Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-08-05

aSemenC III the incomes. Inc re-
sources from all sources for
the quarter reached $1,578.7S,
while the total expenses, in
Guiding salaries of officers, were
only $40. The balance on hand June
30, 1904, was $1,13S.7S, which was
divided, placing $5O5.51 in the legisla-
tive fund and $63327 in the fund for
general expenses.
New York is again threatened with
general strike of 1000 teamsters
against the New York Truck Owners
association. An agreement for one
year was entered only recently. 1t
is now charged by the teamsters that
the truck owners are deliberately vio-
lating the agreement and that some
of them wish to provoke general
strike. 1t is declared a general strike
will be ordered against every member
of the Truck Owners association If
any of it's members try to assist truck
owners whose employees are out.
CLOSED shop" contracts between
labor unions and employers were de-
clared unlawful by Judge Ludwig at
Milwaukee. In decision in the Mar
nitz case the court ruled that con-
tract between Marnitz & Co., and
the tailors' union, providing that no
nonunion men should be employed by
the company, was contrary to public
policy and therefore void. The union
had secured an injunction from
court commissioner restraining the
company from breaking the contract,
but the ruling of the court reverses
this writ
Most of the Fall River cotton mills
resumed operations after ten days
shutdown. Many of the manufacture
ers are firing of the curtailment
policy which has been in force nearly
agreement, now being worked out by
many members of the Fall River Man.
ufacturers association, is formally
assented to 1t Is expected the mills
will be more active. The operatives.
of whom there are more than 25,OOO
in the cloth mills, are restless over
the situation, their loss in wages
amounting to reduction of 40 per
cent. The textile unions expect re-
vision in wages of at least 10 per
cent.
A strike of union mine workers en-
ployed in the new mines secured by
Joseph Letter at Ziezler, in the Car
bondale district, is threatened at
once. The crisis was brought about
by a demand from Letter that the
union workmen accept an 1S-cent
reduction from the basic scale OF 40
cents per ton, mine run. 1t is SAID
that NJ Letter has absolutely refused
to arbitrate, and that a stockade has
been built about his mines and forty
Pinkerton detectives have been hired
to guard the mines. Rumors say that
many Of the Southern Illinois coal
operators are preparing to join with
Letter in his stand for a further re-
duction of wages, but this Is not cred
tied by the mine workers officials,
because they have two-year contracts
with the operators controlling those
mines.
The sixth annual convention of the
first district, United Mineworkers OF
America, met in Pittston, Pa, July IL.
Two hundred delegates, representing
$4,000 mineworkers, were in attend
ance. President Nichols read his re-
port for the year. In 1t he recon-
mends that an insurance plan to be
adopted among the members OF the
union. In outlining his plan he rec
ommends that so cents a month be
collected from each man in the dis
trict. The payment of this amount
will entitle each miner or laborer to
$500 if killed or fatally injured in or
about the mines. He also recommends
that an organization committee also
be appointed in each local to keep
up the membership. Secretary-Treas-
urer John Dempsey presented his
yearly report, stating that although
the financial condition of the organ
ization is better than it was year
ago he regretted to report decrease
in the paid-up membership. The dis
trict treasury was in debt June 30.
1908, s11O.51, and at the close OF the
present year, June 30, 1908, after pay
ing expenses, there is left in the
treasury from all sources of collec-
ton $20,049.
Sympathetic strikes should never
be sanctioned or countenanced by
this organization" said President D..
]. Keefe of the international Long
shoremen, Marine and Transport
Workers association in his address
to the thirteenth annual convention.
held at Milwaukee. where the case
is worthy we may give moral support.
but our honor and integrity as an Or
ganization is bound up in our con-
tracts and agreements and our very
manhood is at stake. To violate
these agreements and contracts by
SYMPATHETIC strike would be suicide
and dishonor. Public sentiment says
that arbitration is the most equitable
medium for the solution of differences
between industrial forces. 1t is
common and dangerous error of por-
ton of the public and some OF our