Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-12-30


pany against the United Mine Work
ers of America, John Mitchell and
eleven other officers of the organlza'
ton for S491 200 damages alleged to
have been sustained by the company
during the strike of coal miners. This
|. suit does not take the place of the
suit for $4,000 filed about year
ago and still pending.
The seamen's convention, in session
at San Francisco, adopted resolutions
asking Congress for the passage OF a
law .abolishing the punishment by I'M
prisonment of seamen for desertlon
in foreign ports; urging upon Con-
gress the passage of the bill to amend
the laws relative to seamen, to pre-
vent the undermining Of American
vessels, and to encourage the training
of boys in the merchant marine.
The plan of the Illinois Steel COM
pany of South Chicago TO equalize
wages is now in effect. affecting all
the employees of the plate mill. A large
reduction has been made in the wages
of the mill aristocrats, such as rollers.
Those workmen who formerly receiv'
ed So, So and So day before the shut
down. are now getting only So, 81 and
So and there is much dissatisfaction
among them. This feeling is balanced
by the rejoicing among the poorly paid
laborers and mechanics. who went tC
work at $lS5, 50 and $2.l5 rates in
stead of $1.40, $3.50 and SLIGO.
The Amalgamated association has
received word from Benwood, w. Va,
that the Wheeling Iron and Steel
Company had been compelled to shut
down for lack of skilled men to man
the furnaces. 4 similar condition is
reported from cher sections There
are not enough skilled men Offering
themselves to fill places and men are
securing Higher wages than the scale
calls for This is due to the great
reduction in the working force made
last spring and the closing down OF
many mills and furnaces. The men
do not care to return to work for the
same wages and it is said that a
general duN dlltt W III ( " bC iiuhN
to secure enough men to fill positions.
Members of the International Typo
graphical Union are very much pleas
ed at the action taken by the Ameri'
can Federation of Labor on the sub
ject of the eight-hour day for printers.
Typographical union has set January,
| 1906. as the time for the inauguration
of the eighthour work day in all es'
adjustments under the jurisdiction
of the organization. At the convention
of the American Federation of Labor
in San Francisco, the demand of the
printers was Endorsed and a motion
was carried pledging the federation to
render financial support by the levy
of an assessment upon its two mil
lion members should the printers need
the help. -"
3 The Bartenders union of Texas has
| begun a movement to purify and ele-
vate the, saloon. Organizer Hustled,
who has been studying conditions in
Texas for.the past month, has reached
| the conclusion that the low dives and
| the "jeints" are not only menace
| to society, but bring odium and dis
| grace upon all who are engaged in the
saloon business. Therefore the Bar
tenders union, as an organization,
will give aid and support to bill that
will suppress all these tough places
and rid the saloon of gambling dens,
winerooms, ETC. According to Mr.. Hus-
ted, bill embodying these and other
reforms is now being prepared and
will be introduced in ahe next legisla-
ture.
The National Association of Heat,
Frost, General Insulators and AS
bestos Workers of America, organized
recently under charter of the Inter-
national Building Trades Council held
a ratification convention at Pittsburg,
adopted a constitution, made officers
permanent for term and filled existing
vacancies, besides selecting time and
place for next convention. Following
are the permanent officers: Presi-
dent, C. G. Rice, Pittsburg; first
vice president, p. C.. Trigge, Cleve
land; second vice president, John
Grob, Chicago; third vice presi'
dent, L. E. Fassett, Buffalo; fourth
vice president, Charles Uhr, Boston;
fifth vice president, A. c. Newman,
Washington, d. s.. secretary, j. G.
lesson, st. Louis. The next conven-
ton will be held in Boston, Aug. Z,
1905.
An interesting point in the question
of industrialism as against trade
autonomy may be seen in the recent
affiliation of the United Order of Box
Makers and Sawyers of America with
the American Labor union. The latter
organization stands for industrialism
first. last and all the time, according
to the leaders, and the unions which
compose it are supposed to be founded
on industrial lines. The interesting
point is that for years the United
Order of Boxmakers kept applying to
the American Federation of Labor for
a charter and was denied one on the
ground that the Amalgamated Wood
workers International union had jur-
;cd;otinn over all wood hOy makers In