The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-10-26

a day, and work Al hours q week.
On July rs, 1906, Boston Newsboys'
union passed a motion to establish q
newsboys' scholarship at Harvard; the
union proposed to raise IS, 900 for the
purpose, and 500 was appropriated
by the organization to start the fund.
The newspaper publishers, the bust
ness men, the labor unions and the
general public Immediately took to
the project, and in d few weeks half
the amount necessary for the scholar.
ship was subscribed.
The Carpenters annual convention
approved a suggestion made by Sec
rotary Duffy in his annual report that
the brotherhood purchase a house In
indianapolis, where the headquarters
are at present located. Two propo-
sitions were offered by Secretary
Duffy, one to build a ten-story build
ing at an expense Of $140, 900, and
the other for an expenditure of $40,.
600 for the purchase of a building in
the heart of Indianapolis and the re-
uoueilu5 VI the same. Inc ldlteF
I proposition was adopted.
The United Brotherhood of Carpen.
tiers and Joiners, in annual session at
Niagara Falls, adopted a resolution
which calls for legislation against Jap.
anese immigration. A California del
egate introduced the resolution, and,
speaking upon the subject, he said that
Japanese coolies were most undesir-
able as residents of this country. He
also asserted that the Japs in Cal.
ifornia were driving out both the
whites and the Chinese. National
President Huber was instructed to
take the matter up to the proper off,
cials at Washington.
By the amendment to the labor law
regulating the employment of childreu,
enacted by the last legislature and
taking effect October /, no person I'm.
der 16 may be employed in any fac.
tory in New York state before 6 a. m.
or after II p. M. In New York city
the employment of children under 16
4 olICl q ". III. III Ill =
camille establishment, business office,
telegraph office, restaurant, hotel or
apartment house, or in the distribu-
ton of merchandise or messages. No
child under 16 and no woman may
work in any mine or quarry.
The Order of Railway T~elegraphers
has just closed an agreement with the
Long Island Railway company, by
which the operators in the employ of
the company secure a substantial ad-
vance in wages. The increase will
amount to about $4,000 per year in
the aggregate. The ~telegrapehrs' gen.
eral committee has been in commune
cation with the officials of the COM
pany since the first of last July. Sew.
eral conferences have been held, ne.
gotiations finally resulting as stated.
The new scale Of wages goes in force
from the LIST of September.
The petition of the trainmen of the
California Northwestern railroad for
an increase of salary has been grant.
ed. The increase went into effect on
Oct. l, and will result in giving each
of the trainmen an increase of about
20 per cent. Under the new schedule
the men will receive what is known
as the standard wage of %railroaders,
the same as is paid on the Southern
Pacific, and it amounts to a substan.
sum to each man. President
Arthur w. Foster, of the California
Northwestern, and his associates are
held IN the highest esteem by their
men, and no strike or labor troubles
ever occur on this road.
According to many labor leaders
and economists, workers to-day are
better paid by from 10 to 40 per cent.
and In some cases almost as high as
70 per cent, than two decades ago.
Their hours are shorter, and 1t is as
serted they are better fed, better
clothed, and better housed; that their
children are better educated; that
their environments is happier, and
that they have more leisure to enjoy
the benefits Of all the refining in.
.fluences of life.
The department of justice has taken
to enforce the eight-hour
law, and instructions have been sent
to special agents of the department
in various parts Of the country to in.
vestigate as to whether there have
been any violations of that law on the
part Of contractors engaged in public
works. As complaints have been made
Of such violations by the contractors
employed in the improvement of the
Ohio river, special instructions have
been sent to the special agents in
section to make a thorough inves.
and any evidence collected
will be placed In the hands of the
United States attorneys for prosecu.
ton, II in their judgment the facts
warrant 1t.
The employees of White G Co.'S col
iery at Vaudeville, Pa, on strike for
an increase Of wages, have been or
Tered back by the officers of the
United Mine Workers.
At the International Steam En-.
union convention, which has
Iust ended, New York made an appli-
,ation for a charter for a distinctive
y German union, but the convention
ieclined the application by an 9
vhelming vote. This action was taken
ecause Of a desire on the part Of the
delegates not to allow nationality dis.
motions to gain a foothold within
he ranks Of the organization.
The supreme court Of Saxony has
that the boycotts and strikes