Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1905-03-17

1
the recent convention appointed a
committee to make recommendation
for uniform laws and regulations for
miners.
| United metal workers union recent.
| ly decided to submit to referendum
the question Of joining the American
Labor Union and withdrawing from
the A. F. Of l.. The proposition has
| been received with unexpected results
in many quarters. for the Cincinnati
local and others did not vote on the
matter, but Immediately withdrew
from the international and joined the
other A. F. of l.. bodies.
Replying to accusations of strike
violence. Editor Sexton of the United
Mine Workers Union Journal. after
calling attention to table of deaths
of 9O4 miners during the past two
years because of the notorious, flag
rant and wilful violation OF the law"
by the coal mine owners, says, to pre-
vent strike violence there should be
"a cold, calm, merciless enforcement
of the law-impartial law-wherein
the millionaire and the mendicant
will meet swift and certain punish
ment for their infractions."
Organized labor of Porto Rico, I'M
like that ION the mainland" as one
of the delegates from that island
phrases it, believes in electing It's
members to, the legislature for the
purpose of securing the enactment Of
labor laws. The 100 or more local
unions of Porto Rico, with the assist
ance of the central labor bodies in all
have elected six members of labor
Porto Rico.
The quarterly bulletin of the depart
ment of labor in the state of New
York, just issued, shows that the de-
crease in union membership from
April / to Oct. l was less than 1 per
cent The metal trades fell off about
10 per cent, but the loss was nearly
counterbalanced by the increase in
transportation trades. The union men,
bership in the various cities is given
in the bulletin as follows: At the end
OF September the bureau of labor sta
tistics had 2,505 labor unions on its
records, decrease of fifty-one since
March 81. The aggregate membership
of all unions was 391, 6S1, a decline of
S,051, or per cent, since March. New
York city was credited with 672 or
CARNATIONS and 255,062 members;
Buffalo, 1873 unions and 1885 men,
bers; Rochester, SO unions and 1925
members, loss of S.3 per cent; AL
bany, so unions and 1894 members, a
loss of per cent; Syracuse, 70 unions
and 1876 members, loss OF "a per
cent; Schenectady, 60 unions and 6,302
members; Troy, 55 unions and $3.50
members, loss of 90 per cent.
A good example of the stay at home
union man who takes no interest in
the affairs of his organization is seen
in the effort to unite the three national
organizations of carpenters in Great
Britain. The plan has been agitated
for years, and some time ago 1t was
submitted to referendum vote of the
members of each association. Voting |
papers were mailed to all members
with request that they record their |
vote and return the papers to their re-
spective branch secretaries. The men, |
bership of the three associations is as
follows. Amalgamated Society of Car
penters, 63,170 in the British isles;
Associated Carpenters and Joiners,
1924; General Union of Carpenters,
6,231. The trades union act under
which all are registered requires that
two-thirds of the members must vote
in the affirmative before an amalga-
nation can be brought about. The
society voted 24990 for
the proposition and LAB against,
&c. 37 not taking enough interest in
the matter to vote at all. The asso-
ciated society voted 4,9SS for and
| ,401 against, and the general union
voted 2,290 for and 1885 against.
Thus, while an overwhelming majority
showed they were in favor of amalga-
nation, the plan falls through because
If the stay at home man who doesn't
care Still we hear a great deal about
he intelligence of the rank and file.
The United Brotherhood of Carpen.
crs and Joiners is conducting fresh
agitation for higher dues. In the Of
icial journal there is an article point.
ng out the impossibility of the or
,anization continuing to pay benefits
N the present per capita tax OF
wenty cents a month. The national
organization pays death benefits OF
200 in case of the death of mem.
YER, and in case of the wife Of mem.
'er he is entitled to $50. 1t is point.
ID out in this article that it requires
ighty-three years and four months
or a member to pay into the ma.
ional treasury sufficient per capita tax
o pay the benefits on case of his
cath, and it would require an addi-
ional twenty-one years for the men,
er to pay into the treasury sum
quivalent to that which he would
eceive on the death of his wife. In
edition to the death benefits paid
ut of the fund there are sums paid
ut in disability insurance. Under
nese conditions the only relief is
blamed through members falling in