The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-06-13
Grol0th of the Membership of the. State
Federation LDaS 600 Per Cent.
Opening of Contention at Little Falls and
addresses by President and Others.
Special to Tho Labor World.

Special to Tho Labor World.
LITTLE FALLS, Minn., June r.
The state convention of the Minnesota
State Federation Of Labor was called
to order in the Gross opera house at
10 o'clock Monday forenoon by B. G.
Bradley, secretary of the local mill
workers union and president of the
general committee on arrangements.
Rev. M. o. Stockland, of the M. e.
church offered a prayer. The addresses
of welcome by Charles E. Vasaly,
mayor, and on behalf of organized
labor by B. G. Bradley, were responded
to by President M. E. Neary.
Other addresses were delivered by
Congressman G.. B. Buckman, Labor
Commissioner O'Donnell, George E.
French, international organizer Of the
Cigarmakers' union; Charles F. James,
president of the st. Paul Trades AS
sembly and John Swift and William
Brown, also of st. Paul, J. E. Nash, Of
Minneapolis, read an original poem.
The report Of the committee on Gre
dentials was read and objection made
to seating the Duluth team owners
delegates and the matter referred to a
special committee to investigate.
A special grievance committee was
appointed to handle the controversy
between the carpenters union and the
wood workers of Winona. This is a
question Of jurisdiction.
Mayor Vasaly on behalf Of the COM
mercial club extended the freedom of
the club to the delegates.
Presidents Annual.
ii fo f1o off nd
delegates, President M. E. Neary Of
Minneapolis said in part:
1.-THE numerical progress now being
made. by. the federatio *isEa source. Of!
q JUST prid idess zsalIiesS bsS1n.i
ming to appreciate more and more that
the Old saying, Together we stand,
divided we fall is the true motto for
labor to observe, and while we are not
being educated to this point as fast as
some would wish, yet / am satisfied
that it is becoming less of 4 task each
year, and the day is not far distant
when the wage -earners will go hand in
hand, shoulder to shoulder, and de-
nand and receive their just share Of
freedom and enjoyment as well as toll.
A Regular Organizer.
1.-THE condition of our treasury and
the increased income that would come
from newly organized unions and the
building up of others, will warrant us
at this time to place at least one reg
ular organizer in the field Brothers,
] am satisfied you will make a great
mistake if you allow this opportunity
to pass without at least trying the ex-
pertinent of placing a regular organizer
in the field. The time is ripe; it will
be none too soon to do it Immediately
upon the adjournment Of this conven-
ton.
The more successful we are in Or
ganizing. the more successful we will
be in shortening the workday. All
we'll organized branches of labor are
working under the eight-hour system,
This is especially true in the larger
cities. where all of the building trades
and Il great many others work but
eight hours a day. The eight-hour day
is becoming recognized as the universal
workday, and there is no reason why
it should not be adopted in the smaller
as we'll as the larger cities.
Convict and Free Labor.
"From present indications there
seems little prospect for securing any
mates of the penal institutions of the
state. The federation has at different
times proposed several methods where
by these people could be employed sc
that there would be no competition
against free labor. but for some reason
or other it seems impossible for oul
legislative representatives to look a
It in the right light. I would recon.
mend that this convention adopt some
definite and practical plan, that we, a:
the people. most interested, MAY bo be-
tore the public and demand that it b
out into effect
In my last report I called the atten'
tion of the delegates to the action O.
several of the western federations seek
ing closer afficiatior and a more con
centrated action among the wage
earners among the western and middl,
states along the lines of legislation ant
organization l am still of the firm
belief that a great amount of goot
could be accomplished by closer affili
alton. There is no organization tha
Is perfect, and by getting the bes
points and information from organiza
tions simila-' to our own, we would b,
able to bring the federation to highe
point Of perfection"
O. Donnell Gives the Figures.
In his address this morning Labo
Commissioner O'Donnell reviewed tn
organization of labor in the state ant
said: +,
''Up to October, 1902, the bureau o
labor had gathered statistics from: th
various labor organizations IL" tn
state, showing: that they had. In roun,
numbers q membership Of 2S,338 .ss=},TIi
information did not inc clude pIoeop! p!eSWh,
s$5 We're en- plo oyed he raj lroad serVic