Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-09-23
NEWS OF THE LABOR WORLD.
Items of Interest Gathered from Many
Sources.

Items of Interest Gathered from many
Sources.
The high dues system has become
permanent and the organization has
been successful.
The Chicago Federation Of Labor
decided to call off it's proposed con-
vention at Victor, Colo.
Under the caption Organization Is
Progress" the Boot and Shoe Work
ers' Union Journal says:
Just 635 credentials have already
been received for the Journeymen
BARRIERS convention, which will be
held at Louisville, KY, beginning Oc-
tober 4.
Twelve men visited the home OF
G. N. Hooten of Anaconda, Colo, and
deported him over the hills toward
Canon City. He is charged with com
plicity in the Victor rioting of June g..
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers is agitating the abolition OF or
a change in the present system OF
mail cranes. A number of engineers
have been struck and killed recently
by the device.
Word comes from England that Pc
ter Curran, the well known English
labor leader, who represented the
British Trade Union Congress in the
A. Il. of L., as fraternal delegate,
some years ago, will be present at
the international peace conference
which will convene in Boston in Oc-
tober.
When the high tues' system was
adopted the officers realized that the
membership might attempt to force
the old plan of paying ten cents
week. and they had clause inserted
in the constitution that reads: 1T
shall forever be unconstitutional to
seek to reduce the amount OF dues as
provided in this section"
international President Larger OF
the United Garment Workers, in his
recommendations to the annual con-
yention of that union at Buffalo, de,
clared for big defense fund. One
proposition is to increase the per cap
tia tax to Is cents, with special as
easements until the reserve fund is
built up to. say, 100000.
William J. Merrick, Beverly man,
was reelected international president
of the United Association of Plumb
ers. Gas and Steam Filters and Help
ers at their recent convention. The
reelection was by reclamation. John
R. Alpine of Boston Gas Filters. Fix
ture Filters, and Hangers union was
elected sixth vice president.
Judge Adams of Chicago has declar'
ed that the CLOSED" shop is illegal
and criminal; but, as the monthly re-
view of the National Civic Federation
nuts it, the judges declaration was
not a decision, but dictum, and the
consensus of opinion of able mem
bers of the bar is that it stands the
test neither of law nor of logic.
The Boot and Shoe Workers Inter
national union was formed in 1883
out of number, of local unions
mostly confined to the New England
states. For years it made little prog
ress, and in 1895 an amalgamation
was brought about between it and the
Lasters' Protective union, which was
formed at Lynn, Mass, in 1879.
The labor movement must be kept
pure or it will prove curse instead
of a blessing to the workers. If a
limb of the human body becomes dis
eased it must either be cured or am.
putated. If labor union falls under
the influence of bad men it must be
liberated or it will to some extent
cause great damage to the whole
movement.
International Association of Machin.
lists and the International Association
of Allied Metal Trades Machinists
have amalgamated. The amalgama'
ton will become effective Oct. 81. The
new organization will be known as
the National Association of Machin'
lists, and it will have membership OF
100 900, making it the second largest
! body of union men of single craft in
| the United States.
The membership Of the combined
organizations at the time of the ANAL
gamation was about 10000, but in the
next few years it dropped, until. in
1899, there were fewer than 5000
members in the international organi
cation. At the convention held that
year the officers practically forced the
high dues system on the membership
and since that time the rise has been
rapid. At the present time the mem
bership is over 10000.
Doubtless there has been at least
some exaggeration in all this talk
about a great exodus of Mexican