The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-12-15
THINGS ARE HUMM|NG
WITH SPOKANE UNIONS
School Teachers of Pacific Coast
City May Form Strong
Trade Union.
Call Is Issued For Convention of
Washington State Fedora
tion of Labor.

Spokane, Wa6h., Dec. 13-CharleS
D. Raymer, candidate for member
ship on the Spokane board of edu-
cation, expresses himself in favor
of teachers forming a union affilia-
ted with other labor unions of the
city. He said in this connection:
II am of the opinion that more of
actual practice in the public schools
would be of benefit to those insti-
tutions. I look upon the kinder
garten and manual training depart
ments as invaluable toward the
training of the young mind for it's
encounter with the practicable bat
ties Of life.> l have not thorough
ly investigated the fraternities in
the schools of Spokane but will say
from what l know of such organ
lieve they are good thing for pub
lie school children. l stand for
the highest possible wages that can
consistently be paid to every work
er, especially the teacher, who has
much to do with forming the char
acter of the child Immediately un-
der his or her control"
State Federation of Labor.
Call for the state federation of
labor Of Washington to meet at
Bellingham Jan. 2, will be issued
in few days. In years when the
state legislature meets it Is custo-
mary for the federation to meet
about week or 10 days prior to
the date set for the first session of
the state legislature, which will con-
vene Jan. 10, next year. Matters
pertaining to prODesed legislation
will be the chief thing to come be-
fore the convention.
Women Clerks Organizing.
After the first of the year the
women clerks in Spokane will be
invited to join the clerks union and
an active canvass will be made to
take every woman into membership.
ployed by the stores and a number
of these will be released after the
holiday rush it was deemed mad
visable to secure the membership
of the women at this time It is
stated that many of them have, how
ever, expressed a willingness to
join the union. John E. Lincoln,
secretary of the union, has resigned
and will go east. His successor has
not yet been named.-- ..----..,. %. ..
Cement Workers F1ghting,5 !:
A movement to force the recog-
milton of the cement workers union
by the structural building trades al
lance in Spokane, has been set on
foot, and it is believed that before
the close of the year the cement
workers will be a part Of the build
ing trades body.
1t is reported that the question
of the recognition of the cement
workers here has been taken up by
the question with the American
Federation Of Labor.
Union Labor Party.
The formation of a union la\or
party by the various organizations
in Spokane is being discussed and
it Is likely a ticket will be named
for the municipal election next
spring. A number of unions have
already taken up the matter and the
sentiment appears to be in favor of
securing a labor candidate to make
the fight on that issue and have
the solid labor vote behind him.
Telephone Company Scrap.
Spokane union men say that the
Home Telephone company will not
be allowed to make peace with the
labor organizations until it agrees
to live up to the contract which
former President Sumner is said to
have signed with the unions. 1t is
also declared that reports that a
settlement had been reached in Ia
coma and Portland are untrue, and
that until the company is placed
upon the fair list here no settle
ment will be reached elsewhere.
With Dolan's Organization.
Local unions of the International
Brotherhood Of Steam Shovel and
Dredge Men have been established
In Spokane and Vancouver, and
headquarters in Spokane, Seattle and
Portland, by S. J. Dolan, secretary
and treasurer of the order, who has
gone to Portland, CAL, to organize
a local branch. J. l.. Humphrey,
who is in charge Of the work of get.
ting members for this district, has
just returned from a 15-days' trip
over railroad and construction work,
and says that two-thirds of the men
he met are now members and that
by Jan. ], 1907, the average will
reach nine-tenths.
For Progressive Legislation.
Among the many measures to be
proposed during the coming session
of the Washington legislature the
following will be conspicuous:
Primary election law Congress
sional apportionment Liberal an
preparation for the Alaska-Yukon
exposition. Depository laws that
will enable state, county and NUM-
cipal funds to earn interest on dailv
cash balances. Regulation of state
banks through an examiner. Go
operation with the national govern
ment for geodetic and geologic sur
veys. Revision of the state fund
system so that all taxes, fees. fines
and licenses can be applied through
the general fund. Application OF
the gross earnings tax principle. on
that capitalized earnings tax, to all
corporations enjoying state privil-
eyes; to lessen the burden of direct
40 or "a