Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-20

\
ns one man protest from more than 3.000,-
eco organized workmen has been made to
the members OF Congress.
But the battle has not yet been won
Powerful interests have been at work and
/ will continue their efforts to secure the re-
/ peal or modification of the exclusion act
II Is not question of American labor with
these interests. 1t Is known to them that
the indiscriminate admission Of the pig
1 tailed celestials to these shores would
cheaper American labor. IL not drive Il
| from the market. and therefore another
- PROBABLY the milk in the coceanut. 1t is
not SO much fear of boycott of Amerf-
can goods by the Chinese It Is a desire
70 secure cheaper labor. 1t is reasonable to
suppose that with the stakes so high Ies-
perate chances win be taken by the manu-
| facturing interests to win the game.
r. , LINEN amor must not sleep on its arms
pc Ielt unturned to counteract this infiu-
ence. organized effort must be made to
Ieacn the lawmakers with the laborerss side
II IS question of the rights Of American
IaDor on the one hand and the greed of the
manufacturers on the other which will
The deadly wood alcohol which has sent
/ 50 many hobo white liners" on their long
h ~, voyage. has been placed under the ban
| Dy the convention of the painters decora-
tors and paper hangers. resolution was
passed by the convention calling upon the
| 1ourneymen to discontinue its use, owing
| TO the POISONOUS qualities of the wood Al
coho. The resolution was introduced by
j. w. Cotton of Lynn Mass who recited
the cases Of two members of the painters
stroyed by the fumes arising from the moi
sonous fluid. An effort will be made by
the brotherhood to have remedial Ieeisla-
ton passed at this session of Congress. A
Dill will be presented by Representative
Roberts of Massachusetts, looking to the
adjustment of the high tax on grain aleo-
hoi Grain alcohol is without danger to
! the person using it. J.. c. -Bahlhorn was
!, reelected president and J. c. Skemp. sec-
retary-treasurer. President Bahlhorn was
| opposed by T. F. O'Leary of Brockton
Mass; E F: Holton of Scranton. Pa, and
James P. Archibald of New York city.
President Bahlhorn won out by a narrow
margin. George L. Hedrick of Albany, N.
| r, was elected first vice president; Chas
dent; Henry Rover. st. Louis, third vice
| president. All these officers were incum-
bents of the positions to which they were
elected Elias Briedenbach of Dayton, o.,
| was elected fourth vice president Secre-
| tary-Treasurer Skemp's report showed the
| organization in splendid shape and told of
the remarkable progress made during the
past four years, when the last convention
was held. During the four. years. a grand
total of s643.7T2O6 was received from all
| sources and the total of expenditures was
November l. 1905. s95 5s0.T0 From a total
| membership of 1900 four years ago the or
>ganization today numbers 6O0O0 Since
the Detroit convention. four years ago. the
wages have increased on an average of 40
cents day. with a reduction In the hours
of labor averaging forty-five minutes day
The average wages paid in 1905. according
TO the 6s9 locals reporting. is 81 u per day:
against s2.33 in 1902. c. A Linxwiler,
business agent of the local painters union,
was elected sixth vice president. The con-
yention went on record as unanimously in
dorsing the eight-hour movement of the
international Typographical Union A COM
mittee from the local printers organiza-
ton. Henry P. Hanson and H. s. Fried
lander. addressed the convention on this
question, and at the conclusion of their
remarks, by arising vote, the convention
1ndorsed the typos. Delegates were APP
pointed to the Structural Building Trades
of Labor The FORMER win be held next
year at ST. Louis and the latter next
November in Minneapofis
Every indicaff0n points to the United
Mine Workers of America presenting a
wage scale to the joint conference with
| the hard and soft coal operators in In
dlanapolis in January which will be ono
of the strongest and best supported from
the miners point of view of any ever pre-
sented. ..------s-zs-----e.-@--
With the anthracite miners, $4,000 strong,
| holding their district convention IN Sha-
mokin and practically going on record as
standing out fer~tfie cofnpfete-and official
recognition of the union, an eight-hour day
and an advance IN wages from 10 to ~
| per cent, and the bituminous workers pre-
pairing to hold thef uisfffcf c6hventfOns and
| make strong demand for about II per
cent of an Increase. There Is good pros
| poets of the union getting the greater por-
] ton of its demandS---~-.--sss--.s
In the first place. the coal trade has
| picked up wonderfully during the last SIX
months, until the demand is now for more
| coal and with prices making periodical adj
| vances. The output from the bituminous
| sections has never been greater and still
/ ask or n ha
| thracite region the greatest tonnage OF
| hard coal ever taken out Of the earth IN
the same time has been mined. The de
| mand Is very brisk for this fuel and the
prices are steadily going up.
These make for more prosperous condi-
| tions, which will have their effect upon the
operators when they receive the miners
| demands.
| In the second place, the United Mine
| Workers were never so well organized as
at present: and this will make for sat
| isfactory settlement to even a greater ex-
| tent than the prosperous conditions
Especially is the added strength of the
| union, since the last agreement OF two
! years ago. shown in the wonderful increase
| in membership of the union in the hard
! coal fields.
when Mr.. Mitchell went into these fields
there were but 24eeo members OF the union
in that section. Today there are over 3d.
| Geo who have paid their per capita tax ana
are in good standing.
In the soft coal fields, and especially In
1 western fSnnSylVdIlid. Sic1t 'AAsS
been made in the union membership. Corps
of organizers have been working day and
night holding meetings and circulating ut
erature until many thousands OF non-mem-
hers were enrolled in the organizatl ton.
Today the miners union stands perhaps
| at the head of all other organizations in
| the point of membership. 1t has consider
ably over 400, 900 members
The organization received dues last month
from over coo, and during the last Two
years has been augmenting It's treasury
Until it can face a long battle with the
| assurance of every man securing ms pehe-
+ fits.
The miners national convention will meet
in indianapolis January 16 shorty before
This the Pittsburg district Will hold its con.
yention. It is now assured that the local
men will ask about II per cent advance.
| TIE other districts in the soft coal states
are expected to do likewise.
Ranorts of the trades unions affiliated with
the American Federation Of Labor SHOW es,., an
tfe mast wear of over $1.5000o0. as follows:
Death benefits, sTs7 ~ a 2s sick bsn Ioaa
$50 aT4.I3: travelling, S62 $50 II; unemployed
COX n5o 70. fool Insurance, 81, 1901.