Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-12-23
NEWS OF THE LABOR WORLD.
Items of Interest Gathered from Many
Sources.

Items of Interest Gathered from Many
Sources.
The members of the police force OF
Allesund. Norway, asked the town
board for an increase of salary and on
being refused they struck.
The defeat of the initiative and ref
erendum amendments in Missouri at
the recent election caused universal
regret in organized labor circles.
1t should be the aim of every union
member as we'll as every sympathizer
with our great cause to be helpful in
every way to extend the beneficent in
fluence of the labor press.-By Samuel
Gompers.
An organization to be known as the
National child labor committee was
recently formed in New York. The
names of several prominent persons
appear in the list of those who are in
terested in the new organization.
President Theodore Shaffer Of the
Amalgamated Association II Iron,
Steel and Tin Workers said he will not
be a candidate for reelection. He de-
clared, however, he is not being driven
out. President Shaffer is an aspirant
for the position of commissioner of
labor.
ment that Gov. Peabody was to with
draw from the contest for governor
of the Western Federation of Miners
has called off the strikes in Telluride
and Ophir. In all likelihood the same
action will be taken in every mining
camp in the state.
The fact cannot be overlooked that
there is a movement in progress tend
ing to strengthen the fraternal rela-
lions of workmen all over the world, a
general onward and upward move
ment of unionists being clearly exhib-
tied everywhere.-By Hans Fehlinger,
Organizer for Australia.
Pittsburg gets the convention of the
American Federation of Labor for
1905. Invitations were extended by
st. Louis and a few minor cities, but
the activity of the union leaders at
Pittsburg won. And at that eastern
industrial center the trades unions
command great attention and 1t is ex-
pected that the convention air will
TEEN with interest.
After six months trial of the open
shop" policy advocated by the Chi
cago Employers association, the Cole
Davis Shoe company has withdrawn
from the Boot and Shoe Manufacture
ers' association and signed closed
shop agreement with the Boot and
Shoe Workers union. Edward M.
Cole. president of the company, said
that he had taken the step for bust
ness reasons, because he had found
out that it paid to have the union
stamp.
The union miners in the employ of
the various commercial coal opera
tors in Birmingham, Ala, have receiv-
ed an advance of five cents a ton for
mining coal and a corresponding adj
vance in the price of day labor This
means that the cost of mining coal
has increased nearly nine cents. The
increase was based on the fact that
iron is selling at more than $1,000 a
ton. All coal mining contracts in this
district are on a sliding scale, based
on the price of iron.
The National founders association
has adopted policy for dealing with
organized labor which may bring on
trouble. 1t declares for the removal
of all unionist restrictions on individu-
al output. The associations conven-
ton at Cincinnati, however, also
adopted resolution announcing con-
tinued belief in the principle of arbi
tration and disapproval of strikes or
lockouts, and instructed its officers
and administrative council to favor
arbitration with employees, either sing
ly or collectively.
The twenty-fourth annual convention
of the American Federation of Labor
was one of the longest and most
strenuous in the history of the organi-
cation. 1t began it's deliberations on
the morning of Nov. Ia and did not
end until Nov 26. The convention
will go on record as having passed
upon some of the most important
questions that it has ever been its
duty to discuss. If assistance to the
strikers Of Fall River, Mass, will go
down in the history Of unionists as
one of the many humane acts for
which the national body is respon-
sible.
With the opening of the plate mill
the Illinois Steel company announced
an equalization of the wages of EN-.
ployes. w. s. Shields, superintend-
emit OF the plant at South Chicago,
posted notices which mean complete
raadjrstment Of tho wages paid the
900 men ri the plate mill. According
to the outline of the equalization plan