The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-11-17
Governor johnson Is Given Great
Ovation as He Meters the Hall
President Gompers Pays Him
Glowing Tribute Meetings are
Enthusiastic.

i
Session. His Political Course
Will Be Warmly Supported by
the Convention.
that his advance along Industrial lines
has been beset with difficulties and
opposition where there should have
been cooperation.
Growth Of Unions.
Charters have been issued within
the year to international, state,
SO city central, 167 local trade and
81 federal labor unions, a total Of
317. There are now affiliated with
the A. F. Of l.. 119 international, 36
state, 538 central labor, and 759 local
trade and federal unions.
Ideals of unionism, Mr.. Gompers
says, are not perfect, and all growth
is made by adapting the principles,
not always clearly defined, to the
wOrkmen as they are, not ais they
should be. The work is one Of
patience, education, and fraternal as
sociation. Emphasis is laid on the
city central bodies, of whatever name,
as efficient courts in which local
disturbances may be neutralized, and
for their help in furthering the gen.
eral interests of labor.
Mr.: Gompers comments with salts
faction on the growth of unionism In
Canada and of the feeling Of fraternity
existing between the laboring men
of that land and this. Organizations
among the working people of Porto
IN
conditions there are more satisfactory
than heretofore.
Eight-Hour Contest.
The etght7hour contest of the Inter-
national Typographical union has
been on the whole successful. OF the
200-odd unions involved In the
eight-hour controversy, about one
hundred have been successful Thir-
ty-nine thousand printers are now
working under the eight-hour rule,
and 5000 are still on strike. Mr..
Gompers can see no reason why the
universal working day should not be
eight hours, and argues that a day of
tnat length has proved to be better
for the material, moral and intellectu-
al advancement of all concerned.
Labor Is more generally employed
now than year ago. For 1906 the
percentage Of the unemployed was
about 3, while for this year it will
prob be 2.75. The mo wage reduc-
ton" policy is considered wise and
humane, although there is at present
no indication of a general decline in
wages.
Congressional legislation will be
undertaken in the form of a perfected
eight-hour labor bill, anti-injunction
measures, Chinese exclusion, convict
labor and employment on the Panama
canal.
Ship Subsidy.
The protest against the ship SUBJ
sidy bill Is reported, with stress an
the contention of the federation that
the bill contained provisions which
practically made conscription of
seamen condition precedent to their
employment on privately owned ves-
sells.
Touching. on the defeat of an i'm
migration sbiH in the national house
of representatives., the report arraigns
the course taken by Speaker Cannon.
The passage of the denatured alcohol
law is noted with satisfaction. Regret
is expressed that little or no progress
has been made toward the passage
of the bill limiting railroad mems
hours Of labor, and the federation is
urged to renewed efforts for the
measure.
The report counsels conference
Of railroad organizations heads over
the Erdman arbitration act which
prohibits discrimination by railroads
against members of labor organiz-
at1ons because of such membership.
The conference is deemed necessary
because court has declared this
provision of the act null and void.
The employers limited liability law
is hailed as basis for future action
extending its provisions to all per-
sons employed in interstate com.
merce.
The federation is urged to renew
It's efforts to secure the passage of
a resolution in congress directing the
department of commerce and Tabor
to Investigate the Industrial. social,
moral, educational and physical con-
ditions of women and child workers
in the United States.
Hearst in Congress.
Reference is made to Congressman
w. r. Hearst's failure to secure the
passage of bill limiting the number
of barges towed out to sea or off a
coast by a single vessel.
The San Francisco disaster is re-
ferred to with partial report on the
relief measures taken by the feder-
alton for trades unionists in San
Francisco. Workmen are advised not
to go to Frisco in hope of finding
employment.
Continued efforts to relieve human
ity from the scourge of tuberculosis
are recommended. Further move
ments are urged to secure the use
of schoolrooms as meeting places for
labor unions.
Arrest Of Miners.
The arrest and imprisonment of
Meyer, Haywood and Pettibone, of the
Western Federation of Miners, charg-
ed with completely in the murder OF
former Governor Steunenberg OF
nh1 t@~ ~S~