Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-12-02
NEWS OF THE LABOR WORLD.
Items of Interest Gathered from Many
Sources.

Sources.
Workers in sugar plantations In
southern California will shortly be
organized.
Journeymen Tailors' International
Union will hold convention in
Bloomington, H., during the month
of January.
The third annual convention of the
International Hold Carriers and Build
ing Laborers' Union of America will
meet in Minneapolis, beginning Jan. J.,
1905.
Over fifty of the siXty-five national
and international unions connected
with the American Federation have
as their chief officials American-born
men.
The International Brotherhood of
Book Binders will hereafter publish
an official organ direct, and the Of
fee of publication may be in Chi
cago.
An appeal has been made to the
striking mill girls of Fall River, Mass,
by the Woman's trade Union league of
Boston to enter household work in
that city.
The labor unions of Los Angeles,
CAL, have purchased several building
lots in the heart of that city, and are
about to begin the erection of $780,
900 labor temple.
The Cigarmakers' union was the
first labor organization to advocate an
eight hour day. This union succeeded
in establishing it on May l, 1886, and
it has been in force constantly ever
since.
Labor unions are slowly making
their way into Mexico. The larger
railroad brotherhoods have lodges in
that country, and the machinists and
others are now following in their
wake.
The Order of Railway Conductors
each year sets aside day that is OBJ
served as memorial day, on which its
dead members are remembered. The
graves of such are visited, flowers
placed upon them and addresses are
delivered.
There is movement on foot to
have the cigar-makers, garment work
ers, hatters, shirt waist and laundry
workers and boot and shoe workers
join hands and each subscribe an
equal amount and keep several label
agitators on the road, visiting trade
unions and other organizations advo-
eating these labels.
d. F. Kennedy, general organizer of
the American Federation of Labor for
the State of Indiana, discussing the
labor situation the other day, said the
trade unionists of the Hoosier State
were enjoying peace and harmony.
The fact that crops this year were
plentiful was cited as an indication
that employment would be good in
the coming winter.
The labor secretaries at Fall River,
Mass. acting under the instructions
of the Textile council issued signed
appeal to the cotton mill strikers bear
ing OF the proposed attempt of the
manufacturers to reopen the mills.
The appeal advises the operatives to
remain away from the mills and show
by their conduct that they are deter
mined not to return to work until an
honorable settlement is effected.
Hannah Monroe, president OF the |
Washwomen's union of Richmond, Va,
has issued an address to her sisters |
the South. She urges washwomen to
organize against their 'oppressors,"
the heather Chinee." She says the
male Cinnamon, instead of doing
mems work." are driving the honest
and poorly paid colored women from
their natural calling of laundry work.
Hannah Monroe, it is said, was born a
slave. She threatens to become the
Carrie Nation of the washwomen's
movement and begin series of raids
against the offending Cinnamon.
A well-known writer on trade union
subjects has been doing some figuring
which he used in the following man.
ner: A conservative estimate of the
number of organized wage-earners
and the amount they earn-and of
necessity spend-shows in truly
startling manner the tremendous pow
er they could WELD If their wages
were always spent after they had CIV
en- due thought to their best inter-
ests. Taking the 2,250,000 members
of trade unions, and basing their
wages at $3.50 per day for 300 days
in the year, we find that this gives
them a purchasing strength of $1,012,-
100000 per year. This sum-so great
that it is difficult and well-nigh i'm
possible to appreciate it's influence-if
used to pay rent for homes built by
union labor and in purchasing the ne
cessities of life, that were manufac-
tured or procured by organized work
men, would soon work revolution in
every industry in the land.
Formal notice that the charter of
he Chicago Federation of Labor had
been revoked and that the organiza-
Ion was expelled from the American
Federation of Labor was given to Sec
'etary E. N. Nockels by telegraph, To
comply with the instructions of the
ut |