Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-04-01

paying the ground rent OF SzO,VOu. lhe
federation can buy the building at any
time within five years for $4,000.
President Samuel Gompers Of the
American Federation of Labor, who
has been in Porto Rico for the past
month on an organizing tour. writes
from there that he is meeting with
good success. He hopes to soon have
the rival labor bodies in Porto Rico
amalgamated into one under the juris-
diction of the American Federation of
Labor. The two organizations are
known as the Federation Regional
and the Federation Libre.
Ernest H. Crosby tells of facory
he inspected in America, where the
manufacture of cheap socks was car
ried on. The manager showed him
400 machines that did the entire work
of making a sock without the aid OF
human hand. The machines ran twen-
ty-four hours day, and only fifty
boys are needed for all shifts. Five
thousand dozen Of socks are made
daily. Under the old method this
work would have required $4,000 men.
Several prominent labor leaders Of
Washington, d. c., have made ar
rangements for the organization Of
bank in that city. A correspondent
writes that sufficient money has been
subscribed to start the bank, which
will be centrally located on Seventh
street, near G street northwest, and
trades unionists who may become de-
positors will enjoy the privilege Of
using checks bearing the union label
and being waited on at the bank by
members of organized labor.
To form a union of the church and
the Chicago Federation of Labor is
the mission which brings Rev. Chas.
Stelzle here as the representative Of
the board of home missions Of the
Presbyterian church In the United
States. Rev. Mr.. Stelzle, who carries
a union card as former member OF
the machinists'. craft, hopes to bring
about fraternal feeling between the
Ministers Association and the FEEDER
alton. He wants to see an exchange
Of fraternal delegates between the
two bodies.
big 6" of New York may be in
quandary if seven pig-tailed compost
tors make application for member
ship. A Chinese newspaper has just
been started in New York city. The
seven Chinese compositors are from
San Francisco. The paper began Mon
day last, and has its Office on Mott
street, the Chinese district. Ameri-
can advertising agents are employed.
The editor is Chinaman, Tong Chew,
who arrived in New York about
month ago from Yokohoma, Japan,
where he was attending college.
Organized labor will watch with
considerable interest the decision Of
the Supreme Court of the United
States, after hearing the appeal of the
fine of $3.50 placed against Edward
Bessette, member Of the Typograph-
ical union, for alleged violation of the
injunction granted the w. B. Conkey
company in 1901, when all the print
ing trades were on strike in the Con-
key plant. 1t is believed that the de-
sion of the highest tribunal in the
land will determine what has been
called government by injunction" in
labor unions and give the powers and
scope within which judges can issue
injunctions.
Showing the condition of employ
ho
January, Secretary Frank Morrison
in the current issue of the American
Federationist reports that Of 1871
unions making report, with an aggre-
gate membership Of 103,455, GA per
cent were without employment. AS
compared with the preceding month
the report shows an increase in the
per cent of unemployed, as 1,437 Or
CARNATIONS, with membership of
1886, reported IL per cent unem-
ployed. During February thirty char
tiers were issued, including an interna-
tional union of paper box makers, ten
central bodies, fourteen local trade
unions and five federal labor unions.
In addition to the general strike Of
the plumbers and gasfitters, which
will take place all over Canada May
/, other labor troubles will be started
by the longshoremen of Montreal, who
in body have left the Central Trades
and Labor Council of Montreal. This
Central Trade and Labor Council, al
though affiliated with the Dominion
council, has had independent control
over affairs in this city. The excuse
given for the detection of the long
shoremen is that the officers Of the
council had used the influence of their
positions in furthering the interests
of certain candidates in the municipal
elections. The longshoremen expect |
to unite with themselves all the I'M
skilled labor in Canada and to form
new Federation of Labor.
Thirty-four cities on this continent,
including Canada, are represented in
the International Brotherhood of Foun-
dry Employes-the unskilled workers
in foundries-which has just been
formed at the Washington convention
of delegates. General Secretary Frank
Morrison addressed the body, welcom-