The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-09-06

gether to discuss their general well
fare.
AS Labor Day was originally set
aside to celebrate from year to year
the progress of organized labor, It
may be interesting to review the his
| tory and development Of labor Or
CARNATIONS in this country The first
definite record of a labor organiza-
ton dates back to 1903, when the
Shipwright's Society in New York
was formed. There were some at
tempts of organizing the members Of
several crafts in Boston, New York
and other eastern cities long before
/ that time, but they were of a purely
local character and not enduring or
large enough to become important.
In 1906 the tailors and carpenters
followed the example of the ship
builders and organized. During the
following four or five decades many
other labor unions were formed.
To the printers may be given the
credit for the formation Of the first
union of modern type. In 1852 the
National Labor union, sort Of fed
GRAFTON of labor unions, was organ
lied It's field became political i'm
mediately and it was only three years
later that the knights of Labor, with
Terence V. Powderly at its head. first
dared to manifest itself. The knights
of Labor were primarily lodge Of
workingmen. It's principles and pur-
poses were not much like those OF
the American Federation of Labor
as it exists today. The knights of
Labor drifted into politics and this
sealed the doom of the organization.
When. in 1898, Powderly resigned
from the presidency, the membership
of the organization had dwindled
| from nearly a million to practically
nothing.
| The American Federation of Labor
arose as the Knights of Labor fell.
At a convention in Columbus, O.. in
! 1886, the American Federation of
Labor. then five years old. revived
into its membership about nine-tenths
| of the disappointed members fthe
Knights of Labor The purpose of
EnI0 80 oh
was to band together the men of the
various trades and crafts and then
federate the mimic a great central
| body No social or lodge or brother
hood features were incorporated In
the new organizations constitution
and bylaws
The Federation of Labor was or
ganized In 1891. Samuel Gompers
was its first president and has held
that position ever since with the ex-
ception of two years, when John Nc
| Bride, a miner, defeated him for the
honor. The organ of the federation
Of which Gompers is the editor, is
! the American Federationist.
/ The growth Of unionism in the
United States has been marvellous
during the past 80 years. At the
present time the labor unions in
America have greater membership
than ever before in the history of
| the labor movement In the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor there are
now affiliated about 100 national and
| International labor unions represent
! ing approximately 10000 local labor
unions. The number of State FEEDER
atoms Of Labor is about 40 and there
are nearly 900 central city labor
| bodies and more than 500 local trade
and labor. unions. In the aggregate
more than 100000 are members Of
the body or are affiliated with it.
Outside the American Federation of
Labor are the plasterers and brick
| layers. the trainmen's unions. such
as locomotive engineers, f1remen and
switchmen, and few others. In all
about 100000.