Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-06-26

TUBE WORKERS union AT the Hdtionni
convention He was also''chosen a
delegate to the A. F. of L. convention
in this city In November.
Legislation favorable to labor organi
cations has been enacted In number
Of states throughout the country. The
Forty-third General Assembly, which
recently adjourned, passed many laws
calculated to benefit the toilers Of the
state.
At Toronto, during June, is to be
held a gathering of representatives Of
the district councils Of the union paint
ers, decorators and paperhaIgers. One
purpose will be to formulats' plan
whereby men, union, nonunion or ex'
union, leaving one city, can be traced.
The Rubber Workers. Union has Sc
cured an agreement with the rubber
companies in Chicago which gives
them an increase In wages amounting
to 10 per cent. The agreement runs
until August, 1904, and means an ag
gregate yearly increase to the rub
Der workers of $85.000.l ~
In view of the establishment OF the
bureau of commerce and labor, 1t Is
interesting to state that the govern
ment statistician says the internal
commerce Of the United States has
grown from $4,000, 100000 fifty years
ago to 10000, 5000 last year. The
manufactures nearly double those Of
Great Britain, and about equal those
of Russia, France and Germany com
Dined.
Reports given in New York papers
on the controversy between the United
Brotherhood of Carpenters and Join
ers and the Amalgamated Society Of
Carpenters and Joiners show that the
former organization has been badly
worsted In the fight. In fact II the
reports are to be relied upon. the pow
erful organization of the : United
Brotherhood in New York city Is rap
idly going to pieces. -,
The American Federation OF Labor
has at the present time 1850 commits
stoned organizers in the field, and
from the reports being received all Of
them are being kept busy. There were
2,542 organizations affiliated with ths
federation on May 1, and LOT OF thai
number are national and internationa
!, unions, with from ten to -1,60O loca
unions each, 1t shows the immense
growth Of the trades union movement
in this country.
In some of the New England statei
the contractors in the building trader
have organized to fight the labor
unions. The organization OF CONTRACTS
ors in the different cities have afilia
lions with each other, and 1t is alleged
they exchange blacklists. They also
have a system of cards which ara
given to the workmen, and unless
man, on applying for job, can pro
duce a card from his last employer
which is all right he cannot get work
Last week an agreement was signed
between the Chicago Metal Trades
association and the Metal Polishers
Buffers, Platers and Brass Workers
union, which grants the men nine
hour day and an increase IN wages
varying from IN to 10 per cent. The
agreement provides that there shall BE-
no discrimination against union men
and that all disputes are to be settled
by arbitration. About forty shops and
900 men are benefited by the agree
ment.
The new child labor. law went int
effect in South Carolina May 1. II
provides that after that date this yeaI
no child under the age of ten year,
shall be employed; after May 1, 1904
no child under eleven, and after May L
1905, no child under twelve: Children
of widowed mothers and invalid
fathers will still be permitted to work
;. as well as children under age" who
can read and write and have attended
school four months in the year Of
employment. ;f.t
After negotiations extending over Z
period of Ave weeks the Northwestern
: railroad management has reached Z
settlement with their trainmen, bag
gagemen and switchmen, which seems
eminently satisfactory to both sides
Increases are made in the wages oil
the cOnQuCIOTS, UIdhcmCu anu oo6eo60
:. men. In the passenger train service Of
10 per cent. Under the present scale
conductors are receiving from 500 te
, s12O per month, and the increase will
give them from SIP to $134.6O. The
others will receive Increases improper
ton. ~>- "
A union of Japanese laborers has
recently been organized in the vicinity
of Los Angeles, Cal. and 1T has beer
.. chartered by the American Federation
of Labor. This has created much com
} ment among the unions on the Pacific
coast. and with few. exceptions they
condemn the experiment. 1t has beer
> indorsed by the Executive Committed
of the California State Federation Of
Labor, and severely condemned by the
San Francisco Labor Council. J In tho
current issue of the Seamen's journal
there is a strong article against thu
policy of organizing the Mongalians.
In the agreement entered into be
tween the New York. Metal Trades as
sociation and the Brotherhood Of
49,, "a .Jrop Chtul,Yfyd ORC nj