Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-06
stocks. treasurer: Louis Mercksl. George
Holman and Fred Haneld trustees

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Stocks treasurer: Louis Mercksl. George
Hohman and Fred Hanold trustees.
The first annual ball OF the Registered
Drug Clerks Association will be held at
Masonic Temple next Tuesday evening. In
Vltat1ons have been sent out and an elabo-
rate program has been prepared.
Local Union, No. 2e2. of Retail Clerks.
mas elected onicers for the ensuing SIX
months as follows: President, ]. Jacoby;
nrst vice president, G. Lake, financial Sec
rotary. George A. McCathran: recording
seoretary' Harry Sanger; treasurer. E. A.
Bachrach; guide. H. Sondheimer; guard,
George w. Trail; business agent, Charles
A. Pau.
Local Union. No. 9, Of the International
Union of Bridge and Structural Iron Work
ers, has elected the following officers: pres
loent. THOMAS e. Graves; vice president,
w. X. Sullivan; recording secretary. r. NJ
Blggs; sergeant-at-arms, H. Wells; guide,
Charles Lampkins; trustees, George c.
Scott. j. c. Reid and W. w. Acton.
The convention of the United Mine Work
ers OF America, which meets In Indianap-
Oils January Is. this year, carries with 1t
more significance than any convention
within the last five years. not excepting
even the assembly that was followed by the
deciaration of the great anthracite strike
II the reports that are circulated at the
headquarters Of the miners organization
In Indianapolis are to be believed the con-
vention. and especially the joint conference
between operators and miners that will
follow its adjournment, will witness an
important struggle. Upon the deliberations
OF the joint conference depends the wage
scale for the year 1904. 1t Is now asserted
that the miners will carry to this joint con-
ference demand for 10 per cent increase,
together with demand for several import
ant concessions that VIII have a far-reach-
hnH Inv INN ffa1
At the same time. 1t is reasonably certain
that the operators will carry to the joint
conference a demand for 20 per cent re-
duct1on In the wage scale now prevailing.
According to information received in this
city. the American Federation of Labor has
been made defendant in legal proceedings
instituted in Cincinnati, Ohio. Represent
atives of the Brewery Engineers and Fire
mems Local Union, No. 223, Of Indianap-
oils. Ind, asked for temporary restrain
ing order to prevent the federation from
compelling the Indiana state organization
to become a part of the Brotherhood of
Engineers, which order was granted.
The cigarmakers' unions have resolved to
fine members who leave their board bills
unpaid. When a union cigarmaker goes
for work to a new town his union sends
him to boarding house. If he does not
pay up and complaint Is made to the union
the latter assumes the responsibility, pays
the bills and charges 1t up to the defendant.
Now he will be fined also.
President Samuel Gompers of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, in the current is
sue of the official organ Of the federation.
gives brief review Of the past year, from
a labor view point. In part, he says:
''The year just drawn to close has been
potential in the uplifting work for the peo
pie, great enterprises energetically under
taken and carried on In the field of labor.
large gathering of the workers within the
beneficent fold of unionfsm, and marvel
Gus marshaling of the forces of the grand
army OF labor in the best federation ever
formed and successfully and honorably con-
Quoted by the workers.
Let the past work of organizing. uniting
and decorating the wage-earners Of our
country, and the achievements in the in
terests Of all our people, be but the incen-
tive to still greater efforts in the same lines
of duty and we shall be decades nearer the
high hopes and noble aspirations of the
labor movement of our time
Let unity and federation be our watch
words; they are our defenders and pro-
tectors: they embody the means to the es-
Establishment Of right and Justice among
men, and will secure our disenthrallment
from every wrong too long borne. With
these inspiring thoughts in our minds and
high hopes in our hearts we can all join
in joyous acclaim for a happy and pros
porous New Year in 1904, and many, many
more Of Them
Mr. Gompers also discusses the tendency
OI the employers 10 cut wages ana points
out the folly of such move In part, he
says:
1--WE have insisted that the policy of cut
ting wages, and thereby curtailing the con-
Stunning power of the masses pursued by
employers during former periods of indus
trial depression. was not only unwise and
uneconomic, but simply accumulated the
situation and made bad condition worse.
Because Of this position we have come in
for severe criticism by the capitalist press,
which. of course, simply views the matter
specifically and self1shly and would have
the folly repeated. They urge that the law
of supply and demand must find it's full,
free and untrammeled operation, and argue
that when times are good wages rise: and
when times become bad wages must fall;
that employers must govern themselves ac-
cOrding to the market price of the products
and when that market falls wages must be
cut y
"of course If we lived in an era of entire
individual initiative and workmen owned
the tools with which they labored. each one
could determine for himself the selling price
of his own labor az well as the finished
product. but in our time when labor is
subdivided and specialized and simple parts
Of work are performed with great machines,
and by the aggregation of great number
duct is turned out. the Individual work
man, as such. has no voice In determining
either. the wages he shall receive or a
voice influence in the cost price of the
collective effort to protect their interests
and individuality which they have lost
by the development Of industry.
I'VE have advised and shall continue to
advise our fellow workmen to resist reduce
lions In wages by every lawful means with
in their power. for as we have said before
1t is better to resist and lose than not to
resist at ALL
Let workmen complacently accept re-
auctions In their wages and 1t will be an
invitation to repeat the reduction at will |
intensifying the depression and provoking
an Industrial crisis: forcing down the work |
ers in the economic and social scale and
bringing on fearful poverty, misery and de- |
graduation. Resistance On the part of labor |
to reduction Of wages will check this to
great degree and at least demonstrate to |
the ignorant and short-sighted employers
that such a course Is exceedingly expensive |
to them and will prevent its repetition
The current issue Of the American Fed
erationist reports that of the 1.619 organi-
cations with an aggregate membership Of
66922 which made returns during the
month of November AZ per cent are idle |
In the preceding month 1872 unions with
a total membership of 114359 reported IL
capf upouoplovod nurlnr Nayovctar