Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-10-31

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decided on the establishment of a defense
fund.
The international convention of Steam
htters and Helpers will be held in De-
troit. Mich, next year.
The Wisconsin State Federation of La
Dor has started a movement for the adop-
| ton of a universal union label
In Canada the boot and shoe industry
employs almost 1900 wage earnerS. The
annual wage list amounts to S4644,171.
The International Marble Workers
| MON, while a small one, represents an
almost absolute organization of the craft.
Council has requested the American Fed
Grafton of Labor to take steps to union
,ize trades in that city
Over six millions of dollars was paid
out by organized labor in the United
| States last year for sick and death bene-
| fits, tool insurance, etc.
The average salary paid national pre-
! siding officer of labor union is about
$500. In some cases the travelling ex-
| penses are added to this
The 1900 coat tailors of Manhattan.
who went out on strike last summer while
members of the Brotherhood of Tailors,
are to form new national organization
| of tailors.
The International Glove Workers As
ISOLATION has voted to increase it's per
capita tax % per cent The purpose OF
| the increase is to organize unions in the
smaller cities
The Oklahoma State Federation of Ia
Dor at its recent meeting adopted reso-
| luton in favor of woman suffrage, and
proposes TO make this a test question in
| supporting candidates.
The Rhode Island State Federation OF
Labor has petitioned the members of
| Congress for the enactment of law
which would prohibit government bands
competing with civilian bands.
A universal price list and the general
eight-hour workday in every section of
the United States and Canada is the plan
proposed by Boston (Mass.D Steel and
Copper Plate Printers Union.
The application of the box makers and
Sawyers for a charter in the American
| Federation of Labor has been referred
to the officers of the Amalgamated Wood
Workers for consideration. If it is found
that the jurisdiction asked for does not
clash with that of the wood workers the
charter will in all probability be granted.
Two years ago, at the suggestion of the
! Rev. Charles StelZle superintendent of
the Presbyterian department of church
and labor, the custom of observing the
Sunday preceding Labor day as Labor
| Sunday" was introduced in the Presbyte-
rian church. This year, it is announced,
practically all of the II, 900 Presbyterian
pastors in this country preached sermons
analogous to the day, with appropriate
exercises.
Kansas City, Mo-. is going to have a
| labor temple, and that at no distant date.
| The corner stone for the new home for
labor was laid few weeks ago with i'm
pressive ceremonies. More than $4,000
has already been raised by voluntary
subscriptions for stock, and to show the
earnestness with which the union men
have entered into the project, they have
agreed to give one days pay toward the
! fund to erect the temple.
The division of information of the
! Bureau of immigration, of which II. v
Powderly is the chief, proposes to have
well qualified men and women travel upon
steamships and mingle with incoming
aliens for the purpose of informing them
Of labor conditions in this country and
what they may expect upon arrival here,
| Through these agents, too, it is expected
to discover attempted violations of the
alien contract labor law.
The ministers of Coffeyville, Kan, have
adopted a union scale of prices for con-
Quoting funerals, and they propose ex-
tending their organization to all portions
of the State. Recently one of the minis
tiers was called to attend a funeral at Il
neighboring point. He paid his own car
fare, hired livery team and bought his
own dinner after the funeral The result
was meeting of the Ministerial Associa-
tion and the adoption of a So fee for a
funeral or no service.
Alexander Law, president of the Eight
Hour League of America, says that the
| object of the league is to make the de-
mand for the universal eight-hour day the
paramount issue in the next presidential
campaign. The people are agreed that
the eight-hour day is a good thing, he
says, hence the time has arrived 10 make
it universal in the country. Continuing,
| he SAYS that all business will in time be
compelled to work to an eight-hour level,
and the greatest reform since the abolition
of slavery will have been accomplished for
all time when this is brought about.
The Supreme Court of the State of
| Michigan has handed down decision of
great Importance to organized labor. 1t
| is as follows: "Workingmen have a right
to fix price upon their labor and refuse
to work unless that price is obtained
| Singly or in combination they have this
| right They may use persuasion to in
| duce men to join their organization, or re-
| fuse to work except for an established
wage. They may present their cause to
| the public in the newspapers or circulars
| in a peaceable way, and with no attempt
| of coercion If the effect in such a case
| is ruin to the employer, there is no re-
dress, for they have only exercised their
| legal rights"
If plans of union men in Milwaukee,
Wis. are carried out a new labor organ
! ization will be formed. It is to be COM
posed of bellboys, porters chambermaids,
| kitchen workers and various other help
around hotels.
Labor unions of Vancouver, 3. c., are
| much exercised over the threatened inva-
| sion of japanese from Honolulu. The
! Vancouver labor market is greatly over
stocked. yet the records show that up
| ward of 900 japanese laborers have ar
| rived during the last few months, with
| the tendency toward greater arrivals in
| the future.
| Hat manufacturers have decided, after
a conference with the employees, that they
will continue to place the union label in
! all union made hats. This is all the off
GERS and members of the United Hat
| ters of America sought from the Ma
| tional Fur Felt Hat Manufacturers As
ISOLATION.
w. w. Westcott. Richard A. Canfield's