Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-17

uVA, IN lnoiaup0liS, and again ADJOURNED
March 8 The miners then voted to accept
the proposition OF the operators, and the
sub-scale committee met at Indianapolis
March u and signed the joint agreement
for the ensuing two years.
This convention resulted in a reduction OF
b.bo per cent in the scale. after the matter
had been voted upon by the members Of the
United Mine Workers Of America In the BIZ
luminous fields and the scale as then adopt
ed for two years. or until March 81, 1905.
was as follows: Illinois, bituminous, mine
run, Dahv1lle as a basic point, 50 cents per
ten: Indiana. bituminous. lump coal, 80
cents per ton; Indiana, bituminous. mine
run. 90 cents per ton: Indiana, block, %
cents per ton; Pennsylvania and Ohio. lump.
30 cents per ton.
At the present Indianapolis convention the
miners are expected to demand restora-
ton OF the wages paid previous to the re-
duction of SO per cent which they accepted
two years ago.
President Gompers of the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor will be in Indianapolis
to address the convention and also to assist
In adjusting the jurisdfctional dispute be-
January 25. He has been invited to come
about the end Of the month and address
the Union. Label League. Third Vice Presi-
dent James O'Connell is expected about
the same time.
Members OF the Cigarmakers' Interna-
tional Union are making a strenuous fight
before" Congress against the passage of
reduction of the tariff on cigars manufac-
tured in the Philippine Islands to Is per
cent of the rate stipulated in the Dingley
law, and also provides for free trade With
the Philippines by July /, 1909.
Letters are now being sent by cigar
makers to the congressman from their dis
tricts. urging them to vote against the
bill. According TO a circular issued by
President G. w. Perkins, the annual pro-
duction of cigars in the Philippines amounts
to see, 100000, and the wages paid in Ma
Mia vary from % to 81 cents day. OF
the seventy-ninc cigar factories in Manila
employ Chinese coolie labor, and, with the
exception of two, the other factories are
owned by Europeans. The circular states
that the chief promoter Of tile pending
known as the tobacco trust" which con.
templates the location of factories in the
Islands If the bill is passed
and writer's to erect a monument to the
memory of John Swinton. The suggestion
is made by J. w. Sullivan, editor of the
Weekly Bulletin of the Clothing Trades, to
itors in the country contribute 81 each to
the fund. Frank Kennedy of Omaha, bet
ter known as Sadie Mcclure editor of
the Western Laborer, indorses the idea in
a letter with his contribution, and says
John Swinton's Paper was the first labor
paper he ever read.
A unique labor organization which is des-
timed to play an important part in the Pan
anna canal construction is the International
Brotherhood of Steam Shovel and Dredge
Men, which recently held Its annual con-
vention in Chicago. Luke Grant says: 1T
has ever been the claim of men prominent
in the ranks of the organized workers that
the labor movement was an opportunist
meeting problems as they arose,
with no hard and fast lines that can be
issue, SO much heard Of, may mean the life
of one organization, while it may have no
effect whatever on another.
1.-The International Brotherhood of Steam
Shovel and Dredge Men offers striking
Illustration of how a labor union adapts
itself to the conditions under which it's
members work. On account Of the nature
of their employment the steam shovel engi-
neers are usually compelled to work in
isolated portions of the country. There
may be an engineer, craneman and a
fireman composing the crew on a steam
shovel, and there may be other men Of
the same craft within hundred miles.
practically all the work of the organiza-
ton is conducted on the referendum system
by mail, the officers being elected in that
manner. The recently elected officers are
as follows: President, Charles Rees, Chi
cago; vice presidents, Charles E. Newell,
Buffalo; Robert Farrell, Philadelphia; T. D.
Murphy. New York; William Raines, Am
Ontario; secretary treasurer, 7.
J. I,t Dolan jr Chicago directors william
Boston; T. J. McGovern, Hihbing. MINI;
L. K. Scudder, Crane, Mo-; Michael Nc
Ginnis, Lockport, Ill.
Pressure is being brought to bear on
Congress by the rural free delivery car
riers Of the country, 1T is said, for an in
crease in their salaries. If they receive
the increase asked for it will entail an
additional expenditure of from $4,000, 900 to
IS 100000 year. AT present something like
$50, 100000 is spent for this service.
Through the efforts of Mr. Samuel Com
pers. president of the American Federation
of Labor, and under the auspices of the
Actors National Protective Union, a union
of grand opera chorus singers, including
both men and women, has been formed in
New York.
The Brotherhood Of Railway Trainmen,
which organization has its national head
quarters in the American Trust building,
Cleveland, Ohio. will probably build home
similar TO the one owned by the Interna-
tional Typographical Union at Colorado
Springs, Col The business organizations of
the latter city recently held a meeting and
decided to make offer to the trainmen
of u tract of land and such other induce
ments as will practically insure the loca-
ton of the institution in that city. 1t Is
said, on the other hand, that the brother
hood has set aside S75. 900 as fund to start
the enterprise. In this connection it may
be of interest to know that the B. OF
H. T. has been IN existence twenty-three
years; that 1t has 72S local unions, with
5000 members, $1,56O0O0 in its treasury,
pays out $4,000 every thirty days in
claims has over $S7,000,0 600 insurance in
force (and no graft Scandals and has paid
out $11 ST., 036 in benefits. That's what one
union can do. And there are others.
The bookbinders and rulers, having OBJ
tanned the sanction of their international
officers, it IS said, are In correspondence
with local unions throughout the country
and the movement In that branch of the
trade for eight hours will be general in a
Few months, according to local officers.
It is said the project Of erecting a labor
temple in Washington, which has appar-
emily been asleep for several months, will
be taken up again before the winter closes
by the Central Labor Union, and its FEAST
bilty given due consideration. It has been
learned that plans are on foot for a new
labor temple and workingmen's club build
ing in Minneapolis. MINI.
The United Mine Workers now stand
100000 ahead of any labor body in the
country in point Of membership, and the
organization Is the largest in the world
The next body in order Of membership in
this country is the United brotherhood
of Carpenters and Joiners.
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