The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-26

After a week Of almost continuous
sessions, the Commercial Telegraphers'
Union of America elected it's officers
and adjourned at o'clock Sunday.
morning. at Federation halls. The last
hours of the convention were devoted
simply to the election of the officers,
Tor the presentation, and adoption, sec
ton by section, of the new constitu-
ton had exhausted the delegates.
The new President won out handily
over Daniel q. Russell, Of New York.
Russell had been; the leading candidate
at the opening of the convention, but
it is said that his display of feeling to-
wards the retiring president, Will G.
Long, OF Dallas, at one of the sessions
of the convention resulted in his defeat.
Only personal friends voted for Rus
sell when the test came, and Small, of
Seattle had nearly all the votes of the
convention.
Small Is Surprised
Small was not a candidate and the
result came as a surprise to him. He
has been prominent in the order since
its organization, and is credited with
being the father of proposition which
resulted two years ago in giving the
Associated Press operators two weeks
vacation each year with pay, and also
having the company provide typewrit-
ing machines for it's men, whereas for
merly the telegraph operators had been
required to furnish their own machines.
He is also the author of the plan to
form a working agreement with the
International Typographical union,
which the press operators expect to be
of benefit to them, The new head Of
the commercial telegraphers-is press
operator employed on the Seattle Times.
His new office will require all his time
I and he will resign at once.
Wesley Russell, who was reelected
secretary by acclamation,, is
Western man, but has been located at
New York since the. headquarters of
the union have benin that city. There
was comparatively little contest over
the Offices, a caugus, held outside the
convention hall being responsible for
the putting through of a slate without
substantial opposition.
Perha pS the most important action of
the convention was the adoption Of the
amendments to the constitution by
which the grand lodge of officers and
the executive board are to be in the
future elected by referendum vote, and
the provision for biennial sessions. 1t
is estimated that this plan will result
in a saving of $4,000 annually to the
order.
The amendment regulating the call
ing of strikes is also of deep interest to
members. Formerly, a strike could
only be called upon affirmative referen-
dunn vote of all the locals, of the eXecu-
tive board, and finally by consent of the
president Of the American Federation
of Labor. In future strike may be
called on an affirmative vote of the
local involved and of the. executive
board and officers of the international
union. rs'' rs
Eastern Men Tricked
The change. of the headquarters of
the order from New York to Chicago
was accomplished after a hard fight.
1t is said that not only were the East
ern men outJoted, but that they were
outgeneraled by their Western breth
rem. The provision designating Chi
cago as permanent headquarters was
attached to the article in the cOnstitu-
ton including the title, and as amended
was carried. Six of the nine New York
delegates voted for the amendment, and
later one of these men moved that per-
manent headquarters be established at
New York. He and his fellows eX-
pressed surprise that the designation
mad already been made IN FAVOR or
Chicago. The change is justified by the
Western men responsible for it by the
statement that not only is Chicago
more centrally situated geographically,
but that it is the largest wire" center
in the world, and therefore employs
more men at commercial work than any
other point on the continent.
Resolutions were adopted by the con-
vention, just before it's adjournment,
M J1ly 70 n
Mayor Smith, and the local unions OF
the commercial telegraphers for cour-
tesies extended during the convention.
The next convention will be held the
first Monday il MAY, 1906, at Cincin-
natl.