Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-12-09

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worker. He says: Our best citizens
bewail the fact that there is ccrrup-
ton in politics, but they stay at home
on days when there are primary cleo
tions. So with the rank and file of
the unions. They want to see every
they stay at home and take no inter-
est in the meetings. They leave it to
a few men to conduct the business.
Then when some proposition comes up
that they are summoned to vote on,
they turn out and vote it down, not
because they have considered the mat
ter, but because the Clique that runs
the union favors it,"
At Cripple Creek, Colo, Nov. IS, Dis
trict Attorney Trowbridge dismissed
J the cases of forty-three men who had
been charged with completely in the
independence depot explosion and the
Victor riot of June last. Two of
the men had been in Jail five months.
| The others were out on bonds. There
remains similar charges against seven
eSNSh "Si, ihSluuiHS ShdilCo II.
| Meyer, president, and William D. Hay
wood, secretary treasurer of the West
ern Federation of Miners, but it is
doubtful whether these cases will
ever be tried. Since the election
about fifty men who had been deport-
ed have returned to the district and
have not beeen molested.
The reports of the officers of the
American Federation of Labor, in its
twenty-fourth annual convention in
San Francisco, point out more strong
ly than anything else the steady
growth of that body, beginning with
Its initial meeting in Terre Haute,
Ind, in the summer of 1881, and it's
first convention in Pittsburg, Pa, in
November of the same year. The
| men and women in the meeting in
San Francisco represent in round
numbers 100000 wage.earners, and
it is the general belief and aim of the
officers of that body, with the assist
ance of those of it's affiliated unions,
to have 100000 enrolled under the
DlOdu DCllHCl VI Tic american SutI-
alton of Labor when it meets in TWEEN
ty-fifth annual convention and cele-
brates it's silver anniversary next
year.
The American Federation of Labor
convention adopted resolution ask
ing congress to give payment to gov
eminent workmen for all overtime
performed by them in excess of eight
hours day since May 10, 1861. the
matter to be adjudicated by a court
of claims. A movement to make the
union label more effective was ap-
proved, and a universal label was
urged. A proposal to ask the secre-
tary of commerce and labor to ap-
point strike arbitration board was
lost, as were proposals of working
mems banks and for settlement of the
question Of trades autonomy. 1t was
voted to ask congress to prevent en-
listed musicians from competing with
union men.
The Cincinnati Chronicle says:
when the members of trade union
have, by the expenditure of their own
time and means, created certain con-
ditions necessary to their safety and
well-being in a given industry or in
stitution, it is morally their right and
logically their duty to insist that the
non-unionist who seeks to share these
conditions shall first agree to share
the labor and expenditure necessary
to their maintenance; in other words, |
to insist that he shall join the union"
Such is the main contentious of the |
unionist is concerned, and upon this |
principle rests the so.called CLOSED"
shop. For his own sake, as well as
for the benefit of all workingmen, the |
nonunionist is asked to join the union.
If he refused he certainly has no right
to complain when union men decline
to work with him. If he is willing to
accept the benefits which unavoidably
come to him because of unionism
without making some return for them,
that is a matter he must square-if
he can-with his own conscience.
The lumber industry, which was the
foundation for the growth of Clinton,
Iowa, has come to an end and doubt
less not another log will ever be sawed
in what was formerly known as the
old City of Clinton. However, the
Joyce mill, located in what was for
merly the old City of Lyons, will con-
tinue for few more years. At one
time nearly 5000 men were employed
in the saw mills in the city and mil
lions of feet of lumber were cut an
nually. Scarcity of logs compelled the
mills gradually to close down. This is
true of all the cities along the Missis-
sippi river and within five years the
last mill will have ceased operations
and great industry will have passed
into Chicago Record-Herald.
Following are the receipts and ex-
penditures of the American Federation
of Labor from 1881 to 1904:
Year. Receipts. Expenditures.
1891 " ia o. & LAG 90