Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-08-12

lllHudHldu anu L OllSu Wy tuC oCNSioi
speakers Resolutions were passed
requesting President Roosevelt to in
terfere in the Colorado miners strike.
The Pennsylvania railroad has un.
der consideration a plan by which
thousands of its employees may become
proprietors of small farms. The
scheme contemplates the parceling out
of desirable land belonging to the rail-
road company along the various lines
of tracks and permitting the free use
of the land. In France, where $4,000
railroad employees have such farms,
the plan has worked successfully.
Four thousand New York union car
penters who have been locked out by
the Building Trades Employers asso-
citation have decided to remain idle
indefinitely, pending hard and fast
Interpretation of the general arbitra-
ton agreement under which they re-
Gently labored, with especial reference
to that part binding the employers to
use only union men. The lockout was
precipitated by the alleged employ
ment OF nonunion men by one con-
tractor. One union agitator declares
that the struggle will completely check
building operations unless the con-
tractors come to terms.
Owing to lack of demand all coal
mines in the Eighth Ohio district.
largely owned by Cleveland operators,
have been put upon half time. The
district covers the southeastern por-
ton of the state and is the most pro-
ductive of the Ohio fields. Eight
thousand men are affected by the cur
tailment of operations. The action OF
the operators is the result of an al.
most unprecedented stagnation in the
business. Shutdowns are not con.
fined to this district alone. but are ex-
tending to other districts of the state
The closing of many factories Is the
cause said to be responsible for this
condition.
Comparing the production of CT
CARS for eleven months ended May 81.
1904, with the corresponding period
of 1903, it appears that we have
reached high water mark curing the
last cycle of business revival" says
the Cigarmakers' Journal "All indi-
cations point to fair trade during
the summer and fall. The production
was as follows For eleven months
ended May 81, 1908, taxes were paid
for 6,1S1,S 62,O70 For eleven months
ended May 81, 1904, taxes were paid
for 6,115, 495,340, showing decrease
of 66,366,73 cigars. At the same ra-
ito the fiscal year will show a de-
crease of over 70,000,000 cigars in
comparison with the former year."
According to statements made by
labor leaders the American Fedora
ton of Labor is behind the strike OF
the bricklayers at the arsenal, at
Washington, and Is determined to
make test case on the issue OF
nonunion men being employed by the
government. Work on the war COL
lege buildings, for which the govern
ment appropriated 100000, is tied up
on account of the strike. For the
first time in it's history the union has
decided to come out flat-footed on the
point that wherever the government
employs a nonunion workman the
men holding union badges will throw
down their tools at once. At the
War department it was said that the
government would not recede from
the position it has taken.
Sympathetic strikes should never
be sanctioned or countenanced by this
organization" said President d. j..
Keefe of the International longshore-
men, marine and transport workers
association, in his address to the 18th
annual convention at Milwaukee last
week. where the case is worthy we
may give moral support, but our honor
and integrity as an organization Is
bound up in our contracts and agree
ments and our very manhood is at
stake. To violate these agreements
and contracts by sympathetic strike
would be suicide and dishonor. Pub
lie sentiment says that arbitration is
the most equitable medium for the So
luton of differences between indus
trial forces 1t is common and dan
gerous error of portion of the pub
lie and some of our members to be-
lieve that we must have law to gov
ern all our relations with our fellow
men"
The biennial convention Of the in
ternational piano and organ workers
union is over. Many important
changes in the financial system and
arrangements of the union were made
to improve and protect the manifold
benefits it pays its members, sick,
strike. out-of-work, "victimization'
and death benefits being included in
it's system. The convention refused
to change its laws so as to admit
, women members for less fees than
men. The convention adopted the
suggestion that the international es
tablish factory, and ordered the
question submitted to a referendum
| vote of the entire membership fol-
final decision. 1t was decided to as
sess every member Is cents yeal
for the special purpose of advertising
and advancing the unions label
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