The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-11-28


ton building trades has not as yet
taken any definite form or move. The
labor union officials are thoroughly
satisfied that it will not prevail in that
city, no matter how the test is made.
All the building trades unions have
discussed the matter in their meet
ings and central delegate bodies. and
the union program is all arranged in
case the employers attempt the stand.
The Cigarmakers Journal says:
"The membership of the International
union is greater now than it has ever
been before, having reached about AZ
600 regular 30-cent contributing mem
bers. This argues we'll for the future,
and is a sure indication that we are
on a solid foundation and that nothing
can destroy us except our own folly.
No power from without can accom-
piish our defeat or disrupt the Inter-
national union"
Japan has a federation Of labor
with almost 100000 members, accord
ing to Australian labor papers, which
go on to say that this organization
has been struggling for improved con-
ditions for the working class in Japan
and its efforts are being rewarded by
the enactment of a factory law regu-
lating hours of labor. age of workers
etc, and compelling employers to be
/ considerate of the health and safety Of
their employees.
Organizer Emmett Flood of the
American Federation of Labor to the
San Francisco convention will recon-
mend that the convention urge upon
all international trade unions affiliated
to fix the monthly dues at not less
than 81. The present year has brought
forth an increased agitation for higher
dues and the action to be taken on
that question by the general conven-
ton is anxiously awaited ~ unions
all over the United States.
Word has been received from New
York that the United States Steel Cor
| poration would again offer its en-
ployes stock in that corporation, and
this, the third offer. would be made In
December. This proposition. like the
two preceding, is on TIE basis that the
employees must hold the stock Cor five
years. IN the latter part of 1903 the
corporation pledged itself to pay $3.50
for each share of stock sold under the
profit-sharing plan, provided the men
held the stock until 1908.
President Keller of the National As
sociation of Letter Carriers is OPP
posed to frequent conventions Of ma
tional and international labor organi-
cations, owing to their great cost. In
an article on the subject in the cur
rent issue of the Postal Record he
says: This is a commercial age, and
the Americans are a commercial peo-
pie, and sentiment cuts no figure I'M
business. Not until labor learns to
conduct its affairs along the hard,
cold, unsentimental lines of business
can It hope to achieve lasting mate
rial success. Annual conventions. with
the annual play for Office. keep the as
sociation in a continual ferment, en-
danger its usefulness, hamper its Of
fcers and injure it's members"
All Of the propositions voted upon
by the members of the international
Typographical union have carried
with the exception of the one that
provided for an increase in the sal
aries of the international president
and international secretary-treasurer
The referendum vote resulted as fol-
lows: To harmonize the international
constitution and general laws, 1894
for; 4.515 against; to increase the sal
aries of the international president
and secretary-treasurer, s.436 for; 15.-
275 against; to allow unions distant
from headquarters more time to make
reports, 23,257 for; l 1,427 against; to
make more effective the law regard
ing the failure of locals to file reports
and obey laws and legal mandates
22.43S for; 2.156 against; to require
that all appeals shall be in written or
printed form only. 22954 for; 1926
against; to establish the eight-hour
day Jan 1, 1906. and levy an assess
ment for that purpose. 19,4S3 for;
5,S9S against
There have been unions formed in
many lines of work, says Mr.. Hawkes.,
which are entirely unadapted to the
trade unions form of organization, and
some unions formed in localities and
of materials which make their contin-
ued existence depend upon seasons ~
unusual prosperity, and considerable
losses among these may be expected
as abnormal conditions subside; but
there has been no loss in total mem.
bership of trade unions and the larger
locals have increased in membership
while there has been consolidation and
closer federation all along the line
After reviewing the important move
ments of recent years in the direction
Of forming an ideal federation OF
unions, Mr. Hawkes. asks: Are labor
unions to be content with sim.
ply increasing the intelligence of their
members, and creating a demand for
the union label?" Agitation in favor
of the label, he declares, is not an un
mixed good. because it may bring and
has brought into existence a class oi
unions which may be called parasite
cal, inasmuch as they exist only by
the strength of other unions. There
are some trades, he says. which rely
almost solely on the label for the ex