Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-18
Three OF LABOR
BODIES MAY MERGE
Consolidation Discussed by Tri.
City Labor Con.
gress.
TO EMPLOY BUSINESS AGENT
To Revive Feature That Was Success.
full in Former Years
Here.

At the regular meeting of the Tri-
City Labor congress last evening at
the Industrial Home building. steps
were taken with view TO work among
the local unions. and those of Sherrard
Coal Valley. and other near by towns
and who shall also assist in the organi-
cation of new unions
The proposition will. according to
the constitution of the congress. have
To be referred TO referendum vote
of the various unions affiliating. and il
Will be some time before there is Il
decision The appointment of bust
ness agent was the principal topic of
the meeting last evening. Ii was point
ed out by the various members who
favor the action that a business agent
can greatly aid the congress by
strengthening the individual unions.
The Office will require a man of
special qualifications. in order to be
successful and in order to attract
man of ability a good salary is TO be
offered for the position This will
mean an increase in the per capita
tax of the unions which compose the
labor congress, but il is argued that
the increase will not be such as can
not be easily met by the unions.
Only Means of BracIng Body.
AT present the rate per capita is
? cents. The only arguments which
were made last evening in opposition
to the measure were from the finan-
cial viewpoint, some of the delegates
Calming that the present condition
of the congress does not warrant any
additional burdens. The men who are
pushing the matter are enthusiastic
and regard this as the only solution
TO the problem which has been con-
fronting them as to a means of
strengthening the congress. which has
been in many ways weakened of late.
The question of utilization of the
trades council. an entirely Independent
organization from the labor congress.
was presented by Mr. Carlson. of the
council. The council is ready to affil-
tate with the congress. on condition
that the Davenport Trades and Labor
assembly be disorganiZed. and the
unions of Davenport now affiliated with
that organization become affiliated with
the labor congress. The matter was
thoroughly discussed. and committee
appointed to investigate and report the
attitude of the Davenport organization
To- this proposition. With the trades
council and the unions of the Dav-
export assembly. the congress. it is
argued. will be in position to success
fully bring about any desired action in
this vicinity and labor troubles could
be much better handled from the con-
sress as a center than with the three
separate bodies working independent
ly.
One Instead Of Three Lists.
The unfair list. is another argument
in favor of the utilization of the three
bodies. as with the present arrange
ment each body has its own list of I'M
fair corporations and business houses.
and those who are on one list may not
be placed on the unfair list of the
other.
The attention of the unions was
called TO the fallacies i'm the adver-
tisements now being circulated claim
ing to provide Utopian conditions for
laboring men in California. II was
claimed that the corporations that are
behind these offers of work in Califor-
mia are aiming al the destruction of
| organized labor. and that the laboring
man who goes from other communities
is certain to be dissatisfied with the
conditions in California.