The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-02-23
SPOKANE CITY LABOR
FOR $500 WAGE SCALE
Organized Labor Of Coast City
Takes up Cudgel for Num-
cipal Ownership.
Central Labor Union Throws Out
Preachers to Please Bartend-
der's Union,

SPOKANE. Wash. Feb. 21.-Or-
ganized labor in Spokane has presented
petition on ordinance to the city
council asking that the wage scale Of
day laborers on nnunisipal work be ad-
vanced so cents day, making 1t SO
for eight hours. Thomas Mahoney,
president Of the Federal Labor union.
who appeared before the councilmen
have received wage advances In the
last few months and that this is justi-
fled by increase In the cost Of living.
There is every reason to believe that
the ordinance will be adopted. The last
increase was made in July, 1906, when
the scale was advanced from 1925 to
$3.50, following an increase from 81
to 1925 a day. The maximum work.
ing day on city work was reduced from
nine to eight hours years ago. The
contractors objected but the city in
sisted upon the agreement and when
the cases were tried in court the
first named paid the scale.
ExpeI Preachers to Please Booze
Clerks.
Spokane Central Labor Union has
barred preachers and ministers of the
gospel from membership, this action
being taken a week after Rev. w. ].
Hindley, pastor of Pilgrim Congrega-
tional church. had been elected to ac-
tive membership in recognition Of his
services as a supporter Of unionism
The move was at the instance Of the
Bartenders' union the representative
of which Henry Oerter, who de-
clared:
1t is admitted that the ministers
are lnimably opposed to the liquor
men and are Numerically opposed to
us. The move was against the preach
ers and not against Mr.. Hindley, who
is one Of the staunchest supporters
Of unionism among the ministers Of
the city. But it can be seen how In
time the ministers would win over the
balance Of power in the central union
and the result would be the disruption
Of our union and the throwing of 375
men out Of work. After the situa-
tion was explained the members de-
cided to stand by the bartenders and
exclude the ministers.
X . zlnternationaE- Officer Here. -
William Bowen, president. Of the In
ternational Union Of Brick and Stone
Masons Is in Spokane. He spoke at
a meeting Of the Stone Masons union
a few nights ago and aroused much
enthusiasm. He told Of the condi-
tions Of the brick and stone masons'
union In various parts Of the United
States and reported that in most cases
the locals were prosperous and thriv-
ing. He urged closer affiliation be-
tween the brick and stone masons
unions, whose interests were kindred
Mr.. Bowen also spoke before the
Brick Masons union.
Direct Primary Law.
H. L. Stockbridge, chairman of the
committee on privileges and elections
announced a few days ago that the
direct primary law for the state Of
Washington will be enacted at the
present session of the legislature. He
said:
"Practically every member of the
legislature is pledged to support the
measure, but there is a difference Of
opinion as to some features of the pro-
ject. The principal point is the man.
ner Of voting in primaries-whether
by open or secret ballot, and the first
and second choice provisions, for in
stance, the secret ballot would have
the voter go to the primary polls and,
taking one each Of all the tickets, go
into the booth, mark one and hand it
to the officer to be deposited, return
ing the others. In this way no one
would know what ticket he voted He
could mark only one, of course, but
no one would know which one he
voted, and consequently it would be
possible for democrats, for instance, to
use their votes to put in nomination
a weak candidate on the republican
ticket or vice. versa. This system
would mean practical elimination of
party organization which under the
open ballot plan the voters would ask
the inspector for the ticket Of his
party, and partisians would thus have
a means of knowing who was making
the nomination.
Acquitted for Stealing Union Gard.
John Busch, a travelling salesman,
arrested recently on the charge of
stealing union card and receipts
from Nicholas Miles of the Brother
hood OF Railway Tralnmen. was dis
missed by Judge Hinkle in the police
court In Spokane few days ago, the
court ruling that the articles STOLEN
were Of no value and did not belong to
the prosecuting Witness but were the
property Of D. Downey a fireman.
Busch admitted having taken the card
and used 1t in riding to New York.
II took the card and receipt" he
said, because did not believe there
would be anything wrong in saving
railroad fare as long as l returned the
card to Downey."