The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-06-19
ANNUAL REPORT O|I| |I
Sec Treas. .|| A M'ENlN|
Reviews the Trials and Triumphs
Of Labor Movement During
- the Past Year. ....:. ' !. !.
BLOOD OF THE MARTYRs II Il
Is SEED OF THE CHURCH


~ LIS 1Op6S. - @
To the 1officers aud Members Of tho
Twenty-Seventh Annual Convention
of the Minnesota state Federation Of
Labor. Greeting: 81 54
have the honor to submit for your
consideration the report of my work as
secretary treasurer for the fiscal year
ending May 81, 1909. In performing this
: duty it would be easy for me to lay
before you a plain narrative Of events
occurring and action taken in connec-
ton Herewith. d resume Of questions
asked and answers givensthereto in
voluminous correspondence, and a
statement of monies received and ex-
penditures made In carrying on the
work OF my office under the direction
Of your Federation Council and there
let the mater end. r. 0
Review OF Movement.
But feel that the annual eat therlnr
around the high central altar Of our
organization for mutual conference
and helpful effort gives occasion and
calls for something more than collated
facts and dry statistics, however inn
portant they may be-. It Is a time for
g., general review OF the labor move
mentt during the year that has passed
Its trials and Its triumphs, the oc-5
currences that have affected 1t and the
results that have been accomplished.
y Is also a. time for g sweeping glance
into the future, an observation OF what
that may require at our. hands. and an
inventory of the resources we may
have available for the requirements.
-."f- = Watchma1 on Tower. s. sS:. (
The natives OF the little island OF.
Iona in the Hebr1dep have a. legend
| that on 9 certain nigh In every wear.
their tnte1ary saint III 81 seen seen
fperchedS on enc Of the church s,,frea
countin Sthe surroundsnS rasiarIdu To-
see IT any have been sunk by thu
| power Of witchcraft It were not
! inapt stmilitude to and ia this legend
some likeness to the passing hour.
This is an anniversary occasion. It
puts your Observation-Disclosures up above.
| you for brief period. not, indeed.
with any tutelary OF sanity attri-
butes, but as q sort OF watchman on
| the tower, to overlook the surrounds
| Ing country. to take note of wind and
J. sky, and, If need be. to give warning
Of approaching danger, with this view
Of what the genius OF this place and
| hour demands, it may be that shall
draw too freely on your Indulgence,
but you must believe that am 1m-
| PEELED by conscientious sense of duty
| and sincere desire for the welfare
OF the cause we have ip charge.
! Bringa Glad Tidinss.
| 1t is most gratifying to your off,
| GERS that they are able to bring you
| glad t1dings at this time. Most Of you
| are familiar with the. frequent attacks
made upon, the American tabor move-s
| ment during the past year: by men and
organizations that have sought to de-
| stroy the power and inhuence OF the.
trade unions, and you know, too, that
the pathway over which We have had
to, travel has been rugged with OBJ
stacles, strewn with thorns and beset
with perils; and that our advance over
1t has been one OF painful toll and
| constant trial. But it has been prog
ress, and in that We can rejoice.
! Employment, In most eases, has
been unsteady, and because OF this the
opponents of the trade union, idea
have lost no oportunity' ' and spared no
means to drive labor from the position
| it had attained through th2 power OF
| organization. It u believed that hun-s
cry men are less Independent and less
aggressive than well-fsd, prosperous
! worktngmen,. ana therefore they can
be more easily subdued Efforts to
make practic4l pplication OF this
theory on a large scale have been
general throuEhout3th the land. 3
! &c. Centexs OF Attack,
| Unions of workingmen which have
labored under union. shop agreements
for years have been made the centers.
of attack. and relentless and bitter
1 wars have been waged. against them,