Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-04
LABOR CONGRESS-
REGULAR MEETING
Political Issues Taken Up and
Some Resolutions Are
Adopted.
PAUL HENNEBERG GRINDS AK
State Secretary Rose Scored as En-
envy to Unionism and De-
feat Urged.

The Tri-City Labor congress held its
regular monthly meeting last evening.
Paul Henneberg, candidate for state
representative on the socialist ticket
succeeded last evening in securing tho
passage of resolution attacking G.. A.
Cooke, of Aledo, the democratic NOM
inee, on the ground that the latter had
not replied TO certain questions pro-
pounded by the officers of the congress
in accordance with instructions recent
~ sent out by the national and state A.
F. OF L. and previously referred to in
The Argus. Mr.. Henneberg assured
the congress that he was right on the
questions. The resolution, however
made no Endorsement.
A candidate that received unfavor
able attention of the congress was Sec
rotary of State James A Rose, who
is up for reelection on the republican
ticket. 1t was represented that Mr..
Rose had sighted a committee of the
State Federation of Labor last year
that called upon him to urge the award
ing of the state contracts only to en-
ployers of union labor and opposing the
continual awarding and favoring of a
nOn-uniOn concern. Members of local I'M
ions affiliated with the congress were
urged to use their influence to defeat
Mr. Rose.
Mine Strike Discussed.
Among other matters coming before
the meeting of the congress were the
causes that led to the mine strike at
Sherrard. which were explained by rep
Tesentatives of the union at that place.
1t was stated that a meeting was TO
have been held in this city yesterday
between officers of the company and
the union but that it had been post
poned on account of the Springfield
meeting dealing with the issue with
the hosting engineers.
1t was represented that the Tri-City
Regalia company had failed to recog-
nize the union scale, members of the
union employed by the concern pre-
senting the matter. and a committee
was appointed to investigate and use
their efforts 10 settle the differences to
the advantage of the employees.
NIr. Cooke ON the Bill.
In relation of Mr.. Henneberg's allie
cations. Representative Cooke was
seen this morning. Mr.. Cooke express
ed great surprise at the course of Mr.
Henneberg in the matter. Il feel quite
certain said he, that the Labor CON
gress would not have adopted the
resolution had it understood the situa-
ton perfectly, at least from my stand
point. Mr.. Henneberg wrote me a let
ter containing a list of questions as TO
my position on a certain bill. which he
said was enclosed. The bill, however.
possibly through an oversight on Mr..
Henneberg's part was not enclosed,
and l thereupon promptly wrote Mr.
Henneberg advising him of the omis-
sion. and requesting him to forward a
copy oil the bill, that l might make
intelligent answer to his interrogation
les. Still l failed to receive the bill.
Last Saturday night in Rock Island
Mr.. Henneberg met me and insisted
that l should answer the questions re
gardless of the bill to which he had
referred. and the contents of which !
was not familiar with. The basis of
his argument was that l should ans>a
the questions without seeing the bin
because the other candidates had done
so. | told him that what the other
candidates had done was none OF nv
affair. that to attempt to give an opln
ion about something that | knew moth
ing about was as far as l was concern
cd a farce, and that | could not do il
under the circumstances. I would be
moro than pleased to express myself
on any measure of interest to labor but
that it was due me to enable me to
present my views Understandings aad
intelligently. | have always been the
friend of labor, and propose to give
particular attention to any bill or meas
uTe that will advance the cause, and
| stand so committed. But TO give
specific replies to questions on a sub
ject, with the subject missing is some
thing that | am not capable of do,
ing"