The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-06-15
Hosts of Minnesota Labor Gather
in Annual Meeting in Granite
City of State and Cause of La
Dor Receives an Impetus.
People of Convention City Turn
Out in Large Numbers to Do
Honor to Labor. Big Parade Of
Unions-Large Mass Meetings
Held.
Stirring Speeches Made by Most
Prominent Men in Ranks of
Labor, All Conveying Hope to
the Wage Farmers Of Future
Achievements.

AdOOI, AL conveying 11Ope "
the Wage Farmers Of Future
Achievements.
ST. CLOUD, June 13:-(Special to
the Labor World.)-The most poten-
tial agencies in this world are by no
means the most noisy. The surface
currents Of the ocean may be driven
hither and thither by the storm while
the great body Of the waters lies un-
disturbed beneath them. So in mat
ters of human effort and human wis.,
dom, it must never be inferred from
the quietness of the movement that it
is without force. For the elements
of faction may distress and agitate
the surface while the great seattle
unsounded depths of a common feel
ing, a common patriotism, a common
happiness and a common hope-lie
voiceless and almost undisturbed be-
meath them.
Without blast of trumpet or sound
of drum, without splendor Of banner
or glitter Of weapon, the State Fed
Grafton of Labor Of Minnesota met in
the beautiful little city OF st. Cloud
Monday morning, and yet we doubt If
any gathering of men and women
within the limits Of the state, however
noisy it's coming gathering might be,
could be more important or entitled to
a higher regard from the people at
large than this convention. It rep
resents the bone and sinew of the
state, and has In its keeping the well
fare Of that element Of the popula-
ton On which all the other welfare Of
the state largely rests. It also rep
resents one Of the most progressive
and all-conquering movements Of the
modern world-one that will neither be
side-t tracked nor treated with scant
courtesy.
THE PROCEEDINGS BEGIN.
The meeting was called to order by
Marvin Hamilton, member. Of the
committee Of arrangements, and he
ardently congra tulated the Federation
on the large attendance and the mani
fest interest in the movement Of or
ganized labor which it typifies. At
the close of his remarks he introduced
Mayor Brown of St. Cloud, who well
coined the convention to the city and
assured it of the hospitality Of the
people and their interest in it's pro.
people and their interest in it's pro-
ceedings. The mayor gratified the
meeting with the declaration that or
ganized labor had passed the stage Of
experiment and uncertainty and was
now fixed on firm basis of settled
conviction, systematic method and
popular approval. It is safe, he said,
from hostile criticism and strong
enough to take care of itself, and for
this he expressed his ap proval, for he
recognized in the movement but fac
tor In the great onward march Of the
human race. After the interesting
opening prayer was made by Rev. E.
B. Campbell Of st. Cloud.
State Labor Commissioner Speaks.
President McElroy responded with
feeling and eloquence, and then intro
duced Mr.. w. H. Williams, the state
labor commissioner, who reviewed at
length and with careful attention to
details the work of the state labor
bureau during the last year. He
showed that through the efforts Of the
bureau the state had secured the best
labor legislation any state In the union
can boast Of, and while all that was
progress had been made in the matter
of labor legislation that all who were
interested in the subject ought greatly
to rejoice. His remarks appear at
length in another column of this issue.
Committee on Rules and Order Of
Business.
At this junction the president an
nounced the committee on Rules and
the Order of Busiess, as follows: H.
w. Libby, A. L. Baker, Alexader Ken
| nedy, j.. w. Graham and Robert Knox.
This committee at once retil ed to con-
fer on the duties with which it was
charged, and report at the earliest
possible hour.
McEwen Marks the Progress.
The next speaker was Mr.. w. e. Nc
Even, the secretary-t surer of the
convention. He congratulated the
meeting on the improvement in an
pearance and increase in number of
delegates, saying that ten years ago,
when the convention met in st, Cloud
there were present but 50 delegates,
representing five cities, while at this
time twenty-five cities are represent
ed by some 300 delegates. and every
branch of labor has it's voice in the
proceedings. He also said that the
proudest moment Of his life vast when
he received his first union card, for he
realized then, as he has been convinced
CHI fho+ IL /.
wrong Intentionally, and while 1t
may have show errors of Judgment its
motives were always right Mr.. Me-
Even said further, that while he
would be the last man to attempt to
forestall the results of the trial in
progress, he could not do less than to
demand in the name of all organized
labor fair deal and true deliver
ance for, Haywood, Meyer and Petit
bone, the officials Of the Western Fed.
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