year number 43.
The strike in the grain elevators at
Galveston, Texas, is resulting in Sc
rious car blockade and the diversion
OF grain and ships from the port.
Railway employees in Victoria, Aus
tralia, are public servants, well paid,
have good hours and are entitled to
pensions after certain term Of sew
ice. They number 1000.
Another national union of iron, steel
and tin workers mcy be formed, many
members of the Amalgamated associ-
alton being dissatisfied with the pres
ent policy of that organization.
The international convention of car
workers enacted several amendments
to their constitution. The most i'm
portant action was the change of head
quarters from Buffalo to Chicago.
Edgar T. Davis. Illinois factory in
spector is vigorously enforcing the
new child labor law, and the result is
that about $500 children in Chicago
have been taken out of the factories
and workshops.
The loss from strikes in the build
ing trades for the year are estimated
at 10000 900 in Chicago, $4,000, 900 in
New York, $6,000,000 in Philadelphia,
100000 in Pittsburg and similar
sums in other cities.
The American Writing Paper COM
pany has put into force the advanced
wage schedule, which it's employees re-
jected during the recent strike, al
though the strikers had returned to
work at the old wages.
Machinists on the Western sections
of the Baltimore G Ohio railroad have
received an increase of 10 per cent in
wages and boilermakers over the en-
tire system have been granted in
creases from s to 10 per cent
;,,fo Dr0ui1nrpn
have signed the new wage scale pre-
scented by the book and job printers,
which calls for substantial increase
over the present rate and an eight
hour day beginning Jan. 1, 1905.
international President L. ]. Curran
has organized freight handlers
union in New York city with large
membership and has another ready to
launch. He states that it will require
about years work to organize the
East.
The Dyers and Mercerizers' union
has given the dyers permission to re-
turn to work, thus finally ending the
textile strike which began in Philadel-
phia June 1. The dyers are the last
of the 100000 strikers to return to
work.
Some figures taken by the German
government not long ago showed that
cloakmakers were earning so week
and that girls on underclothes re-
ceived from slips to 1915, the latter
being paid for skilled hands and over
seers.
One of the most important actions
of the recent structural iron workers
convention, and which was lost sight
of in the reports because of the Parks
squabbles, was the fact that the union
voted unanimously to affiliate with
the A. F. of l..
The count of votes cast by union
metal workers employed by the Inter
national Silver company on the pro-
posal to strike showed that about
three-quarters of the men were OPP
posed to strike. The issue was over
a nine-hour day.
The board of adjustment of the Big
Four engineers adjourned after reach
ing a settlement with the company.
Wages are increased from to s per
cent The company Is considering
the demands of the firemen, brakemen
and conductors.
Cincinnati wholesale butchers have
rejected a demand for 10 per cent
increase in wages and numerous other