The Forrest City times., 1906-10-12


 s4f6. Wages in cotton factories i'll 1880 were II cents day; in 1873, $40
 Because the officers of the Republic iron and steel mills at East Chicago objected to the presence of union
 agents, the engineers went on strike
 and tied up the entire plant. The mill
 has been run on the epcn-shop basis,
 and 1t was feared that the strike
 would spread to other steel in. lJstries.
 Unless the Grain Exporters associa- ton increases the wages of members
 of the Grain Handlers union from 8
 cents to 10 cents an hour the Port land (Ore) water front will be in. volyed in strike affecting between
 1000 and l 200 men. The employers say that fl the grain handlers walk out men will be imported from Puget sound to take their places.
 From the headquarters of the American Federation of Labor. a re- | port is made as to the state of em- ployment during the last month. The report states that of the 699 unions making returns for that month. with
 an aggregate membership of G3,500, there was II per cent without em-
 1loyment In the preceding month @37 unions with membership Of S5, goo, reported Is per cent. unem- Dloyed
 It is reported that the bricklayers'
 unions of New York city are about to
 establish permanent headquarters for
 a general secretary and treasurer. 1 They also propose to create a board which shall examine into the qualifi- cations of all applicants for member ship of the unions. It is said that this l procedure has become necessary, as l the city is overrun with incompetent l brieklayers, who. as stated by a secre-
 tary of one of the unions. were for
 mefly peanut vendors. car conductors. bootblacks and laborers."
 We, the committee of the Switch. mems Union of North America, repre- sentins the switchmen employed on
 your system, respectfully submit the 1 following for your consideration, and demand that We be given d hearing on
 or before F o'clock noon. October 25, 1 1906: Article 1. Eight hours to con- 1 stitute a days work at the following rates of pay: Foremen, 42 cents an l hour; helpers, 3S cents an hour. Over lime to be paid for at the above rates. strict seniority to prevail, the switch
 men longest in service shall have pref. l crence of positions. The scale pro. l posed represents an increase in pay of about 20 per cent, with a shorten. ing of time from 12, fl and 16 hours a day to universal eight hour day" Impetus has been given to the la.
 bor movement in politics by President
 Roosevelt's order directing the rigid enforcement of the eight hour law " declared Samuel Gompers, president of lhe American Federation of labor. Tt
 certainly will encourage labor to pur-
 sue its work of organization in the
 campaign, which has been mapped out
 the hope that a larger degree of justice may be attained" IL is under
 stood the order is meant particularly to meet conditions in the interior de. pattment. which has charge of reelam. ation work in the arid land regions of the west, where it was charged the
 tight hour law was not observed
 Buildings erected under the treasury department are also public works where the eight hour law must be ep. forced
 Information has been received that Conductor E. P. Curtis. of the NJ. K
 T. at Smithyille, Tex, will be ap- pointed grand senior conductor of the Order Of Railway Conductors of the United States to succeed A. P. Clark who vacates that office to take a posi- ton on the interstate commerce com. mission, to which he was recently an. pointed by President Roosevelt. Mir. Curtis is one of the best known rail. road men in the southwest, and was formerly chairman of the o. k. c grievance committee on the M.. K. & T. railroad.
 The right of labor unions and thetr sympathizers to call on their friends to withhold patronage from nonunion tradesman has been declared legal bv Justice Stafford in the district su. preme court of Washington, D. c. In making this decision Justice Stafford dismissed the temporary iniunetion against the bakery and confectionery workers international union, which had been obtained by baker who al. legged that he was being harassed bv means Of a systematic boycott. and that many of his customers had been asked to trade elsewhere. The prin. ciple at stake, the justice suggested was the right of individual liberty.
 The last annual convention of tho Pottery Workers association placed ban on the practice Of holding regioe for the purpose of raising money.
 At the recent meeting of American labor commissioners. statistieians etc. at Boston. the adoption of tho Dominion fair wage schedule was high. " praised and many decided to advise it's adoption.