Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-26
IN LABOR CIRCLES
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The part organized labor is playing in the
national game Of politics has come into
general public notice by the recent action
Of many bodies of workingmen in different
parts Of the country In openly boosting"
certain candidates for Office and opposing
others. Recently certain members of the
Central Labor Union of the District of Co.
lumbia went on the warpath,'' as one of
the members expressed 1t, against local
labor organ, the Union Herald, for having
espoused Nthe cause of President Roose-
welt. This support was given because. as
that paper stated. the Presidents record as
a member of the New York legislature, as
governor of the empire state and as Pres
ident of the United States, evidenced his
friendship for the workingman and his
cause.
In the meantime the Washington Labor
Lyceum and Bureau of Informatioin, COM
posed Of members of the central body, 1t is
said, sent out campaign literature opposing
the reelection of certain members of Con-
gress. who voted against labor measures,
and urging the reelection of others because
Of their friendship for organized working
men.
Then. again, it is stated by the Trades
unlon:st, the official organ of the Central
body, that Columbia Lodge, No. ia. of
ed artisans, at it's regular meeting last
Monday night gave a just recognition to the
men, who by their zeal and energy be-
friended the employees in the navy yard. 1t
took the form of an Endorsement, in their
efforts to again represent their constitu-
ents in Congress. The following received an
Endorsement forwarded to them by Secre-
tary O'Brien: Senator Burrows of Michi-
gan; Representatives Van DuZer of Nevada:
Livernash and Wynn of California; Hughes
and Benny Of New Jersey; Roberts Of
Massachusetts,; Hearst of New York; Day.
ton Of West Virginia, and Mudd, Wachter
and Pearre of Maryland''
The candidacy of John Pierce who is
running for Congress on the democratic
ticket in the south-side district of Pitts
burg, Pa, is being actively and openly
supported, it is said, by the Amalgamated
Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Work.
ers and other labor bodies.
Organized labor of Indiana seems to be
thoroughly aroused, it is stated, over the
tactlcS displayed at mass meetings of the
opponents of Senator Beveridge. In the
current issue of the official organ of the
Indiana State Federation of Labor atten-
ton is directed to these "unwarranted
attacks, and the organ in a leading edi-
torial says:
IF ever the democratic party had IL
cense to profess friendship for the cause
of the working class; if, indeed the party
mas In the past been rated as the party of
the people the party of Jefferson, the
reflex of Lincoln, the champion of liberty
with the slogan of justice as it's trumpet,
such claims are no longer to be enter
tanned. Every right that the democratic
party has hitherto enjoyed as a party of
liberal principles has been forfeited in
lieu of the patent it has always obtained
for doing the right thing at the wrong
time
AT a recent session of the Ohio Valley
Trades and Labor Assembly w. F. WEIGH,
the democratic nominee for Congress in
TN Ohio district was Endorsed by that
stated fnr
his campaign fund.
From other parts of the country come
reports of the active participation of or
ganiZed labor in the campaign in behalf
of candidates Of the republican, demo-
cratic, socialist and other parties. In
California a labor paper of influence, it
is claimed, has come out squarely for the
election of President Roosevelt because,
as the editor states, he is 1.-The logical
candidate of labor"
and Steel Workers of the ninth district of
the United States and the Tri-City Trades
Council of Granite City, Bel1eville. and
East st. Louis, numbering forty-two
trades unions recently Endorsed the can
didacy of William S. Waudby of Roches-
ter for United States commissioner of Ia
Dor, to succeed Carroll D. Wright Mr.
Waudby is at present engaged in an in
Vestgation of the strikes and lockouts
that have occurred in Buffalo and vi
cinity for the last four years, being one
of the special agents of the Department
of Labor and Commerce. Mr. Waudbv is
known as organized labor's candidate for
this commissionership, it is stated hay-
ing the solid backing of the organiza-
tons OF the country. He also has the I'M
qualified support of Senators Plat and
Depew of New York. as well as that of
Senators PenroSe and Knox of Pennsyl-
vania. He is printer and has for nearly
twenty years been a special agent.
The arbitration board of the executive
council of the Hold Carriers and Building
Laborers Union of Chicago has succeeded
IN reducing the hours of labor from ten
TO eight day since it's formation and in
securing an increase in wages from 81 90
Tor ten hours to $2.70 for eight hours
The increase affected a thousand hod
carriers and building laborers
The next convention of the BrickIayers
and Stone Masons' International Union
Will meet in San Francisco January 8,
1905.
The Journeymen Tailors' Union of
America will hold convention in Bloom
lngton, Ill, the first Monday in February.
1905.
Application for membership in the
Journeymen BARRIERS International Union
by women BARRIERS was denied at the re-
cent convention of that body at Louis
vile, KY.
The Printing Pressmen's Union will
probably locate the proposed interna-
tlonal office and headquarters in Boston.
Mass. '
Efforts are being made to induce the
NATIONAL Shorthand Reporters Associa-
tion to atfiliate with organized labor.
An effort is being made in this city to
form national association of rural mail
carriers along lines similar to those of labor
unions. This step was deemed advisable, 1t
Is sald by certain of the leading rural car
rlerS at their recent convention when 1T
was decided to petition Congress for an in
crease of salary. They will ask that their
yearly salary be increased from $40 to
Ss1o, the latter amount being that of the
salary OF letter carriers in small cities 1t
Is said the rural carriers have been re-
quested to affiliate with the National Asso-
citation of Letter Carriers, but many of
them deem it best to have an organization
OF their own, with officers in Washington to
represent them before Congress and the
government departments.
Referring to the announcement that it has
been decided that the printers eight-hour
day will go into effect January 1, 1906, the
International Bookbinder official organ of
the Brotherhood of Bookbinders, says:
Our local unions should also make prepa-
ration to demand the shorter day on or be-
fore the date set by the printers. We do
not want to see bookbinders working nine
hours in any shop where the printers are
working eight and care should he ia ken in