The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-09-29
OF LABOR

cided 10 summon again at Berne for the
month OF September all the states that
were formerly represented at the inter
national labor conference. The subject
will be the formulation OF a common law
forbidding female night labor in all kinds
OF employment.
Organized labor scored its first substan-
tial victory I'm a systematic warfare
against representatives who oppose legis-
lation In it's interest by defeating T..
Spencer Blackburn's effort TO get control
OF the Republican machine in North
Carolina Representative Blackburn
voted against labor measures in the re-
cent session OF congress.
BY order OF the president the provisions
OF the eight-hour law have been extend
ed TO the navy department. The chiefs OF
bureaus. the commandants OF the marine
corps, and the superintendent OF the ma
val academy are directed TO require their
inspectors to report the cases in which
lahorers and mechanics upon any gov
ernment work have been within the last
two years required TO work more than
eight hours day In all specifications
hereafter attention OF the contractors
will be called TO the eight-hour act. and
they will be advised that should they fail
by the officers OF the navy department.
Broom making as an industry TO keep
convicts at Jackson, Mich, prison busy
will have to be abandoned, the supreme
court having handed down decision that
the constitution prohibits It. The deci-
sion was rendered In a case brought by
Martin Manthey, a broom-maker, against
the prison board OF control and the war
den and the Illinois Broom company. a
concern having contract for the services
OF 90 convicts for period OF eight years,
to restrain them from continuing the con-
tract The constitutional provision pro-
hblts any mechanical trade being taught
convicts except 10 manufacture those ar
tlclea which are not supplied to any great
extent by factories Of the state. IL was
contended by the board that as each of
13 convicts make a separate part OF the
broom, the section was not violated. but
the court says 1t applies TO convicts coll
lectively In that regard as well as indi-
vidually.
The New York Bureau OF Labor Stalls
ties records that half the unions in the
state have suffered through immigrant
competition. OF 265 unions, 120, with n
membership OF 34.3N. suffered reduc-
tion OF wages, while 81, with member
ship OF 22,3lS worked fewer days In the
year.
More than s15Oo.OOO was paid in sick
and death benefits last year by unions
affiliated with the American Federation
of Labor.
The trade unIonists OF Montreal, Cam
ada. are preparing to erect the finest
labor temple In North America. II will
cost 100000 II will also be the head
quarters OF the newly organized Labor
party.
The employing Sheet Metal Workers OF
san Francisco have voluntarily increased
the pay OF their employees from s. TO
so a day for eight hours. which took ef-
feet sept g. In consideration OF the in
creased cost OF living In San Francisco
since the recent fire. The increase affects
800 men.
The Trades Union congress. at It's ses-
sion In Liverpool on Sept 7( unanimously
instructed the Labor members OF parlia-
ment to introduce a bill providing for the
national ownership Of all railways canals
and mines In the United Kingdom
The congress also instructed the Labor
members OF parliament 20 insist on trades
union rates OF wages being inserted In
| all government contracts and the estab-
| llshment OF "a national minimum wage 20
protect the working people against the
evil OF sweating
AZ conference on Sept 8 between Of
| ncials OF the Pennsylvania railroad lines
east OF Pittsburg and Erie and delegates
/ representing the telegraph operators. the
/ company granted an advance In wages 20
| affect all telegraphere on the lines men
| TONED, beginning Sept. l. The increase