Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-03-11

| give practical effect to the effort to
abolish a long-standing imposition
| upon seamen.
The executive officers of the West
| ern Federation of Miners have decided
to withdraw all suits now pending
against officers of the Colorado Ma.
| tional Guard in consequence of their
acts in connection with the strikes
and to bring action against Gov. Pea
body alone. In the suit against the
governor it will be alleged that he is
directly responsible for all acts of the
militia and that his course has been
in violation of law.
The fifteenth annual report of the
New York state board of mediation
and arbitration, contains, besides a re-
port on the regular work of the board,
copy Of all the arbitration laws OF
the United States, of each state that
has enacted such laws, and those of
France, Great Britain, Canada, New
Zealand and New South Wales
Twenty-four states of the United
States have passed arbitration laws,
which are reprinted in full
Reports of officers of the Iron Mold
ers' Union of North America for the
past year show an increase in men,
bership for the twelve months of &c.
900 in round numbers. The financial
statement of the benefits paid by the
international union is interesting. 1t
shows: Official expenses, S73,795.71;
strike benefits. $1S4,44S.16; death and
total disability benefits. $48,672.65, or
a grand total of disbursements for the
year Of $3O6,916.52.
The Labor Gazette, published by the
Board of Trade of London, England,
continues to give the gloomy reports
of the condition, ETC., Of the workers
in Great Britain. Still further de-
clines in employment during the
month of December are given in the
January issue. AS compared with the
previous month and the correspond
ing period in the previous year, 6.7 OF
the trade unions making returns were
reported as unemployed.
According to the Coast Seamen's
Journal the year 1908 holds the record
for the largest number of deaths in
any previous year in the history OF
the Lake Seamen's Union. Sixty-two
members of the organization died dur
ing the year and from these causes:
Thirty-six deaths occurred from nat
ural causes, eight met death by fall
ing overheard in port, six persisted at
sea, four from unknown causes. three
from injuries received from falling
into the holds of vessels, two were
crushed to death between the sides
of vessels and docks, two were shot,
and one committed suicide.
Circulars are being sent all local
unions under the International Typo
graphical union by the Denver local,
urging the raising of fund to erect
an addition to the Printers home at
Colorado Springs, In honor OF the late
Congressman Amos j. Cummings. The
circular states that fund OF about
$4,000 is necessary, and that it would
reflect great credit upon our organi-
cation, and would prove to the world
at large that the printers never forget
their friends.
Lithographers of the United States
are threatened with lockout II they
do not consent to reductions in wages
and the open shop. The recently
formed National Lithographers' Asso'
citation has decided to fight the Litho-
graphers' International Union on
those demands. The union controls
practically every concern OF any mag
nitude and is considered one OF the
strongest in the country. The officers
state that the organization Will never
consent to the open shop.
w. H. Perry, the newly elected
president of the United Mine Work
ers of Illinois, is one of the aggressive
men that have made that organiza-
ton great. Since 1900 he has been
subdistrict president. During the
last five years he has served on every
scale committee, both state and ma
tional. Mr.. Perry was born in Bel
HlOnI SOuuIy, Univ, anu 10 Viii ~ NV
years. of age. He is persuasive
talker, good listener, and has the same
ability of making true friends that Is
possessed by National President John
Mitchell.
Threats are being made by the union
carpenters of Buffalo that they will go
on strike May 1 if they do not obtain
a raise of cents an hour before that
time. The contract under which the |
men are working expires on that date.
The impression is that the demands |
of the men will be ignored by the
principal contractors of the city. Most
of the employees consider that the
scale Of, So cents an hour, which the
men are now receiving, is all that is
possible for them to pay. Should trou.
BILE arise this year 1000 carpenters
would be affected, embracing SO per
cent of the carpenters of the city.
The work of Chicago Typographical
Union, No. 16, is to be supplemented
by the formation of woman's auxil-
larry. arrangements for which were
Derfected at the last meeting of the /